Page 117 of Better Late Than Never

I swallowed, glancing back and forth between my sons. “Does that bother you?”

They shook their heads.

“Nah,” Landon said. “You and Mom never really seemed happy. Like even when things were good—I don’t know.”

Quinn nodded. “Yeah. Mom’s different now too. And the way she is with her boyfriend—it’s kind of like you and Alex. It’s… not the way you guys ever were with each other.”

It took me a moment to process all of that. Guilt weighed down on me—as perceptive as my sons had always been, it had never occurred to me that they’d noticed the unhappiness between me and Aimee. Maybe because I’d been so far in denial that I hadn’t noticed it for a long time.

There was also an oddly empty place where I was sure I should’ve felt a pang of jealousy at the realization that my ex-wife had a boyfriend. Irrational, of course; she was my ex, and I was seeing someone too. On some level, I was just surprised at hownotjealous I was to learn she had someone else.

I cleared my throat. “I didn’t realize you guys had picked up on that. That things were…” I trailed off, not sure how to finish.

Landon shrugged. “I mean, you weren’t having screaming matches or anything. It wasn’t like all tension, all the time. You just… didn’t seem like you were into each other, I guess?”

I nodded slowly. “We did care about each other, though. We still do. I’m glad she’s moving on with someone.” I paused. “Do you guys like her new boyfriend?”

“Eh.” Landon rocked his head back and forth. “He’s okay.”

“He is.” Quinn smirked. “I think Dad’s got better taste in men.”

I snorted and rolled my eyes. “I’m telling your mother you said that.”

“No, you’re not.” Landon took out his phone and started typing. “I’mtelling her.”

“Dude, I swear to God,” Quinn warned, “I will throw your phone in the pool.”

“No, you won’t.” Landon kept typing. “I have our train tickets, remember?”

Quinn scowled. “You’re a dick.”

Landon flipped him off.

Savannah giggled, and I just rolled my eyes. Kids. What could you do?

“Just don’t tell her any details about Alex, all right?” I said to Landon.

“Nah, I won’t.” My son pocketed his phone. “I just said that Quinn says you have better taste in men and left it at that.”

I laughed, shaking my head, and brought up my beer for a drink.

There was a muffled ping, and Quinn swore. “Goddammit, Landon,” he grumbled as he took out his phone.

I almost choked on my beer.

Savannah suddenly looked a little alarmed. “Wait, will your mom be upset? If she knows Connor’s with a guy?”

“Nah.” Quinn was already typing something out. “She knows Dad’s bi.”

His girlfriend turned to me for confirmation.

I nodded. “Trust me, it won’t be news.”

Savannah relaxed. “Okay. Just checking.”

Quinn put his phone away without elaborating on what his mom had said or what he’d replied, and he took a drink from his own beer. “To be serious, Dad, I’m glad you and Mom are meeting people. It’s good to see both of you happy.”

The absence of “again” at the end of that sentence needled at me. I wanted to ask how long they’d known Aimee and I were unhappy. I was too afraid to, though.

---