Page 68 of All Stars Fall
“Sweetie, we’re talking about Trevor Wood here. Did you really think that he was going to go for—” She narrowed her eyes in disbelief as her gaze raked over me. “Whatever you have going on?”
I felt that stare all the way into my Nikes.
“That’s not—” I prayed for patience. “That’s not what I mean. Trevor said you guys are divorced, ergo, you can’t come in here randomly and give the children hope.”
There, that sounded good.
“Oh, sweetie, he didn’t tell you, did he? Shame.” Her grin was pure evil. “I haven’t signed shit. We’re legally separated. Not. Divorced.”
The room started spinning.
The kids laughed in the distance.
And she stared at me like she’d won, when I wasn’t even aware I was in a game. Let alone racing her.
“I’ll just…” I moved past her. “Kids? If you need anything, you have my number, okay?”
“Okay!” they chirped.
I shared a look with Eric, but he quickly averted his eyes.
Bella grinned at me. “Isn’t it great, Penny? Mommy’s back!”
“It’s… something.” I forced a smile that felt more like my face was on the verge of breaking into a million pieces and excused myself from the house.
I grabbed the Subway food and put it back in my car.
With shaking hands, I took a sip of coffee, only to have it spill down the front of my shirt.
And then I burst into tears and called the only person who could give me answers.
Only to have it go straight to voicemail.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Trevor
“Sorry I’m late.” I breezed intothe room and put my phone on silent, grabbed a pair of headphones and sat down. “Penny wasn’t back yet, and then my worst nightmare showed up out of the blue on my doorstep…” I groaned into my hands. “She’s like the devil but worse.”
Drew shrugged and strummed his guitar. “You’re the douche that didn’t listen to us when we said she tried to get Ty to sleep with her at least a dozen times before you put a ring on it.”
“Don’t remind me.” I tossed a drumstick in the air.
“So did she stay?”
I let out a rough exhale. “Unfortunately. I’m hoping if I play nice, she’ll give me full custody. The divorce just went through last month, man, but she’s missed every court date and the law says she has to be present. She has one more chance, then the kids are mine. I’m hoping they scare her away.”
Drew stared me down like I’d grown three heads. “I’m sorry. Am I to assume that she’s at the house right now?”
“What the hell was I supposed to do? Kick her out? Bella burst into tears and ran into her arms. She brought pizza, see? The devil incarnate! Malcom looked ready to worship her, and Eric smiled for the first time all day!”
Ty walked into the room. “Sorry, I was eavesdropping—know what? Actually I’m not sorry. Are you insane?”
“What?” Heat crept up the back of my neck, that and a shit ton of anxiety. “Could you guys just explain?”
Will came over the studio com. “Guilty of eavesdropping too. Dude, you need to go back to the house now.”
“Guys, she’s their mom. They’re not going to set her on fire even if she deserves it.”
