Page 56 of The Wrong One

I woke up early, driven by the determination to get a head start on the day’s work. I was looking forward to seeing Cam. We often went in early before Ramsey got to work. It was our few minutes alone to kiss and pretend we weren’t doing anything wrong.

I felt an extra pep in my step as I walked into the building. I approached the entrance and saw a man up ahead. At first, I assumed it was Cam waiting for me. The closer I got, my steps faltered, and my heart skipped a beat. There, standing outside the door, was Patrick. I looked around, then glanced behind me to see if anyone else was around.

I took a moment to compose myself, bracing for the encounter that was about to unfold. His arms were folded over his chest as he leaned against the wall glaring at me.

“What are you doing here?” I asked.

The air around us was charged with unresolved emotions and anger.

“Why have you been ignoring my texts? Did you block me? Are you fucking kidding me?

“What are you doing here?” I asked again.

He looked at me, his gaze filled with a mix of anger and maybe even sadness. “I wanted to talk to you,” he replied. “You’re not taking my calls. You’re trying to block me out. Did you really have to make me come all the way out here so we could have an actual conversation?”

As his words hung in the air, I felt a whirlwind of conflicting emotions stirring within me. I recalled the pain I had endured during our breakup, the shattered trust and broken dreams. My mouth went dry as I stared at the man I thought I once loved. “I didn’t ask you to come out here,” I said. “I don’t want to talk to you.”

He scoffed and pulled away from the wall to stand in front of me. “There are two people in a relationship. You don’t get to just walk out and that’s that. You owe it to me and yourself to give this a chance. It wasn’t so long ago you wanted to marry me. I deserve a conversation.”

I glared at him. “You are such a dick. You don’t deserve anything but exactly what you got!”

ChapterTwenty-Four

Cam

Igroaned inwardly as I trudged onto campus with Ramsey. He apparently dropped Lily off early and was getting an early start on the day. I couldn’t help feeling disappointed as I glanced at Ramsey. These precious few minutes every morning before everyone else came in was reserved for me and Izzy. We got to share a few kisses and pretend all was right with the world. Those stolen moments were like sparks igniting a fire within me, fueling my desire for her. We would go about our day, stealing longing looks and sneaking off for an occasional touch here and there.

“Let’s get coffee,” I suggested.

There was no reason to rush into work. Not now. I sighed, realizing that my hopes of a stolen kiss were dashed for the day. By Ramsey being ever the protective brother, was assurance we maintained an appropriate distance in public, never letting him suspect the true nature of our relationship. If I just grew a pair and told him what was going on, none of this would be necessary. I wouldn’t have to dread seeing him. I could steal all the kisses I wanted from Izzy with no worries Ramsey was going to bust us and lose his shit.

We grabbed two coffees and decided to take a seat in the open air for a few minutes. Ramsey started to vent about the challenges of socializing with other parents for the sake of his daughter’s playtime. “Seriously,” he muttered. “I don’t like them.”

“You’re talking about the Matthews,” I said.

I was having a hard time staying focused on his rant. My mind kept going to Izzy, who was probably upstairs waiting for me right now. Right now, I should be in her arms. I should have her pushed up the wall that was out of sight of the door and windows. My hands would be on her ample breasts and my tongue would be halfway down her throat. It was the same way it always was every morning. We copped a feel, got all hot and bothered, and then went to work. We weren’t quite brave enough to actually do the deed in the office, but the thought had crossed my mind more than once. I had to push the thoughts from my mind, or I was going to be sporting wood. That wouldn’t be awkward at all.

“Yes. Lily picks their kid to be her best friend,” he complained. “They are obnoxious. Pretentious. They’re just fucking weird.”

“Push her in another direction,” I said.

He gave me a look. “Have you met my daughter? She doesn’t get pushed anywhere. I’m glad she’s strong-willed but I wish it was directed somewhere else.”

“Why do you have to see them?” I asked. “Just drop her off.”

He sighed. “It doesn’t work like that. There are recitals and school things. Those people are always having pool parties and birthday parties and parties for this or that. I feel like I’ve been dragged along. I’m the third wheel. I can’t have a social life because I have to plan everything around her parties. My daughter is a social butterfly. How did that happen? I can’t imagine having more than one kid. How do these parents keep up with all that shit? I would lose my damn mind!”

I nodded and tried to be sympathetic, but I didn’t really understand. And my mind was elsewhere. “Maybe you should hire a part-time nanny,” I suggested. “Not to necessarily watch her but take her to all these parties. I’m sure there are plenty of other nannies milling about. She’ll blend in.”

“It’s just so exhausting, man.” Ramsey sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I mean, I love my daughter and want her to have friends, but sometimes I feel like I’m forced into these awkward social situations just so she can have some playtime.”

I nodded empathetically, trying to understand the struggle he was facing. I couldn’t. “Just think, you only have a couple more years of this. Then she’s going to want you to stay far away from her and her friends.”

Ramsey leaned back in his chair, frustration etched on his face. “Exactly! It’s not about me making new friends or finding a social circle. It’s about my daughter, and sometimes I feel like I’m sacrificing my own comfort and sanity for her happiness.”

I could see the love and dedication in Ramsey’s eyes as he spoke. His desire to provide his daughter with a fulfilling childhood experience was admirable, but it was evident that the constant social obligations were taking their toll on him. Ramsey wasn’t the typical dad. He was a good dad, but he didn’t run around trying to fit in with the cool kids. He did his own thing.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “Hopefully, you’ll find some parents you can hang with.”

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