Page 24 of Stolen Kisses

Our girl time is abruptly interrupted by the slam ofmyfront door and stomping feet on my clean hardwood floors. Normally, they’re so excited to see me that they, well Austin mostly, almostknockme over with their hugs. They’re too busy storming through to their bedroom to give Kenny or me a second thought. Kenny and I share a look, both of us raising our eyebrows.

“Can you stay here a minute?”

She nods in response. I look out of the front window to see my ex-husband making his way to the front door with the boys’ gear, so I step out onto the porch to find out what’s going on. Closing the door behind me to afford us some privacy, I ask, “What the hell’s going on, Preston?”

“Jesus, you don’t have to be a bitch the minute you see me.” He turns to leave after dumping the bags on the front porch. No way, mister. You don’t get to dump two angry boys on me and run. He makes it back to his car before I catch up with him.

–theo–

My serenity is interrupted when a white Chevrolet SS pulls into Emma’s driveway and her two boys immediately jump out of the car, slamming their doors. Only try-hard schmucks, who are trying to walk on the wild side, drive a car like that. The kids looked pissed at whoever’s driving, and I already don’t like whoever it is. The driver steps out of the car and I huff out a laugh when I finally lay eyes on him. Yep, definitely a schmuck!

He grabs some bags from the trunk and follows the same path as the boys, huffing and puffing, muttering something I can’t quite hear from where I am. I turn my attention back to my book. I guessKenny’llbe happy now the boys are home to play. I’ll give her an hour, then go over to collect her in time for dinner.

“Don’t you walk away from me, Preston.”Yep, schmuck. What sort of a name is Preston?“I’m not being a bitch. I want to know why the boys are so upset.” Emma sounds beyond livid, reminding me of the other night. “You don’t get to dump and run without an explanation.”

The guy, who I’m guessing is the boys’ father, stops next to his car. He looks across the street and I almost feel a little guilty that I’m about toeavesdropon a private conversation—not that they’re speaking quietly. Anyone walking down the path would be able to hear them.

He looks down at the ground before he answers. “I told them they won’t be able to come to my place next month.”

“What the hell, Preston? You only have the boys one weekend a month. What’s so freaking important that you can’t do it on another weekend when youdon’thave the boys?”

“Stacey and I are getting married. I’ll be busy.” I lean forward in my chair so I can see Emma better. She rests her hands on her gorgeous hips, her face stunning in anger.

“What the hell. You trucking a-hole! You’re excluding your sons from your wedding? What kind of father are you?” She crosses her arms, raising those beautiful breasts up high. “How dare you hurt them like that. You selfish ass!”

“Enough!” Emma’s head snaps back as though he’s slapped her with the sharp crack of his voice. “Stacey doesn’t want kids at the wedding and I agree with her. They’ll onlyget in the way. Besides, we both know Lachlan wouldn’t cope anyway!”

“She does realize that she’s going to have to put up with the kids one weekend a month, right?” He grasps the back of his neck, looking down at the ground. “I wanted to talk to you about that. Maybe we can just make it for one Saturday afternoon a month, no sleepovers.”

“Oh, mytruckingGod!” She drops her arms, slapping her thighs. “Do you hear yourself? Those boys are your children, you can’t just pretend they don’t exist because it doesn’t suit your new wife. You have a responsibility to them.”

“I’ll still keep up my fucking payments, don’t worry.”Oh yeah, he’s a fucking schmuck!

“It’s not about the trucking money.” I have to suppress my snicker at her cursing. “It’s about your time and attention. They’re boys. They need a father figure who’s interested in them as people. A man who wants to help, support, and guide them in their growth. Not someone who only deems them worthy for one afternoon a freaking month!”What did she ever see in this guy?

They’re both quiet for long moments and I think maybe that’s the end of the argument.

“Be sure you don’t knock her up.” Her voice has changed from enraged to one dripping in hurt.

“What?” The schmuck seems genuinely confused by her statement.

“Well, her body will change once she falls pregnant and even more so when she has a baby. We both know you don’t like the effects of pregnancy and childbirth on your wife’s body. Nor do you like the fact that children might just take the focus off of you.” I see fucking red.He what? What did I just hear exactly?

She turns, walking away a few steps, then turns back around. “Maybe you shouldn’t bother coming around anymore. You only ever think of yourself and they deserve more than that.”

With that, she walks around the back of her house and he gets into his schmuck car, driving away without a backward glance at the family he obviously walked away from. What a fucking idiot! I’ve not spent all that much time with Emma and her boys, but if I were lucky enough to have a woman like that, I certainly wouldn’t be walking away. The side gate slams closed and then I hear aheart-wrenchingsob.

I’m torn.

Do I go to her? Or leave her to her private breakdown? Everyone’s entitled to have their moment in privacy. I don’t really know her well enough to offer support, so I leave her to have a quiet moment to express her pain and gather herself.

* * *

I take the three steps up to Emma’s front porch, noticing the middle step is split. I noticed it the day I returned her casserole dish, but I was too pissed at her for not locking her door that I forgot all about it. It needs a new piece of timber before one of her boys hurts himself again. The porch area is quite large; she could do with a couple of rocking chairs with a coffee table out here. I’m not sure if I’ve done the right thing, but I decided to invite Kenny and myself over for dinner with a few piping-hot pizzas. I figured Emma might not feel like cooking after her run-in with her ex.

Balancing the pizzas with one hand, my other hand freezes mid-knock as I hear a loud crash come from inside, followed by one of her boys shouting. I test the door handle and sure enough, Emma hasn’t locked it yet again.What is it with this woman?My feet quickly lead me to the source of the commotion to find chairs tipped over, Lachlan shouting at Emma as he hits his own head, and Emma covered head to toe in milk. Kenny and Austin are nowhere in sight, so I place the pizzas on the counter, watching Emma watch Lachlan. I feel as though I’m walking into a war zone and that I need to place my steps carefully so as not to set off a bomb.

Keeping my voice low, I ask, “Everything okay in here?” I look between Lachlan and Emma.

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