Come What May (5 page)

5

Sean

“How are you holding up?” I asked on the car ride home.

Cortland stared out the window. He was in a daze, going through the motions of life without savoring them. At work, he was dead and lifeless, but he still managed to get his work done. “Miserable.”

“I’m sorry, man.”

“Yeah.” He rested his head against the glass. “I’m sorry I’m infringing on you and
Scarlet. I gave Monnique the house and the car. I’m pretty much stranded.”

“You aren’t a burden,” I said firmly. “We both know you’re going through a hard time.”

‘Thanks,” Cortland said. “I appreciate that.”

I probably shouldn’t say this but I was going to. “I think she’s overreacting. I understand why she’s mad, but dumping you is extreme.”

Cortland said nothing.

“Everyone has secrets. She’s no different.”

“It’s…complicated.”

“What aren’t you telling me?”

“She asked if I was in love with Scarlet and I couldn’t lie. She feels like a rebound, a poor substitute for the girl I really want. I told her she was being crazy and it was nothing like that but she wouldn’t listen. She thinks she doesn’t mean anything to me, that Scarlet is the one who got away.”

“Fuck…”

Cortland sighed. “I’ve made it very clear that I love Monnique with my whole heart. The moment I saw her, Scarlet disappeared from my heart forever. It’s only been Monnique. I kept explaining that to her but she doesn’t listen.”

I shook my head. “I’m sorry.”

He gripped his skull. “I don’t know what to do. I’ve given her space hoping she would calm down and think rationally but she hasn’t. I’m scared I’m really going to lose her.”

The silence fell inside the car. Cortland didn’t look
at me, his gaze focused out the window. I usually listened to the radio but it was off. His pain diffused inside the vehicle.

“As a jackass, you want my advice?”

“I’m desperate,” Cortland said.

“I treated Scarlet like shit, and when I realized how important she was to me, it was too late. But
Scarlet was my whole world, so I didn’t give up. She pushed me away, told me she hated me, but I didn’t stop. I moved to Seattle for her. I did everything I could to prove I was different. And it was the best thing I ever did.”

“What are you saying?”

“Don’t let her break up with you.”

“I don’t know…it’s different,” Cortland said.

“What I did to Scarlet was way worse, and she and I worked it out.”

‘That’s different. You two are meant for each other.”

“No, we aren’t,” I said firmly. “I choose to work for her, and she chooses to work for me. We aren’t destined for each other, but we are, in a way, because we want to be. And you and Monnique can be the same way.”

Cortland sighed. “Monnique isn’t like Scarlet. She’s not as forgiving or logical. I think I should give her some space. After the period is over, I’ll try again. Hopefully, not having me at the house and in her life will make her realize how much she misses me. And that might make her take me back.”

“Hopefully…”

Cortland returned his head to the glass and closed his
eyes.

I’ve
never seen him so worked up. He was practically a corpse sitting in my car. I decided to drop the conversation because it was making him feel worse.

When we walked inside the house, Scarlet immediately greeted Cortland and gave him a long hug. She did this every day we came home. I used to
be the recipient of that embrace but now Cortland stole the show. I was slightly jealous. I wanted to be the only man who received her embrace, but I dropped it since Cortland was in so much pain. I would steal my wife back when this break up was over.

Scarlet was wearing a black dress that clung tightly to her body. It had a plunging neckline and put her breasts on display.

Yum
.

Her baby bump was slightly showing, and I liked the sight. Her hair was styled around he
r face, and her legs looked long and beautiful under the dress. Now I had a hard-on.

Cortland stepped away. “You look nice.”

‘Thanks,” she said. “I may as well enjoy dressing up. Pretty soon I won’t be able to fit into anything.”

“But you’ll still look damn fine,” I blurted.

She rolled her eyes and turned back to Cortland. “Are you sure you don’t want to come?”

“Yes,” he said firmly. “You two have fun.”

“We’ll only be gone for a few hours,” she said.

He gave her a fake smile. “Scar, I’m fine. Have a good time with your husband. You guys need a break from me.”

She gave him a sympathetic look. “Monnique will come back. I know how much she loves you.”

Cortland sighed. “I hope so.” He headed up the stairs and into his bedroom.

“Ready to go, baby?” I asked. I hooked my arm around her waist and pulled her close to me. When her breasts pushed against me, I thought about all the naughty shit we did earlier. Now I wanted to do it again.

“We should leave before you get any ideas.”

“Too late.” I pulled her toward the staircase.

“No.” She moved to the door. “It can wait. I’m hungry.”

“Did you know that toward the end of the pregnancy, a lot of women get surges of hormones so they are more…sexually charged?”

She smirked at me. “What’s your point?”

“I’m excited for that.”

“We have sex all the time.”

“But I always initiate it. I want you to beg me to fuck you. That’s my fantasy.”

“Well, maybe your fantasy will come true when we get home.” She winked at me.

“Oooh. I hope so.”

We drove back into the city and found a parking spot near the Italian restaurant. Scarlet would eat anything, but she had a soft spot for pasta and pizza. And my wife got what she wanted.

I opened the door for her and helped her out. I treated her like she was a fragile piece of glass that could break any moment.
Scarlet was annoyed by it but I couldn’t help it. It was ingrained in my every movement.

I made reservation
s so we were led to a table immediately. I pulled out her chair for her then sat across from her. Scarlet immediately picked up the menu and searched for her next meal. Her eyes scanned each line with interest. I didn’t pick up my menu. Instead, I stared at her.

