Eligible Ex-husband - Marie Johnston Page 0,35
succeeded where we failed. “Then how…”
She smiled, the memory clearly a fond one. “We met with the divorce lawyer, signed the papers, then as we’re leaving and my heart’s been trashed, his lawyer grins and looks him in the eye. I’m not even out of the room and he says ‘Call me when you get sick of wife number three.’”
I sputter, shocked at the comment. “Rude.”
“Oh, it pissed Dan off. But it also dawned on him that if he didn’t change, he was going to be alone with only a trail of broken hearts to show for it. He demanded the papers back, ripped them up and said to me ‘whatever it takes’. So we outlined rules—for both of us.” She lifts a shoulder. “And here we are.”
I eye Simon. His hand is shoved in his pocket and he’s loosely holding a longneck beer in his other hand. He doesn’t notice me watching him, and I look away before he can catch me and get the wrong impression.
Setting limits with Dan worked because it dawned on him exactly what was wrong and that he played an important role, both in causing it and fixing it. Simon hasn’t reached that stage and I don’t know that he can.
I give Peggy a sad smile. “I should’ve used your lawyer.”
Chapter 11
Simon
“Dad, I’m bored.” Maddy’s on her stomach on my office floor. It’s Friday night and close to their bedtime. I had a long call and alternated between muting it and either bribing the girls with treats to stay quiet while I talked or threatening to tell their mother they didn’t behave and they’d lose out on activities.
The last one was totally a bluff. Natalie would think it was my fault I had them at the office late. But I can’t expect clients who invest millions with me to work around my time zone. Their money means I’m at their beck and call.
I type up notes and reminders for me and Helena to split a little work tomorrow so neither one of us is tied up all day on a Saturday. “Okay, we’re ready to go.”
Maddy pops up, but Abby’s slow to roll off the floor. Her shoulders are slumped and her mouth is turned down like she tasted something awful.
She presses a hand to her gut. “I don’t feel so good.”
I’m about to tell her that we’ll go straight to my place when she doubles over and vomits. I leap for the trash can as Maddy backpedals toward the door.
“Shit.” I didn’t mean to swear. “Dammit.” Still swearing. I shut up and thrust the can toward Abby. She hugs it and continues throwing up.
The smell of rancid puke fills the air.
Maddy jumps up and down, shaking her hands. “Ew.”
“Wait out by Helena’s desk, Mads.” I roll the chair my clients use toward Abby. “Sit.”
She nods, her chest heaving. I press a hand to her head. She’s not hot, but she’s clammy. “I’ll clean up the worst.” Then I’ll call Charlie to get our cleaning service in here to work their magic—and pay them extra.
I’ve never been more grateful that I kept the original hardwood when I bought the space as I use all the paper towels from the restroom. I save some to wipe off my shoes and go into the hallway. The bank in the same building has long since closed, but there’s a public bathroom between my section and theirs. I steal all their paper towels and wet some down.
As I’m cleaning the floor, Abby groans. “I want to go home.”
“After I get this and bag up the trash, we’ll go back to my place. We can stop for some ginger ale and crackers.”
She lets out another long moan. “No. I want to go home.”
I don’t push it. She feels like shit and my place isn’t her home. I call Charlie with the SOS and then call Natalie.
“Abby threw up and she wants to go home.”
“Yeah, okay. Is she alright? How’s Maddy?”
“So far so good, but this came on really sudden.” I make a note to grab an empty trash bag—make that two—for the ride to Natalie’s. “I’m almost done cleaning up here and then we’ll head out.”
“Did she throw up on the furniture?”
“No, we’re at the office.”
“This late on a Friday?”
I don’t respond. What can I say? It’s nine on a Friday night. This is how I party. This is how I’ve spent Fridays since I met Natalie.
“Never mind. Just get her home. I’ll run a bath for her.”
I load