which was hardly safe inside a moving car. But right now it was the only thing she could think of that might successfully distract Finn, especially given the football was safely hidden in the cupboard in her room.
Finn looked like he was about to object, but Cole—god, that man was just…everything—jumped in. “Great idea. No road trip is complete without a footy. C’mon then.” And he held his hand out to Finn, who took the bait and squirmed out of his father’s hold.
“I won’t be long, Daddy,” he threw over his shoulder as he took off back into the house, Cole following in his wake.
“Janey.”
“Not here,” she snapped at Tad, her voice an angry whisper.
She turned and headed into the house, leading Tad into the parlor, another magnificent room Jane would love time and a bottomless budget to renovate. Shutting the door behind them, she folded her arms and got straight to the point. “Finn has been looking forward to this rugby match all morning, so you’d better rearrange those flights, because he’s going to that game.”
“Oh god, no. Come on, Jane. The airline’s going to slug me a fee for that. You know how expensive it is to book seats one day out?”
Yeah, she did. Because she was an adult who planned things so that wouldn’t happen, not a man-baby who acted on impulse more often than not. “Well maybe, just maybe—”
She sucked in a quick breath, conscious of the growing bubble of rage inside her. She wasn’t usually this combative with Tad—she sucked up his inadequacies and compensated for them as best she could—but goddamn it, she was tired of having to do it.
“If you’d bothered to inform me of your plans,” she continued, forcing herself to speak calmly, “that could’ve been avoided. I could have told you we were heading to Denver today. We could have met there, saving you this trip, and you could have booked flights around the game time and not had to reschedule them.”
But no, as per usual, you were thinking of no one but yourself.
“Are you fucking him?”
Jane blinked. His words weren’t particularly accusatory, but they still felt like a slap. “I beg your pardon?”
“Are you and the rugby player screwing?”
Again, there was no real heat behind the question, but she could tell Tad was determined to get an answer. “That is none of your business.”
He nodded slowly, and Jane watched as realization dawned in his eyes. “So that’s a yes, then.”
“This has got nothing to do with anything.”
“It has if you’re carrying on with some…baller you’ve only just met in front of my son.”
“Oh, that’s rich.” Jane gave a mirthless laugh. “Your son, now? Gee, I wish you’d remember that when it came to things like oh…I don’t know…taking him for your allotted visitation during summer break.”
Tad ignored the criticism. “I don’t like it.”
She supposed he didn’t. There’d never been this issue before. It had always been Tad getting the action. “Because you’re the only one allowed to screw around?”
Tad’s sucked in a breath. “I’ve never fucked anyone while I’ve been taking care of Finn.”
Tad’s words were well aimed. It didn’t matter that she knew she and Cole had been discreet—she’d always been back in her bed by the time Finn woke up—she wouldn’t have liked Tad having a woman she didn’t know under his roof while Finn was staying there, either.
A long-term relationship was different. That was a bridge they’d cross when they came to it, but a random woman? Nope. So she didn’t have a defense against Tad’s accusation, unless he’d take because I freaking deserve a little sumthin’ sumthin’ in my life for a change.
Thankfully, Tad didn’t wait for her reply, moving on to his next grievance. “I don’t want him taking my kid to watch rugby.”
“Jesus, Tad.” Jane shook her head. “You still don’t get it, do you? This isn’t about what you want. Your son has been dying to go all morning. He’ll be bitterly disappointed, and that’ll be on you. But, hey, might as well add it to the list, huh?”
“Taking my kid to a game, even if it is rugby, is”—he puffed out his chest—“my job.”
What the what? “Your job is to keep your kid happy and not act like an asshole when he is just because it’s nothing to do with you. My god…” Jane glared at him. “While you’ve been off playing with the band, Cole has been doing your job for the last two weeks. Building your kid a swing and