Page 101 of Still Bruised
Foster marchedup to Jude’s door, both hands laden with bags of food. He’d gone overboard and gotten a few extra things, just in case. He could tear into some takeout, especially after the run he’d gotten in after work, but he didn’t know how much Jude typically ate. There was a lot of things he didn’t know about Jude but couldn’t wait to find out more.
Before he could knock, the door opened, and Jude waved him in. Jude peeked outside and looked around before shutting and locking the door. His face was pinched. Anxiety came off him in waves.
“That afraid to be seen with me?” Foster asked.
“No,” Jude said before he snagged one of the bags and walked upstairs. “I ran into Rick today, and he pleasantly reminded me he knows where I live.”
“Oh, fuck,”Foster said under his breath before marching up behind Jude.
That’s all he needed. Rick cockblocking him once again and adding chaos to their relationship. Their non-relationship? He wasn’t exactly sure what to call it.
Jude eyed him when they both set the bags on the kitchen island. “He also mentioned seeing your SUV parked just down the street this morning and asked if we were fucking.”
Foster sighed. “Did heeverleave high school? I feel like we’re right back there whenever his name’s brought up.”
Jude cringed.
“I hope him being his usual asshole self hasn’t messed with your head,” Foster said. “Or made you rethink our re—” He craned his neck, catching himself before saying relationship.“Repaymentplan.”
Jude searched Foster’s face. “Not gonna lie—it messed with my head a little.” He paused a moment, gaze drifting. “I go out of my way to avoid him whenever I can but every so often we bump into one another. It’s not the first time and likely won’t be the last.” Jude shrugged. “I’ll live.”
“Does it bother you that he’s assumed we’re together?”
“No,” Jude said. “I’d rather he didn’t, but whatever. I’m already out to everyone who matters. He can’t hurt me anymore.”
Foster searched Jude’s face. He sensed there was a wounded boy inside who hadn’t fully healed. He’d gotten hints of it before, and the whole repayment thing screamed it, but he’d not been completely sure how deep that well was until that moment.
And he had to wonder if being there with Jude was only making that worse.
He didn’t want to see pain in Jude’s eyes. He wanted to be the man who might chase it away, but suddenly feared he was only a reminder of something horrible instead.
“He claimed you begged Ashley to stay after she’d brought her lover into your bed. That you’d wanted to stay and be her cuck.”
Foster snorted with laughter.“Hardly.”
When awkward silence fell around them, Foster lifted his gaze from the items he was pulling out of the bag. He met Jude’s stare. “If either of us was a cuck that night, it was her.” Fosterfrowned. “Though, to officially be a cuck, don’t you have to enjoy watching? She didn’t enjoy watching me fuck her boyfriend.”
Jude lifted a brow, not appearing amused.
Foster sighed.
Jude was always so fucking serious. Foster had tried to lighten the mood, but that was an uphill battle. He couldn’t recall ever seeing Jude laughat anything. “After Vic left, she and I had it out, and yes, she told me to leave—but I’d already decided it was over before I’d ever walked him to the front door. As soon as we had it out, I packed a couple of suitcases and got a hotel room. A few days later, I moved back home, whereIfiled for the divorce.”
“Youfiled?”
Foster nodded. “California is a no fault state with a six-month waiting period before you can divorce. New Jersey has a one-year residency clause, which is relaxed if the grounds for divorce is adultery. We decided on a game plan and division of assets before I left California, and I filed a week after I got here. We were divorced less than five weeks later.”
Silence fell between them, Jude watchful.
“If the question is ‘am I still in love with my wife,’ the answer is a resounding no. I don’t think we were ever in love. I’m not even sure I know what love is, to be brutally honest.” Foster cleared his throat and recaptured Jude’s gaze. “But I look forward to learning.”
Panic bloomed in Jude’s eyes, and Foster wished he could reel in that last comment like it never happened.
“One day down the road, maybe I’ll meet someone who can show me what it feels like,” Foster snuck in and noticed Jude immediately relax.
Jude dragged his gaze away and reached into his bag to pull out containers.
“I declined an offer to hang out with my best friend tonight. For you.”
