Page 55 of Make Me Trust Again (Bluebonnet Creek #3)

His expression turns distant. I watch that serious face, the hard line of his jaw.

What is he thinking about? It’s so hard to tell most of the time.

He’s so good at reading me, and I wish I can say the same.

I understand the man who’s hiding behind the hard exterior; I trust that man, but I wish I could understand his line of thinking, too.

A crunch of the gravel snaps me out of my thoughts. From the corner of my eye, I can see both dogs perk up their ears, and I turn around just in time to see an unfamiliar red car driving closer.

Chase’s body tenses next to mine. “Expecting somebody?”

“John’s supposed to bring Kyle today bu—” The words die on my lips when the car pulls to a stop next to my truck, and I catch a glimpse of the person sitting in the driver’s seat.

“You’ve gotta be shitting me.”

I get to my feet just as the driver’s door opens, and none other than Lucy Donovan gets out.

She’s perfectly put together, not a strand out of place as her eyes take me in, gaze narrowing just as I feel a warm body stand behind me.

Not quite touching, but enough so I can feel his presence, his silent support.

The corner of her mouth lifts in a smirk as her gaze darts over my shoulder before returning to me.

“Well, well, well… Am I interrupting something?”

There is no missing the innuendo in her tone, or her judging gaze fixed on my body, that reminds me that I’m still clearly only dressed in just one of Chase’s shirts.

Still, I grind my teeth and lift my chin higher.

I will not let the woman, who slept with my husband when we were still very much married, shame me for being with somebody else.

Somebody who treats me way better than John ever did.

“What do you want, Lucy? Got lost on your way to town?”

Her eyes narrow at me. She’s clearly annoyed that I’m not taking her bait. Good. “No, I was?—”

Just then, the back door opens, and Kyle gets out of the car. My stomach turns with unease, fingers curling. “Why is Kyle with you?”

“Because John’s busy, so he asked me to drop him off.”

My ears are buzzing as her words echo in my brain. He asked her? Her of all people?

She flips her hair over her shoulder, her nose furrowing. “You’ll need to start doing that on your own. I’m not going to be driving your kid around. I have my hands full with my own.”

“Nobody asked you to,” I bite out, unable to hold back my annoyance. “It was John’s weekend with Kyle. He was supposed to bring him back, not you.”

“Well, he had things he needed to take care of.”

Yes, I’m sure he did.

“I don’t care. Kyle is his son. There is no reason for you to be around when he is at his dad’s.”

My gaze darts to my son who’s walking toward me, his gaze lowered as he tugs at the strap of his backpack.

“Oh, he didn’t tell you?”

The hair at my nape rises at her saccharine sweet tone. I shift my gaze to her to find her blinking innocently at me, waiting for me to ask. To tell her that no, John didn’t tell me shit, but I’m not about to do it.

“The only connection between John and me is our son.”

The vein in her forehead twitches in irritation, but she schools her features and plasters that smug grin on her mouth. “Trust me, this is something you’ll want to know.” Without giving me a chance to protest, she lifts her hand and wiggles her fingers. “We’re engaged.”

The sun falls on the stone on her finger.

My ring.

The same one I left on the bedroom nightstand when I walked out of our home back in November.

I just stare at it. In my periphery, I can see her mouth move, her words a distant echo.

“We actually just moved in with him this weekend. So we’ll be seeing each other more, and this little arrangement of yours…” She wiggles her fingers in my direction. “Will need to be reconsidered.”

Finally, Kyle looks up, and I can see the sorrow so deeply buried in his irises that it makes me want to strangle John and Lucy for doing this to him. He pets Shadow on the head and bends down to grab Teddy into his arms, squeezing him tightly to his chest.

“Nothing to say?”

Gritting my teeth, I glare at her, but a steady hand falls to the small of my back, making a shudder run down my spine.

“You can get the hell off my property; you’re not welcome here,” Chase mutters, his voice icy cold.

I watch as Lucy’s eyes widen in shock. Shadow must have heard Chase’s warning because she turns to her, flashing her teeth; that makes her jump slightly.

“Call off that beast.”

“You have sixty seconds.”

Lucy’s mouth opens, but no words come out. She presses them together, and points her finger at me. “This isn’t done.”

No, I didn’t think it was, but she’s the least of my worries. I catch Kyle’s gaze and sign. Hey, buddy. How you doing?

Fine.

He’s far from fine, but I don’t try to contradict him. Instead, I go to him, he walks to me, and slips his arm around my waist, squishing Teddy between us—the dog wiggles, licking his face.

The door of the car slams closed, and the gravel groans in protest as she reverses before hitting the gas and getting out of here.

Thank God.

I pull back and smooth his hair out of his face. You hungry? I can make us some chocolate chip cookies.

Kyle shakes his head. Can we just go home? Please.

Of course. We can go home.

Pushing to my feet, I glance over my shoulder to find Chase’s eyes glued to us, a frown etched between his brows as he watches Kyle, who still has that distant expression on his face.

I know that face well. He’s withdrawing, trying to process whatever happened this weekend.

Probably the fact that his dad isn’t just dating a new woman, but that they are getting married.

A woman who has a boy his age, and they’re moving into our old home.

Just when I thought I couldn’t hate him more, John goes out of his way to show me just how wrong I am.

Our gazes meet, and before I can apologize, he mouths, You okay?

I nod slowly.

Go, take care of your boy.

And that’s exactly what I do.