Page 48 of For One Night

“Thank you.” I kiss his cheek. “I’m going in for damage control.”

Millie and I take the stairs two at a time, bounding through my door. “Oh god, Mom, please don’t be ironing my panties!”

“I’m not ironing anything,” she yells from the spare bathroom. “I am scrubbing your tiles with a toothbrush!”

“Sweet Baby Jesus, hold my hand.”

Millie takes my hand. “Not H.I.M., but I’ve been known to make people think I am.”

“Millie!” I yank my hand from hers, as I rush to my mom. “Madre, when I said, ‘mi casa, su casa’ I didn’t mean for you to come in and clean it like you owned it.”

“Lolita, it’s so dirty in here.” She points to the now gleaming floors. “I want you to be able to eat off the floors.”

“Mom, there’s no five-second rule in my house. If I drop food, I’ll throw it out.”

She shews me away with her best Hispanic flare. “Only because you can’t eat it once it’s been on these floors.”

“Thank you, but you didn’t need to do it.” I hang my head.

“Of course, I didn’t, but I love you, Lolita, and only want the best for you now that you’re away from that miserable man.” She smiles up at me.

“Did I hear my name?” Bile rises instantly at the sound of his voice.

I whip around, and sure enough, I’m face to face with Carter. Holding flowers. And a bag. “What are you doing here?” I brush past him, wasting no time in getting him away from my parents.

“I come to give you a housewarming gift.” He’s hot on my heels as I try to close the door behind me. “That’s not nice, Lola.”

I turn on him, as I tamp down the anger boiling in my belly. “We’re divorced. You can’t just barge up in here like you own the place.”

“I missed you. I thought it would be nice to come for a visit, maybe go to dinner and catch up.” He cocks his head and his attitude.

I run my hand through my hair. “You can’t just show up, Carter.”

“Nothing’s changed between us, Lola.” He steps toward me. “You’re still you, and I’ll always be here for you.”

I hold up a finger, stopping him. “As friends, that’s it. You can’t come and go as you please, not anymore.”

“Lola, we’ll always be connected.” He smiles sweetly. “I’ll always think of you as my wife.”

“I’m not your wife, Carter.” My legs begin to quake.

His brows hood his eyes as they grow dark. “I know, I only want to be friends. Check in on you, have lunch occasionally. That’s all, Lola.”

“Alright, I can do that with you.” I swallow hard, trying to slow my shaking body.

His eyes flicker around the room. “Have you entertained anyone yet?”

“Are you asking if anyone has stayed here?” I shift my feet, still uncomfortable with him being here.

His eyes narrow. “Yes.”

“Millie.” I rub my bottom lip. “She’s the only person besides my parents who have even been here.”

“And me.” He smirks.

I nod, feeling sick that he’s right. “You’re right.”

“Maybe that’s a sign of good things to come.” I avert my eyes when he winks at me. “Oh, so it’s going to be like that, is it?”