Shattered Heart (The Hart Series) (44 page)

“Well, thank God
the universe knows better.”  He sits back and I notice his eyes darting over to
the windows facing the balcony again.  Now’s my chance.

“Your turn.”  I
face my hands towards him palms up, pushing him to explain, before clasping
them in front of me.

“Melanie is my
ex-fiancée.” 
Hold up. 
Thee
ex-fiancée?  The one who slept with
Alex?  That ex-fiancée?  Oh, shit. 
“Yes, the fiancée who slept with Alex. 
I can tell by that ‘I just swallowed a bug’ look on your face what you’re
thinking Ely.” 

Hell, I don’t
even know what I’m thinking.  I’m still trying to wrap my head around
everything.  “What is it that you think I’m thinking?” 

“Well…”  His
eyes graze over my face, my hands clutched around my glass of juice, to my
slumped shoulders.  “I’m guessing you’re wondering what she looks like or
wondering if he thought she was good in bed.  Or maybe you want to know if she
still thinks of him or him of her.” 

I swallow the
bile rising in my throat as Oliver continues.  I guess at one point I did think
of those things, but right now I’m still a little stunned.  Not once did I
think I would ever meet her, yet here I am in the same restaurant.  And of
course, now that he’s brought it up, I’m not going to be able to stop thinking
about it.

“You’re thinking
of everything I’ve thought of since it happened.  What do you think that does
to a man?  When your fiancée…the mo- the woman you’re supposed to spend the
rest of your life with ends up in bed with a business competitor.  Even worse,
I saw the look on their faces right after it happened, and if you’re
really
wondering, they both look satisfied.” 
Nope, didn’t need to know that.

It shouldn’t
bother me because it was way before we met, but to hear of anyone experiencing
pleasure at the hands of Alex, springs unnatural feelings to the surface.  In
addition to the unrivaled jealousy, I also feel an irrational anger towards
her.  In the process, she hurt Oliver.  Someone who I can honestly say is a
friend.  He didn’t deserve the pain he went through and he really does need to
let this guilt go.

“Oliver, I can’t
tell you how you should feel.  But someone cheating doesn’t mean you weren’t
enough for them.  A time, a place, an opportunity arose and instead of making
the right decision, she gave into her curiosity.” 

Oliver clenches
his teeth and lifts his sweater in frustration, throwing it on the seat of the
booth next to him. 
Oh, wow.
  If I haven’t said it before, then I’ll say
it now.  Oliver is attractive, hot even.  In just a white ribbed tank and some
board shorts, his tattoos cover his shoulders and expand to his biceps which
are now fully on display.  I know, I know, not the best time for the reminder.

“You still love
her?”  Oliver diverts his eyes back to mine, which have continuously drifted
towards the windows since Gale mentioned her name. 

Oliver shakes his
head, spacing out while he toys with the salt shaker.  “I don’t think I ever
did.  We were more together out of obligation than love.”

“Obligation?” I
ask, in confusion.

“There’s
something I need to tell you,” his voice drifts as he stares at his clutched
fists.

“Oliver?”  A
seductive female voice causes both of our heads to turn. 
Wow!
  I’m
assuming the Victoria Secret model look-a-like standing before us is none other
than Melanie.  Her black hair and bright blue eyes contrast, bringing attention
to her full lips and high cheek bones, and that’s just her face.  She has a
kick-ass body, as well.  Her tight jeans and black tank top show all of her
curves. 

Forgetting the
male companion she has her fingers entwined with, Melanie stares down at Oliver. 
As I watch the exchange, so does he.  I cringe when he pushes his greasy chin
length blonde hair out of his eyes so he can watch Melanie watch Oliver.  

“Hey.”  Oliver
seems tense as he looks between Melanie and her man.  I know Oliver said he no
longer loves her, or thought he never did, and right now I one hundred percent
believe him.  If looks could kill, both of them would drop dead on the spot.

“Oh, where are
my manners?  Rex this is Oliver, my ex.”  Rex wraps a possessive arm around her
waist and pulls her closer.  Melanie doesn’t seem too concerned with her man. 
Instead, her eyes alight with want as she eye-fucks Oliver, thoroughly
examining his flexed biceps, caused by his tight grip on the table.

