Page 12 of Man Advantage

“Wow, it even has foods they like?” I flipped to that divider. “That’ll be useful.”

“Zach is pretty easy,” Trev said, “but Zane has some serious aversion to food textures. Like, just having them on the table for someone else can make him gag. We’re working on it, but it’s a process, you know?”

I nodded. “Sure, I get that. Are they allergic to anything?”

“They both get some mild seasonal allergies, but no foods or anything like that.”

“Good to know.” I met his gaze. “And since they’re in school—do I need to help with homework?”

He grimaced apologetically. “If I’m on the road, then…”

“Trev.” I smiled. “It’s fine. You’re giving me a place to live and a paycheck. I’m not going to bitch if I need to help the kids with their schoolwork.”

That settled him a little, and he nodded. “Okay. Well. They do get a lot. It’s still fairly easy at this stage. They’re just about to start first grade, so it isn’t exactly calculus or physics yet.”

I snorted. “Thank God for that. Because I don’t know if you remember, but Algebra is my archnemesis.”

He laughed, unaware of what that did to my body temperature. “I remember.”

“Uh-huh. And do you also remember how the gods favor no one, and you were eating crow after it turned out your archnemesis was Geometry?”

He rubbed his eye with his middle finger, and I snickered.

“Anyway.”He lowered his hand. “That’s about all there is to it. And… thank you. I know it’s a ton of upheaval to get here, but you’re a lifesaver.”

I made a dismissive wave. “Dude,you’resavingmyass. I’d have tried to help you out either way, but your timing was perfect. I needed this job.”

From the way he looked at me, I thought he might ask about how exactly my world had turned on its ass. Eventually, he probably would, but I was way too tired to hash it out right now.

Fortunately, he just smiled and picked up his water glass. “Guess it worked out for both of us, didn’t it?”

“Yeah.” I smiled back. “Guess it did.”

CHAPTER 5

TREV

Cam was here.Yesterday, we’d moved his things into the guest suite. This morning, we’d made a grocery store run to stock the kitchen with things he liked.

Now came one of the parts I had not been looking forward to—introducing him to my ex-husband.

The ideal setting would be someplace neutral, like a coffee shop or a restaurant. Bryan and I could usually be trusted to be cordial in public, even when tensions were running hot.

But this was an unusual situation. Bryan hadn’t been thrilled about my solution to his ultimatum, and I had a feeling this introduction could go off the rails without much provocation.

So, out in public wasn’t going to work. In private, we had two options—the place he and I had shared, or the place he was currently sharing with my teammate. My teammate, who I had to play alongside at training camp in just a few days.

Though I rarely put my foot down about much, I made an exception this time. Especially since he’d been the one to make the ultimatum, we were handling introductions on my terms… and on my turf.

Which was why, at around three in the afternoon, my ex-husband’s gleaming black Mercedes-Maybach S pulled up in front of my house. I stepped outside, keeping my expression as neutral as possible, and waited.

He got out, and my stomach knotted the same way it always did when I saw him. It was a mix of resentment, regret, and hurt. From the moment I’d realized we were speeding down a one-way street to divorce, my emotions had been a clash of good and bad. I couldn’t be in the same space as him and not get a twinge ofwhat the fuck did I ever see in you?right alongside the pang ofwhat happened to us?

I tamped them down, same as I always did, and watched him come around the car.

He, on the other hand, was wearing his emotions on his sleeve.

Or rather, his one emotion—irritation.

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