Page 57 of Exes and Big Os

The door to the bay opened.

“Welcome to…” Callie stood and as her eyes met the guest she stopped moving. “Trent?”

“Cal.” He walked through the room and stood on the opposite side of her desk. “How are you?”

Her hands fisted, and she fought every urge to pick up her stapler and make his pretty face a little less pretty. “I have nothing to say to you.”

“Nothing? Not even hello?”

“Why are you here?”

The side door opened, and Meg’s heels clicked on the cement. This was going to get interesting.

“Well, hello, asshole.” Meg walked past him, and Callie prepared for a right hook or maybe left uppercut or even a move to make him impotent for years to come. Meg had taken up the self-defense method of Krav Maga and went three times a week to lessons. Callie believed the fascination was just to take Meg’s anger out on someone. She got to beat up on the instructor and seemed to always come home a little happier after.

“Trent, what do you want?” Callie asked.

Trent sighed. “I want to talk to you about what happened.”

“What happened?”

“The cancer lie. I apologize. But I need you to understand that I really needed to get Sam back. Brittney was so upset at the thought of him not being there.”

Callie shook her head. “You know, this was always your problem. You think you’re apologizing, but you’re not. You’re adding a ‘but’ on the end to relieve the guilt you’re feeling.”

“And you always wanted me to be someone I wasn’t.”

Callie rounded her desk. “No, I wanted you to be someone who was honest and trustworthy, and you couldn’t do that.”

Trent stepped in front of her. “Callie, I’m sorry. I’m sorry I cheated. I’m sorry I couldn’t be the person you needed. I’m sorry I lied to you about Sam, and I’m sorry for asking Liam to go along with it. He didn’t know what I’d said until he got to Mexico, but I’m sorry for saying it. Lying was wrong. There. No buts, no blaming. Just taking responsibility. I’m sorry about it all.”

She almost believed him. “Why are you really here, Trent?”

“First, Brittney found out about the cancer lie and she told me I had to apologize to you, and since you blocked me in your phone, I had to come here.”

Brittney didn’t sound that bad after all.

Trent leaned back against her desk, his wedding ring gleaming in the florescent lighting. Obviously, Brittney got to the truth. Callie regretted not doing the same.

Trent cleared his throat. “Second, I wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

“I’m fine.”

“Cal.” His head tipped. “I know. I know about you and Liam. If you’re half as messed up as he is, you’re in trouble.”

She straightened her back. “He’s messed up?” As much as she thought she might enjoy hearing he was miserable, she didn’t.

“Another reason Brittney sent me out here.”

“To see how I was doing?”

“No, to see if I could get you to call Liam and talk to him.”

There was no way she was doing that.

“No. You need to leave now.”

“I will. Just one last thing, Cal.” Trent swallowed hard. “He loves you.”

---