“Sean, what are you getting?”

“Chicken Masala.”

“You always get that.”

“And I know what you’re getting,” I countered.

“What?” she challenged me.

“Tortellini Alfredo.”

A tint moved into her cheeks. “Damn it.”

I chuckled.

She put down the menu, her voluptuous breasts right in my line of sight. I stared at them, not giving a shit if she knew. “I have eyes, you know?”

“They are blue. I remember.”

She rolled her eyes.

“You like it. Don’t act like you don’t.”

She didn’t counter me.

The waiter arrived at our table and took our drinks. I ordered a water and she ordered the same.

“You can drink,” she said. “You don’t have to stop just because I can’t.”

“I’m fine.” I did want a glass of wine but I didn’t want to make Scarlet feel bad. There were a lot of things she couldn’t have anymore, and I didn’t want to remind her of that. But nine months without alcohol wasn’t so bad. I knew Scarlet loved coffee, and not having it was killing her. I tried not to drink it around her.

She took a deep breath and sighed.

I knew what she was thinking. “He’ll be fine.”

“Maybe I should check on him…”

“He’s fine.” I felt like we adopted Cortland. “I’m sure Ryan will come over and take him out.”

“Yeah, I hope so.”

The waiter returned with the waters and the basket of bread. Scarlet’s eyes lit up and she devoured a single piece in a few seconds.

“God, this is so good,” she said after she chewed her last bite.

“Can I have some?” I teased. “Before you eat it all.”

“I’m pregnant. I’m hungry, okay?”

“We’ll order as much bread as you want.” I looked down at her breasts again.

“Geez, they are just boobs, Sean.”

I laughed. “But they are nice, and big.”

“They are the same size.”

I shook my head. “I stare at them all the time. Believe me. There are bigger. And they feel hard in my hand.”

“What happened to the days when a guy only looked at your face on a date?”

“Nothing. They never existed,” I teased. “Guys are just lazy and have become less discreet about it.”

“Apparently,” she said sarcastically.

After the waiter brought our food, we ate quietly. Scarlet ate every single bite on her plate then ate all the bread in the second basket the waiter brought. She ate more than she usually did, but I didn’t care. I was glad she was eating. I wanted my baby to be full and healthy.

“Have you spoken to your mom?” she asked.

I noted the irritation in her voice. “No.”

“That’s surprising…”

“She’ll come around and apologize.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it.”

“Scarlet, I’m sorry you have to put up with my mom. But when it comes down to it, I’ll always pick you. She’s being unfair and immature. I won’t put up with it.”

That made her eyes soften
. “I don’t want to ostracize you from your family.”

“You aren’t,” I said firmly. “I still see my dad.”

“I just don’t want her to treat me like that in front of our kids, you know?”

“That won’t happen, baby. I promise.”

“I’m just sorry you’re in this situation to begin with.”

“Don’t apologize,” I said immediately. “You aren’t at fault. My mom will pull her head out of her ass eventually. She’s used to being rich and snotty. Since she thinks she superior to everyone else, she thinks she can say whatever she wants and get away with it. That shit isn’t going to fly with me.”

“God, we better not end up like her.”

“I’m not worried about it.”

The waiter placed the tab on the table.

“Baby, you want dessert? Or is that a stupid question?” I gave her a smile.

“Can we get ice cream in Central Park?” Her eyes lit up with joy.

“Anything you want.”

“I’m going to get a sundae—the big one.” She sounded like a kid. She was so adorable.

“Sounds good.”

“Let me pee first.”

“Always so classy,” I said sarcastically.

“You’re the one who jerked off to me touching myself.”

“Don’t act like you didn’t like it,” I reminded her.

Her cheeks reddened. “I’ll be back.”

She moved through the restaurant and headed to the bathroom. I stared at her ass the entire time, watching it sway back and forth.
God, my wife was hot.

“Sean?”

I recognized that voice. I tore my gaze away from Scarlet’s behind and looked into the face I despised. It was someone I thought I loved, but in the end, they used me and ripped me apart. “Penelope?”

She stood next to me, smiling down. “I can’t believe I ran into you.”

“Neither can I…” The rare occasion when I bring Scarlet—my pregnant wife—into the city I run into this stupid bitch.

“How are you?” She extended her arms to hug me.

I held up my hand. “Don’t touch me.”

She flinched at the anger in my voice.

I rose from my chair and pushed it in. “What made you assume we were friends? I don’t want to talk to you or ever see you again. Now go.”

Her eyes darkened with offense. “I just wanted to say hi… You really hate me that much?”

“Is that a surprise?” I snapped.

“I was just here with a friend and I spotted you. I thought I would say hi.”

I kept thinking about Scarlet. She threatened to beat the shit out of Penelope if she bothered me again. And since Scarlet was pregnant and more emotional than normal, I knew I had to get rid of Penelope. “Well, you said hi. We’re done here.”

She didn’t move. I noticed she didn’t wear a wedding ring, and her kid was nowhere in sight. She looked down at my left hand. “You’re married?”

“Yes. To Scarlet.”

“Oh.” She didn’t seem happy at all. “Well
, congratulations.”

“Thanks.” I put my hands in my pockets and waited for her to walk away.

“I’m really sorry about what—”

“I forgive you.”

“What…?”

“We’re good. Just go.”
God, why wouldn’t she leave?

Scarlet came out of the bathroom on the other side of the room and started to head our way.
Fuck.