I don’t know how
I’d feel in this situation.  Technically, it wasn’t Rex who caused Oliver to
break things off, but even in Alex’s defense, he didn’t know Melanie had a
fiancé.  But as I sit here, witnessing one of the most awkward situations ever,
I realize I need to do something to salvage the slow downturn of Oliver’s mood,
along with his self-esteem.  He’s already questioned himself more than enough. 
If I can do no more than help him save face, I have to try.  It’s the least I
can do.

I reach over and
pull his grip from the edge of the table and bring it closer, clasping our
hands together.  I can at least give his ex something to think about next time
she lets a good man go and breaks his heart for no other reason than to obtain
an orgasm.  Yes, it was with Alex and I’ll admit that I can understand the
appeal, but regardless, it was wrong.

“Babe, are you
going to introduce me?”  I put on a fake smile and look over at Oliver with my
brow raised.  Hopefully, he picks up what I’m throwing down and goes with it. 
His face eases, his boyish smile finally shining through as he squeezes my
hand. 
Just play the role, Oliver.

“Sorry baby,
Elyssa this is Melanie.”  His eyes never leaving mine, he clings onto my hand
and tilts his head in her direction.  I was beginning to wonder if he
temporarily lost the man I know him to be.  His confidence that I normally see
at work, talking to clients, is finally shining through.

I turn to
Melanie and am met with an icy glare, through her thick mascara coated eyes. 
“Nice to meet you.”  I give her a fake smile before turning to Oliver, running
my tongue over my lips simulating a look of passion.

“I didn’t
realize Oliver was dating.” 

“Well, it didn’t
start that way.  At first it was just amazing sex, but I guess I couldn’t get
enough.  So, I decided to keep him.  All to myself.”  Reaching forward, I brush
my hand over the muscles of his forearm, up his bicep, and settle on the
stubble on his jaw.  As my fingers run across the abrasive hairs, my mind
wanders to Alex.  An odd moment to think about him when I’m pretending with
another man to make his ex jealous.  But, it is just that…pretending.  Because
Alex is my reality.

Oliver blushes,
probably for the first time ever.  “How’s Mason?” her harmonious voice is laced
with venom. 
Uh, who’s Mason?

“He’s fine.”  I
look over at Oliver’s hesitation.  “He’s a smart kid, has straight A’s and
everything.”  If I wasn’t sitting so close, I would have missed his under the
breath comment, “No thanks to you.” 
Again I ask, who the heck is Mason?

“I’d really like
to take him for a few hours one day.”

“You know where
my parents live and have their number.  But, good luck with coordinating it,”
he chuckles.  “I’m sure they’d
love
to hear from you.”

I’m confused as
ever.  Hands joined, I was silly to think I could give him strength.  But instead,
Oliver is more tense and distant, and with that he starts to loosen his once
tight hold on my hand.  A silent war was happening between us.  He knows he has
some explaining to do and I’m smart enough to wait.  There is no way I’m going
to give her any more fuel to add to his fire.

“You think this
is funny?  I’ve cleaned up; I’m ready to be in his life.  I won’t let you take
him to a different state.  I’m going to petition to have shared custody
again.” 

“Why does it
even matter to you?  It’s been how many years?  He doesn’t know you.  Why fight
me on this now?”  Oliver’s voice travels throughout the tight space causing
heads to turn in our direction.  “You know what…we aren’t having this
discussion.  Have your lawyer talk to my lawyer.”  Oliver releases my hand and
crosses his arms over his chest in finality.

Melanie stomps
her foot like a two year old having a fit.  “You’re so fucking unreasonable. 
This is why we didn’t work in the first place.”  She huffs, crossing her arms
and frowning at him.

“Oh my!  All
this time I thought it was because you cheated on me!”  Oliver slaps his hand
against the table as he turns to face her.  “Please, continue to enlighten me
with all of this new found knowledge.”

“You’re such a
dick.  I explained that.”

“Ya you were
high and lonely and blah blah blah.”  Oliver uses his hand to mock a mouthing
motion.  “Save it, Mel.”

