Page 11 of Back in the Saddle

I shrugged and shook my head. “Why wouldn’t they know?”

“I don’t know. Maybe out of respect for me.”

She couldn’t be serious, could she? One glance at her flattened lips told me she was. My vision blurred as rage pulsed in my veins. I dragged her into an empty classroom off the alcove. “What the hell are you talking about? Respect? Your daughter was struggling and all you can think about is yourself.How about some fucking respect for her? Maybe pretend to care a little bit.”

She glared at me. If looks could kill, I’d be dead. “It’s a bit hard not to think about myself when everyone knew you were having an affair except for me.”

I was ready to give her a piece of my mind about being a crappy parent, but stopped when I registered what she said. “A—what? An affair?”

“You and Carla.”

“We’re not having an affair.”

“Then why did you meet with her?”

“So we could go through the material Isabelle was learning. So I could help our daughter. Something you couldn’t care less about.”

Taylor stared at me, her eyes calculating.

I matched her glare. Fuck being polite. I’d put up with a lot during our marriage, but I wasn’t putting up with diddly squat anymore.

“The question is whyyoudidn’t bother helping our daughter? Oh, that’s right, you were too fucking busy.” My voice was raised, and I didn’t care. I pointed my finger at her. “You think so little of me that you think I would have an affair?” I threw my hands into the air. “Even worse, you think your children would be OK with that?”

Taylor looked down at her feet. “No, of course not.” She lifted her gaze. Tears welled in her eyes. What the fuck? One minute she was ready to kill me and the next she’s crying?

“Well, you just fucking accused us of it.”

“I’m sorry, Ciaron. I know you wouldn’t do that.” She took a trembling breath. “But I didn’t think you’d leave me either.”

I ran my hand through my hair. “I didn’t have much choice.” My voice was calmer now. Surprising, since my stomach wastwisted in knots and my heart pounded as I went from disbelief to anger to pain over and over again.

She nodded. Is that all she had for me? Was she conceding she was in the wrong? Did she understand why I’d chosen to leave? Here we were, back to no communication. A marriage couldn’t survive like this. That’s why it hadn’t.

I was struggling; my fists were clenched at my side. If it wasn’t for the kids, I would have told her to fuck off and walked away.

I ran my hand through my hair. If I didn’t want the lack of communication to continue, I would need to do something about it, starting now. “I don’t want to be those parents, Taylor. The ones who can’t even be civil.”

She inclined her chin. “Neither do I.”

“I did try to tell you about Isabelle. But your focus was the farm.”

“Yes.” Her voice was barely above a whisper. Was this finally sinking in? If it was, it was too late.

“The kids are waiting for us,” I said, making my way to the door.

Taylor followed.

This night wasn’t about Taylor and me. It was about the kids. I moved what had happened to the back of my thoughts and smiled as Isabelle and Callum met us at the door of the lounge.

“Looks like I owe you pizza.” I hugged Isabelle’s shoulders. “You did it, kiddo.” I grinned at Callum. “It seems that lunch isn’t your favourite subject, after all.”

Callum smirked. “Who would have thought a budding young scientist could come from you two?”

Taylor poked him in the ribs. “You know, producing good horses isn’t just luck. There’s a science behind it.”

“If you say so.” He walked down the corridor. “Pizza will wait for no man.”

Taylor and Isabelle followed. I stayed close behind and listened as Taylor told Isabelle how proud she was of her. The perk in Isabelle’s step was all the reward I needed at that moment.

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