marriage had been a mistake, but Micky wasn’t. That boy was the best thing that had ever happened to Cole.
Their life together started off rocky. There hadn’t been a lot of money between them, so they moved into the house Cole grew up in. It was paid for, and he made do working side jobs out of the little detached garage out back. All the hours he put in at a full time job and then moonlighting bodywork on the side paid off. After three years, he finally reached the point where a bank would finance his dream. He was proud of the business he built, and imagined his dad smiling down at him from heaven—it was something they had talked about often before his dad lost his battle with cancer. Brooks Customs wasn’t enough for Kensie, though. He thought if he made a lot of money, if financially he could give her everything she wanted, things would be better for her, for their marriage. Only, nothing ever made her happy.
She hadn't finished college—his fault, Cole supposed. But then again, he didn’t ask her to quit. Her pregnancy had been difficult, and the forty-minute drive to and from nursing school had been too far. The circumstances were something he couldn’t change, but she blamed him all the same.
It didn’t matter anymore—their marriage was over. All he needed to concentrate on was being the kind of man Micky would be proud to call his dad. He’d figure out the rest later.
He tugged the cut-off shirt over his head and tossed it into the basket in the laundry room on the way to the stairs. The wood staircase creaked with each step. He was halfway up when his cellphone rang from inside his jeans pocket. He dug it out to look at the display, but didn’t recognize the number.
“Hello?”
“Cole?”
He sucked in a breath.
“It’s Jaden.”
“Hey.” He couldn’t think of anything better to say, because the sound of her voice made him breathless. “How’s it going?”
“Better after a shower,” she said.
“I bet. I’m about to do the same.”
“I owe you an apology.” She sounded embarrassed.
“You do?” He paused at the top of the stairs. “For?”
“I, uh...” She cleared her throat. “I apologize for this afternoon. You were kind enough to come get me, and I pretty much accused you of—”
“Being a cheating asshole? I get it.” He chuckled and headed down the hall toward the bathroom.
“I thought you were married. I mean, I know you’re still married,” she blurted. “But I didn’t realize you’re getting divorced.”
“In your defense, I’m not actually divorced yet. We still have to sign the papers.” He winced and flipped the bathroom light on. “I guess to some people’s morals, it’d still be cheating for me to date right now.”
“There’s no high horse for me.” Her soft laughter vibrated through him like the strings of a cello. He pictured her smile, and a familiar pang of yearning hit his chest.
“That’s good. I’m glad.”
“I’m really sorry.” Her tone sobered. “About your divorce, I mean.”
“It’s okay. Really,” he said. She had no idea. Maybe she’d give him a chance to explain. He wanted that chance. “Your car’s settled at Joe’s Garage. I trailered it over and left the keys with him. He’ll call the rental place for you.”
“Thank you. By the time I called to tell them that their rental’s a pile of junk, someone from the mechanic shop already had. They told me they’d get a replacement out on Monday. Apparently they’re understaffed at the location in Sterling.”
“Well, if they try leaving you with another pile of junk, you can borrow something of mine. I’ve got the pickup and the Cutlass.”
“You’d let me drive the Cutlass?” She sounded shocked.
“No,” he said, and she laughed.
“Right. I didn’t think so.”
“I’d let you drive my pickup, though.”
“I’m sure whatever they bring me will be fine.”
“So are we...” He searched for the right word, but wasn’t sure there was
Their life together started off rocky. There hadn’t been a lot of money between them, so they moved into the house Cole grew up in. It was paid for, and he made do working side jobs out of the little detached garage out back. All the hours he put in at a full time job and then moonlighting bodywork on the side paid off. After three years, he finally reached the point where a bank would finance his dream. He was proud of the business he built, and imagined his dad smiling down at him from heaven—it was something they had talked about often before his dad lost his battle with cancer. Brooks Customs wasn’t enough for Kensie, though. He thought if he made a lot of money, if financially he could give her everything she wanted, things would be better for her, for their marriage. Only, nothing ever made her happy.
She hadn't finished college—his fault, Cole supposed. But then again, he didn’t ask her to quit. Her pregnancy had been difficult, and the forty-minute drive to and from nursing school had been too far. The circumstances were something he couldn’t change, but she blamed him all the same.
It didn’t matter anymore—their marriage was over. All he needed to concentrate on was being the kind of man Micky would be proud to call his dad. He’d figure out the rest later.
He tugged the cut-off shirt over his head and tossed it into the basket in the laundry room on the way to the stairs. The wood staircase creaked with each step. He was halfway up when his cellphone rang from inside his jeans pocket. He dug it out to look at the display, but didn’t recognize the number.
“Hello?”
“Cole?”
He sucked in a breath.
“It’s Jaden.”
“Hey.” He couldn’t think of anything better to say, because the sound of her voice made him breathless. “How’s it going?”
“Better after a shower,” she said.
“I bet. I’m about to do the same.”
“I owe you an apology.” She sounded embarrassed.
“You do?” He paused at the top of the stairs. “For?”
“I, uh...” She cleared her throat. “I apologize for this afternoon. You were kind enough to come get me, and I pretty much accused you of—”
“Being a cheating asshole? I get it.” He chuckled and headed down the hall toward the bathroom.
“I thought you were married. I mean, I know you’re still married,” she blurted. “But I didn’t realize you’re getting divorced.”
“In your defense, I’m not actually divorced yet. We still have to sign the papers.” He winced and flipped the bathroom light on. “I guess to some people’s morals, it’d still be cheating for me to date right now.”
“There’s no high horse for me.” Her soft laughter vibrated through him like the strings of a cello. He pictured her smile, and a familiar pang of yearning hit his chest.
“That’s good. I’m glad.”
“I’m really sorry.” Her tone sobered. “About your divorce, I mean.”
“It’s okay. Really,” he said. She had no idea. Maybe she’d give him a chance to explain. He wanted that chance. “Your car’s settled at Joe’s Garage. I trailered it over and left the keys with him. He’ll call the rental place for you.”
“Thank you. By the time I called to tell them that their rental’s a pile of junk, someone from the mechanic shop already had. They told me they’d get a replacement out on Monday. Apparently they’re understaffed at the location in Sterling.”
“Well, if they try leaving you with another pile of junk, you can borrow something of mine. I’ve got the pickup and the Cutlass.”
“You’d let me drive the Cutlass?” She sounded shocked.
“No,” he said, and she laughed.
“Right. I didn’t think so.”
“I’d let you drive my pickup, though.”
“I’m sure whatever they bring me will be fine.”
“So are we...” He searched for the right word, but wasn’t sure there was
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