Page 13 of Coming For Her Curves
He has one arm hooked over the steering wheel, and he’s smiling at me. “I'll see you at five."
I get out, shut the door, and hurry to the office.
Once inside, I have a few minutes in the lounge to myself.Ryker Kirby just told me he loved me.
Oh my God, I don't know what I'm going to do. If what he says is true and he really is here for me, how am I going to resist him?
I can't. I know I can't.
My phone rings, and I smile as I dig it out of my purse, wondering if it's Ryker.
When my ex-husband's name pops up, I answer with a guarded “Hello.”
“Isabel, I won't make the game tonight.”
“Okay,” I answer. At one time, I would have argued with him, but I've given that up since the divorce finalized. I hate that he keeps letting Brock down, but there’s nothing I can do about it.
Allen starts to make up an excuse, but I'm not interested in hearing it. "Okay, well, I need to go. I just got to work."
His silence lets me know I've caught him off guard.
I clear my throat. “And just so you know, you don't have to tell me you are not coming anymore. We're divorced."
I hang up before he starts to argue with me. I know it's coming, and I don't have to listen to it anymore. I walk into the break room and take my coat off. As I’m putting my things away, Caroline walks in and sees my face. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Who do I need to kill?"
“No one…. Allen.” I make a growling noise. “Grrrr. How can he make me feel like this and we're not even together?"
Caroline laughs. “Isabel, are you kidding me right now? You caught your husband railing some woman in your bed. Of course he's going to make you angry.”
I nod. “I know.” I suck in a breath. I know that today someone is going to say something about seeing me at Pizza Haven with Ryker last night, and Caroline will never forgive me if she hears it from someone else.
“I need to tell you something," I confess.
She puts a hand on her hip. “Bitch. I know you do.” She starts to count on her fingers. “You had dinner with Ryker. You introduced him to Brock. And you didn't tell me.”
I sit down in the chair, sinking into the cushions. I should have known that Caroline would have already heard about last night. The Whiskey Run grapevine is in full effect.
“My car broke down.” I cover my face thinking about it. I’m still embarrassed to have been caught driving by Ryker’s. “Uh, I was driving by Ryker's new house, and my car broke down right in front of it."
I tell her the whole sordid story. She nods, eyes wide, and sits down next to me. “What are you going to do?
I laugh bitterly. “Wait for him to come to his senses?”
“Bullshit,” Caroline says. “So help me if you screw this up again... Isabel, this is your second chance. You loved him, and don't try to tell me you didn't.”
I stand up and look at myself in the full-length mirror. I tug at my shirt that fits tighter than it probably should. I suck in my breath and turn to the side and then blow it out. “Look at me.This is ridiculous. I have no business…” I stutter. “He can be with anyone.”
Caroline stands up and grabs my hands. “And he wants you.”
Overwhelmed, I shake my head. “This is crazy. You know that, right? Stuff like this doesn't happen to single mom divorcees. This is ridiculous.”
Caroline puts her hands on my shoulders. “Isabel, you deserve this. Promise me that you will be open to this and hear him out. Please. You deserve to be happy.”
I know my best friend is not going to let me out of here until I promise her, so I agree. “I promise."
She tilts her head to the side and challenges me. “Isabel.”
I hold my hands up, palms out. “I promise.”
