Page 27 of Succeeding Love

I closed my eyes, remembering the way her date called me “Mr. Ex”.

“I don’t want to think of her that way.” My voice was hoarse, thick with emotion.

“Well, that’s too fucking bad.”

“Preston!” My eyes snapped open.

“Dad! You don’t get to be that shitty, so cut the crap. What? Is your whore not enough for you now? You want to string mom along again until the next one comes along?”

“It’s not like that. It’s not like that at all.”

“Then what’s it like, dad?!”

“I MISS HER!” I shouted, the emotions heating and stirring behind my burning eyes breaking free. “I messed up,and I miss my wife! If I could go back and change everything, I would. That’s all I want now. More than anything.”

Preston shook his head at me, his jaw growing more tense. “Do you know what I want more than anything? For my mom to be happy.”

A guilty sob broke through me. “I want that too.”

“I don’t think you do. Even before you left and said you were cheating, you weren’t making mom happy.”

“We were happy,” I argued desperately.

“No, she wasn’t,” Preston glowered. “You know deep down she wasn’t, and neither were you or you never would have done it. You wouldn’t have cheated on my mom.”

“I was just confused, Pres,” I begged him to understand.

“You don’t cheat from confusion. Youleft her. You cheated on her repeatedly and left my mom for the other woman. Are you really trying to get my sympathy now that you regret it all?”

I shook my head, knowing I didn’t deserve his sympathy, forgiveness, or anything else. “I miss my family,” I said brokenly. “I know I don’t deserve her anymore, but I still miss your mom. That will never change.”

“I doubt that,” Preston scoffed, pushing himself off the couch. “Don’t hurt my mom more than you have.” He walked to the bedroom and closed the door behind him.

I sat there crying into my hands for I don’t know how long, feeling the weight of my sins pressing in. “I’m so sorry, son,” I heaved. “I’m sorry I hurt you, too.”

~

Feighlynn

“So, I waxed your kitty cat for nothing?” Kate sat across the island, sipping on coffee, watching me as I scrubbed out the fridge to get ready for a grocery trip.

“You waxed my kitty cat because you’re persistently annoying.” I gave her a pointed look, and she stuck her tongue out at me.

“Stupid Nick. He’s the really hairy kitty cat, if you know what I mean. What did he stop over for, anyway?”

I shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine. He said something about those presents Preston returned to him, but then just left.”

“Mm hmm,” Kate laughed. “Sounds like our action hero scared him off. Good for him.”

I bit my lip, remembering that kiss. Good for me and him. Really good.

“So, have we heard from our action hero today?”

“No,” I murmured.

“And why not?”

I shrugged. “We never really exchanged contact info or made plans again.”

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