Page 80 of Finding You

“You’re smiling at your phone. That is straight up disgusting,” Bowen said, throwing something at Dallas. He looked down at his lap and saw it was one of Rex’s socks.

Dallas just grinned at him and shrugged. “I should feel like throwing up. I have to talk to Katie about keeping Audra longer so I can go with Kylen to his family thing, but I just…I don’t know. I feel good.”

Adele elbowed him gently. “You definitely shouldn’t feel like throwing up when you have to talk to your ex. Those are bad signs.”

Dallas heaved a sigh. “I know. We just haven’t talked since the whole…incident.” It had been three weeks since she’d lost it at his front door. Three weeks since he’d seen her in court the following morning and the judge didn’t take her side. Three weeks of silence and icy handoffs in grocery store parking lots.

But he was desperate to prove he could do this with her. That they could co-parent and figure out a way to make it work because Audra deserved a life where they didn’t hate each other.

“Why don’t you call her now,” Bowen said softly. “Frey’s got all the kids out back. You’ve got space and support.”

It was a good idea. But that was when the nerves started kicking off again. He took a deep breath, then pushed himself off the couch and headed out the front door. In the distance, he could hear the kids squealing in the back, and he thought about what it would be like once they added Audra’s voice to that.

He prayed to whatever god might be listening that this whole thing stuck around for her. That they collected new parents and new kids she could grow up with. That this would always be his safe space—and, more than that, his family.

His hand was steady as he swiped his phone screen open and tapped on his ex’s contact. There was a long pause before it started ringing, and then her voice came onto the line.

“You’re calling me.” It was more an accusation than a question.

“Yeah. So…” He took a deep breath. “We need to talk.”

“Suing me for more custody?” she snapped.

Dallas took a beat, making sure he remained calm. He wondered if he should be recording the conversation, but in all honesty, he didn’t want that kind of relationship. He wanted to trust her again. He had once—before everything fell apart. Before she stepped out on him. The cheating almost felt like a gift though.

It had crushed him at first, but his life was so much better now. He was so much happier.

And maybe he was a fool, but he wanted that for her too.

“Hello?” she said.

“Sorry. I don’t want to fight, Katie. I really don’t.”

“You should have thought of that before you?—”

“Asked for more time with my daughter? Asked to be able to make sure that you couldn’t take my days just because you feel like it?” he interrupted. She met his words with silence. “I don’t know if you’re angry at me because you feel guilty for what you did?—”

“That’s fucking bullshit.”

“But I forgive you.”

She went dead silent.

“I’m not angry. I don’t understand why you cheated, but I understand why you were unhappy. I know I’m not like most men.”

“No shit,” she said with a bitter laugh.

He closed his eyes. “I’m asexual. I didn’t…I didn’t know when I met you. I thought if a person was asexual, they didn’t want sex at all. Ever. I didn’t know it could be complicated.”

Her silence continued for a while, but before Dallas could speak again, she cleared her throat. “You’re being serious right now?”

“Yeah.” He rubbed a hand down his face, then leaned against Frey’s porch railing. “I’m seeing someone. A guy.”

She barked a laugh. “That figures. I can’t get you off, but a dick can?”

He winced. He hated that she was still trying to hurt him, but he couldn’t control her. He could only control himself. “I’m not going to discuss my sex life with you. That’s not why I’m calling.”

“What do you want, then? Other than to make me feel like shit?”

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