Page 31 of Just My Ex

I know. I resist the urge to say it over and over again. I know. And it was a horrible thing. But no one understands why, or what our father asked me to do.

I’m here now. That’s the best I can do at this point.

It’s going to be interesting trying to get back into their lives, to show them that I care when my actions of past years have shown them otherwise.

Alec’s not finished. “You might have apologized to Mom about the wedding, but have you apologized about not being around when she was in the hospital?”

“I called her a couple of times. I was very concerned and wanted to come.”

A week after the wedding, Mom collapsed. At the hospital, they found internal bleeding. She had abdominal surgery. I was working for the Ostlins in Hamburg at the time. The whole ordeal was scary.

“She’s getting infusions of iron three times a week now, and she had to have blood transfusions in the hospital.” Alec shakes his head. “I’m not trying to give you a hard time, I’m just … I think you should know how I feel about your absence in some of the most important times in our family lately. Some really big things.”

“I appreciate you letting me know.” I bite down hard on nothing, and it makes my jaw smart. “I meant to come for the wedding, and then something came up. And with Mom’s sickness, well, I was in Germany and by the time I could get away, she seemed to be doing better.”

He gives a curt nod, leans over to get the attention of Quinn, and manages a smile. “Nice to see you again, Quinn.”

I know the family had complicated feelings about my splitting up with Quinn, and certainly about my work schedule.

Quinn stands from the tree stump and wipes off the back of her running shorts.

Why is it that every movement, everything about her, gives me pause, makes me do a double—triple take?

I’m tripped up just long enough that I don’t notice Alec has already turned to leave, and he’s trudging back down the hill, head down.

I sigh.

Will he ever forgive me?

Chapter 12

Quinn

I’m so busy trying to rearrange my features after Alec walks away that I’m not aware of everything going on around us.

A cardinal sin in Henry’s book.

But I couldn’t let on that I’d overheard their whole conversation. It’s not like I tried to listen in.

Not exactly.

But I know the ups and downs—mostly downs—Henry has had with his family and Alec in particular and I couldn’t stick my fingers in my ears and sing “La la la la,” now could I?

So in the process of trying to take a second to place a mask of cool indifference to that whole family drama I just witnessed, I let my guard down. And a hot, moist breeze shunts across the back of my neck.

It’s so strong, it moves my ponytail.

Swish.

I don’t know which comes to my awareness first, the smell or the sound of breathing.

Either way, I do all in my power to extract myself fromthe thing that is breathing on me, which involves a harsh screeching, wriggling, and a whole lot of hand flapping in the wind.

As well as shuddering. And a very close call with a gag reflex that could pass for a dry heave.

It’s a horse?

Except not a horse.

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