Page 95 of Just My Ex

“It’s amazing what big life changes can do to a person. Becoming a parent, getting a divorce—it’s changed my priorities.”

He bumps his shoulder against me. “Mine, too.”

“I can tell.” I bump against his shoulder in turn. “You still scan every room we walk into for baddies but you’re able to let go of the dread about it a lot faster.”

“I don’t mean to be so hyperaware but I can’t un-know what I know.”

“Which turned out to be handy since we’re here now instead of in a shootout with what’s his name out there.”

“A shootout? This isn’t the Wild West.”

My brows go in the air as I look around the dusty barn. “Really? Cause that’s not what ol’ Maverick thinks.”

He pulls me close to his side. “You’re actually afraid of donkeys.” He kisses my cheek. “It’s so cute.”

“I was startled! You would’ve been, too, if he’d breathed on you with his yellow toothed, chalky mouth.”

He laughs, and the sound of it has me craving my future. I want to start in on it now. Since I can’t speed up time, I think food sounds good.

“Can I have a snack now? Please?”

He laughs again. “Of course.” He opens the bag and sets some items out on the floor.

I grab a small bag of trail mix and then notice something else. “The knife! I put this on top of Sebastian’s armoire,” I say, lifting it off the floor and removing the sheath.

“I had to stash some things around the suite, you know, for our safety.”

I shiver and re-cover it “Please don’t use this.”

He doesn’t say anything, just rotates his hands, palms up, as if to say,I hope I don’t have to, but …

“Look, Quinn, I have something to give you.” He picks up the backpack and rummages in it.

He hands me a sheaf of messily folded papers, the “Quinn” written on the front of it in ink smudged from the rainwater. “Will you read this, please?”

Chapter 38

Henry

I hand Quinn the folded-up, lined paper full of crossed out words and my terrible handwriting. I think I’m past feeling embarrassed by the sloppiness of it, and just ready for her to know what I have to say.

She waves the folded papers around. “What’s this?”

“Just read it.”

She opens up the folded sheets and blinks rapidly, her gaze roaming over the sheets as she quickly rifles through them.

“Seven handwritten pages, front and back? Wow.” She rests them in her lap as she turns to me and sits cross-legged. “Will you read it to me?”

“You can’t read my handwriting, can you?”

She giggles, trapping her lips between her teeth. “Well, it’s a little rough. But no, it’s not that, exactly. I just want to hear your voice reading it to me.”

I take in a deep breath, surprised that my chest isn’t as tight as it was just a moment ago. “I can do that.”

Her brows go in the air.

I take the papers from her and spend some time trying to smooth out the dog-eared creases. “I started writing this a few months ago. I’d add a few things here and there when I was especially missing you.”

---