Page 7 of Forsaking All Others

Isn’t this shit supposed to get easier as time goes by? I guess I’m the exception to that rule or maybe this is karma for all the sins I’ve committed.

The back door swings open and I lift my head, my eyes connecting with Colt’s. Dressed in his trucker uniform, he carries a bouquet of flowers and smiles warmly at me.

Like I didn’t just spend the last thirty minutes remembering when his wife was mine.

Like I wasn’t itching to lift her onto the kitchen table and fuck her until she’s just as stuck in the past as I am.

“Hey, man,” he greets. “Where is everyone?”

I take it back, this ain’t karma. I’ve seen her work and that bitch is too weak for this kind of torture. This shit is the Devil’s doing.

Clearing my throat, I straighten up.

“The dipshit isn’t here yet, Tara’s getting ready, Shep is trying to stay out of trouble, and Holly went to check on Theo.” I glance down at the flowers and a dull ache burns inside my chest. I don’t recall a single time in all our years together when I came home with flowers for Holly.

“Good, then I didn’t miss the grand introduction,” he says, setting the flowers on the counter.

I tear my eyes from the flowers and watch as he shucks off his jacket.

“I thought you were on a run,” I say.

When Holly called to tell me that Tara was bringing her boyfriend home to meet everyone for dinner, she also mentioned that Colt would be working. I didn’t need any extra incentive to accept the invitation, my girl had a boyfriend, that was enough, but knowing Colt wasn’t home and I wouldn’t have to partake in the Holly and Colt show did have a hand in me arriving earlier than expected.

“I switched my route to make it home in time,” he reveals. “I wasn’t missing this,” he adds, giving me a friendly pat on the back. “How you holding up, dad? It’s not every day your little girl brings home her first boyfriend.”

My lip curls.

“You had to go there, didn’t you?”

He chuckles, pulling the trucker hat from his head. Just then Holly enters the kitchen with Theo on her hip and comes to a halt when her eyes land on Colt. His whole face lights up at the sight of her and a grin spreads widely across his mouth.

“There you are,” he murmurs, taking the bouquet from the counter. He closes the distance between them and offers her the flowers.

“What are you doing home? You’re supposed to be halfway to Canada by now,” she whispers softly, taking the flowers from him. Colt bends his head and presses his lips to hers and I quickly turn my head, balling my fists.

Yeah, this is the Devil’s work, all right.

“I switched some things around,” he says. “I have two days home before I head out on a run up north.”

Colt works for Fat Cat’s Trucking and he’s on the road more than he’s home, pulling seventy-hour work weeks. That’s always been a bit of a mindfuck for me. When we were married, Holly gave me so much shit for never being home. Every run with my club cost me two weeks on the couch, but this guy has a CDL, wears a uniform, and brings her flowers so I guess his absence is acceptable.

“Daddy, Shep’s gonna shoot Tara’s boyfriend in the nuts!”

I turn back to the happy family, watching as Colt unwinds his arms from Holly’s waist and takes their son into his arms.

“That so? Well, I think Shep might have to beat Maverick to the punch,” he teases.

“Don’t give him any ideas,” Holly says, her eyes finding mine. “I should’ve frisked you when you came in the door.”

I raise an eyebrow.

She doesn’t want to go there.

I don’t care that her husband is standing right beside her, I’m not above making her blush.

“He’s here!”

I turn at the sound of my daughter’s voice and my heart instantly sinks. The days of her pigtails and playing Pretty Pretty Princess are long gone. They’ve been replaced with flat-irons, crop tops, and a fucking nose ring.

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