I sit and hug my knees—I might as well be a fucking ten-year-old girl. I ignore the heat of the concrete as it burns my ass through my shorts, and the July sun beats down on my head.
How did I go from having my hands full of JoJo a couple of hours ago to having nothing?
Nothing.
No son.
No wife.
And I’ll be damned if I can tell which hurts the most.
Jake tosses me the ball. “You going to do anything about it or mope?”
“No one is moping.” I fake a left and then dodge to my right when he falls for it.
With every dribble of the ball, my collarbone protests with a twinge.
I go in for a lay-up, but he steals the ball, making a basket before I can turn.
“Game.” He raises one eyebrow and points at me. “That right there is a sign. I never win when we play one-on-one. You’re off your game, man.”
“I’m still healing.”
He coughs bullshit into his fist.
“Fuck you.” I slop sweat from my forehead. “She left. That’s all there is to it. She said she loves me, and then she up and left. What am I supposed to do with that?”
“Have you called her? Texted?”
“What the fuck would I say?”
He tosses the ball into the air and catches it. “How the hell should I know?”
“You’re the expert.” I head into the shade of the garage.
Jake follows me in, dropping into a camp chair. “Have you noticed my lack of female companionship lately?”
“You have three sisters, dude. That kinda makes you an expert.”
He huffs. “Whatever you say.”
Grabbing a couple of beers from the extra fridge, I say, “Okay, then. Leave me the fuck alone about it if you don’t have any advice—that’s all I’m saying.”
“Fine. Give me a second.” He holds out his hand for a cold one.
I pop the top on a can and hand it to him.
He takes a long swig of his drink before wiping his mouth with his t-shirt. “Women like to know how you feel. Tell her that.”
I pull up a chair and stretch out in it. “What’s to tell? That I’m fucking miserable. That I didn’t like it when my arm slid across the bed this morning to find a cool spot instead of her? That my cock’s lonely?”
He rubs his chin, squinting at me with one eye. “Those first two aren’t bad. Probably should leave out that last one though.”
We sit in silence until I set my empty can on the ground and crush it with my size fourteen.
Jake finishes off his brew. “Tuesday is the Fourth of July.”
“Yeah. So?”
“So call her up, ask her out on a date. You know, that thing most of us guys have to do to get laid? Except you, because all you have to do is crook your pinky and all the girls’ clothes fall off.”
I frown. “I think Jo and I are past the dating stage. We’re married, asshole.”
He shrugs. “Trying to help you out here. Take her to see a fireworks show—that’s my advice.”
I swipe my finger across the screen. “Okay, that’s the sixth bouquet of flowers I’ve sent today.”
Jake gives a thumbs-up, but his face says he thinks I’m wasting both time and money.
I text again, possibly the tenth time over the last two days.
You said your favorites are gardenias. See? I remembered. Please call me. We need to talk.
I sit on the sofa, staring at the tiny screen in my hand as though that will make her answer faster. Or at all.
An hour goes by, and then another.
I grab my keys from the coffee table. “Fuck it. I’m going over there. She’ll have to talk to me if I’m right in front of her.”
“Well, all right then.” Jake stands. “I wondered how long it would take you to get your head out of your ass.”
I flip him the bird over my shoulder as I walk toward the garage.
The doorbell peals, stopping me in my tracks.
I turn to Jake. “You think that’s her?”
He shrugs. “Maybe.”
I sprint to the door, grab the handle, and swing it wide open.
A blonde wisp of hair is the only thing I can focus on for a long moment.
Not JoJo.
My entire body tenses.
Jessica shoves Caden into my arms. “Take him. You wanted him. He’s yours.”
“What are all of you doing here—and together?” I pull his little body close and step out of the way as Jessica and my parents file through the door.
All three talk at once.
“My sister’s husband got hurt at work—”
“Your father insisted we bring this trollop here—”
Finally, Dad raises his voice and drowns out the women. “She didn’t know how to find you, and I knew how much you’d want to see Caden.”