With a puff she
tugs on Rex’s hand and drags him to the door.  Oliver doesn’t bother turning
his head to watch them leave.  Instead he closes his eyes and takes a deep
calming breath.  I wait patiently, sipping on my orange juice, attempting to
eat a few bites while he gains his composure. 

“She sure is a
piece of work,” I comment after my sip of juice.

Oliver roughly
runs his hands over his face in frustration.  I can’t help but try to picture
her with Alex.  She doesn’t seem like the type of girl who would interest him. 
Then again, if you’re just looking for sex, I can see why she would be
appealing.  However, the moment that woman opened her mouth, I wanted to stab
myself in the ear in hopes of drowning out the faux sweetness of her voice.

“Thanks
for…well, you know,” his voice sounds so full of despair, so unlike Oliver.

“No problem.”  I
would do it again.

Oliver opens one
eye as if checking to make sure the coast is clear.  “I guess the cats out of
the bag?” 

“So, based on
the enlightening conversation we just had with Cruella De Vil, I’m guessing…” 
I don’t want to be presumptuous and be wrong, so I let him tell me.  Besides,
this is big.  He shouldn’t hide something so monumental in his life.  Does he
think so little of me, that I wouldn’t understand?  Or worse, not be friends
with him?

“Yah, I have a
kid, Elyssa.”  There it was.  I never said anything, or rarely ever thought it,
but there was something about Oliver that I didn’t understand.  Why move to Las
Vegas if he was always back in San Diego every weekend.  I never imagined
Oliver as a Dad.  Then again, I never imagined me and Alex as parents either.

“Why didn’t you
tell me before?”

“Guess I didn’t
want to scare you away.  Being a single parent, it’s hard to gauge what a
woman’s response is to another woman’s kid.”  I nod my head.  I never
considered that.  Finding someone to spend your life with is already difficult
enough, not to mention the baggage that comes along with bringing children into
a relationship.  I guess I can’t blame him.

“Well, you
should have told me.  You having a kid doesn’t affect our
friendship
.” 
I tilt my head, accentuating the word friendship hoping Oliver understands.

“God, you’re so
blind sometimes.”  He shakes his head as he throws two twenties down on the
table and stands.  He extends his hand to me, “Ready to meet my family?”

I smile, placing
my hand in his.  I hate that Oliver’s so comforting, but everything about him
is just a band aid over the gaping hole inside of me.  I’m still bleeding, yet,
unbeknownst to me, he slows it down.

~~~~~

“Daddy!”  A
little boy jumps off the front step of the house the instant we pull into the
driveway.  His backpack bounces behind him as he struggles to run across the
grass as fast as he can.

“Hey, little
man!”  Oliver picks him up, swinging him around before pulling him tight
against his chest in a constricting embrace.  The little boy doesn’t seem to
mind.  Dark hair…check.  Green eyes…check.  Boyish smile…check.  The ‘little
man’ is a spitting image of his Dad.  “God, I’ve missed you,” he smiles,
kissing his son on the forehead.

Watching the two
of them together a wave of guilt crashes into me and my heart constricts. 
Moments like these, this is what Alex will miss.  What’s the point of living,
when half of you is missing, especially when you never knew it existed?

Pointing a
finger in my direction, his sweet voice rings with wonder, “Who’s that, Daddy?”

“This is my
friend, Elyssa.”  Oliver puts him down and Mason quickly runs to me, wrapping
his arms around my waist.  “Go say hi.”   

“Hi Lyssa.” 
Close
enough.  How fricking cute?

I kneel,
bringing myself to his level.  “Hi Mason, it’s very nice to meet you.”

Suddenly shy,
Mason runs the tip of his bright superhero shoes over the driveway.  “Those are
some pretty cool shoes.  You like superheroes?” 

Mason nods, his
face lightening up.  “Ya, my Daddy says I’m gonna be as big as Thor some day.”

“Wow Thor! 
Those are some pretty big shoes to fill.” 

“My Daddy says
it’s good to have big shoes because women will like me when I’m older.”  I look
at Mason incredulously as he looks at me with pure innocence.  I look up at
Oliver laughing under his breath.