Page 29 of Midlife Woes (Ex)

But as soon as I saw her, all the walls I’d built up in the last few weeks just seemed to shatter. She looks amazing, though my image of her will always be that relaxed she had, fresh from sitting by the pool, her hair not exactly neat and just a softness that called out to me.

“What are you feeling right now?”

“Like I can’t breathe. Like the world is moving too fast.”

“Have you ever felt that before?” She shook her head, and I looked into her eyes, trying to read her. She was scared out of her mind.

“I know what you’ve just been through, so we can do this, or not do this, at your pace. But just in case there’s anyone who’s been waiting to snatch you up as soon as the ink dried on your divorce, I’m putting in my bid. I want you.”

JOLENE

If he’d pushed after that, I would’ve had an excuse to never want to see him again. But he had to go and be perfect. After the song ended, he didn’t even try to linger, cop a feel, nothing. He just took me back to the table with the others and told us to enjoy the rest of our night.

“Girl, what was he whispering in your ear? From over here, it looked like he was nibbling on your neck.” Maeve was all but jumping in her seat.

“You lucky bitch. Freshly divorced and pulled the hottest man in the place, bar none.” Sheila teased, making me blush.

“I don’t even know what’s going on. I told you about him, remember? When he came to the house. Shit, Sheila, why did you kick me again? Anyway, Maeve, he came to question me about beating up that child, and I have to tell you the thoughts that went through my mind that day. If my divorce had been final…”

“What would you have done if your divorce had been final?” I almost gave myself whiplash at the sound of his voice coming from directly behind me. I’m almost certain his smile was way more confident this time like it needed any improvement.

“I…we.” I couldn’t find the words, and I wished the floor would open up and swallow me whole. “What are you doing here?”

“I was coming to give you my number, but I think I’ll do that some other time.” He started to walk away. “By the way, how are you ladies getting home tonight?”

“Sheila’s husband is picking us up.”

“Which means he has to come all the way out here and then go back. Sheila, why don’t you call him and tell him you’ll be getting a ride home?” He didn’t even wait around for an answer; just turned and carried on walking.

“Wait, what does that mean? He doesn’t wanna give me his number?”

“Does that look like a man that doesn’t want to give you his number? If I were you, I would wear clean drawers for the rest of the week.” Maeve was still checking out his ass as he walked into the crowd. I was afraid to move.

“Or none.” Sheila cackled like a hen.

“I know that’s right.” The two of them high-fived each other while I tried to cool down the heat in my cheeks with my hands.

“Well, we might as well go; we’ve got work to do.”

“What work, Maeve?”

She was already gathering her stuff.

“I didn’t pay close enough attention when Clay was talking about this guy. We’re gonna go do some research because the next motherfucker that step outta line with you gon end up on Uncle Dave’s pig farm. Just saying.”

Sheila was busy telling Jonathan not to come and I was trying to figure out how to get out of here without being seen by him. Everything about me was a mess. My mind was racing, my heart was pounding, and all I kept wondering was, is this what a rebound feels like?

I don’t remember falling in love feeling like this, so it must be something else. I didn’t have any of these wild feelings with Kevin. Ah, how could I forget? Perimenopause could be playing a part in my haywire emotions.

Thankfully, he wasn’t the one driving us home; thank heaven, it was his driver. That seems so odd, a cop with a driver, but whatever, I had my own problems, so I was in no shape to dwell on his.

The gentleman was personable, and the car, not sure what it was, was nice; I remember cream leather, bottles of water, and other crap back there, but for the life of me, I couldn’t tell you what streets we drove or anything else that happened.

The Bobsie twins knew enough not to discuss you know who while his driver was in attendance, so I was left with my own thoughts, which were all going around in circles. I’ve found more and more lately that the older I get, the more I wish someone would tell me what the hell I’m supposed to do in any given situation.

When I was young, I couldn’t wait to get away from adult supervision and authority. But since I reached about thirty-five or so, when life was really kicking my ass with kids and just everyday shit, I wished like hell someone would take over so I could sleep.

We thanked the gentleman and tried to tip him, which he politely refused, so I guess Damon pays him well. The plan had always been for the girls to spend the night, so after we called Jonathan to let him know that we had indeed made it home in one piece and he and Sheila had their annoying lovey-dovey talk that made her giggle like a teenager, we got down to business.

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