Page 14 of My Almost Ex

“Marla and I would be happy to have Lucy stay with us.”

Again I choke on my coffee. Why does Dad throw this shit out there right as I take a drink? I bet he’s doing it on purpose since I went against his wishes last night.

“Yeah, um, no.” She pours another artificial sugar in her cup, the spoon stirring constantly. All I want to do is take the spoon out of her cup and fling it across the room. “She’ll come back to Idaho with me.”

“Are you sure you don’t just want her to forget her life here? Forget Adam?” my dad asks in a sterner voice.

I could probably sneak out of this conversation. The kids playing over at the gazebo are having way more fun than me.

“Whatever happened that your son is being so tight-lipped about is the reason she left. They were over before the accident.” Susan continues to stir her coffee.

“All she said was she wasn’t happy,” I chime in.

Susan says nothing and rolls her eyes as though she doesn’t believe me. “Convenient that you’re already seeing someone.”

I slide out of the booth to leave before my anger gets the better of me, but I stand at the end of the table, unable to keep the words inside. “Alicia and I are a new thing, and it isn’t serious. I’ve had the year from hell without your daughter in my life. I don’t want to share that with you, but I will so you’ll stop assuming this is my fault. She walked out on me. I didn’t cheat on her, I didn’t hit her, I didn’t lie to her. There was no reason for her to leave me, but she did. Now she’s back in town, not even remembering why she decided to walk out on our marriage. If you want to let all those memories stay hidden, for her never to become the Lucy we all love, then shame on you, Susan.”

She leans back, gaping at my dad as though he should put me over his knee and spank me. “Are you honestly questioning my intentions for Lucy’s recovery?”

I huff. “I’m questioning your intentions of making sure Lucy remembers every part of her past. Maybe your hatred for our family has twisted your decision-making ability.”

“Adam.” My dad clears his throat, but before he can add another word, I continue.

“Let’s be honest, Susan. You’re afraid I can worm myself into your daughter’s heart again. Then if she doesn’t remember why she left me, there’s a good chance we might get back together and that’d be your worst nightmare. Even if I was the one who took care of your daughter, loved her with my entire heart, and you were the one who chose not to come to our wedding and wrote her off.”

“Adam,” my dad says again.

I lean in over the table, lowering my voice, thankful we’re not in Sunrise Bay. “But you don’t have to worry because losing Lucy made me feel dead inside. I never want to feel that pain again. It was like someone put my heart through a meat grinder. So stick around and give her memory a chance to come back, but you don’t have to worry, I’m never going to love Lucy, or any other woman, ever again.”

I storm out of the diner, the bell chiming as my goodbye.

Since I drove us all, I head to the Lake Starlight gazebo and sit my ass down on a bench, waiting until they’re ready to leave, which I hope is soon.

A girl kicking a soccer ball around with her brother looks at me. “Hey, you’re Rylan’s brother, right?”

I huff. “Calista Bailey,” I say, recognizing her. She and Rylan are coached by the same instructor.

She looks around. “Is he here?”

I shake my head, watching her footwork that’s so much like Rylan’s. You never see my kid brother without a soccer ball, and from the few times I’ve witnessed these two together in lessons, she and Rylan are evenly matched.

“Why are you here?” Calista asks.

A boy comes by and kicks the ball out from her feet.

“Dion!” she yells.

I nod toward the diner. “Breakfast.”

“That’s my dad’s place.” Calista points at the maroon awning with gold lettering that reads Terra and Mare. It’s the fanciest place in Lake Starlight, so it’s usually a special occasion or a date if you go there. “He’s not open for breakfast though.”

I nod. “He’s a great chef. I’ve eaten there.”

The Dion kid kicks the ball, and it hits Calista in the ass. She runs off after him, irritated.

“I’ll tell Rylan you said hello,” I say to her retreating back.

She stops and turns around. “I didn’t tell you to do that.”

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