Chapter 20

Twenty

T he conversation with Steven wouldn't take long. It wasn't as if we had much to say to each other. The sooner I was Ms. Taylor again, the better. Obviously, we'd still need to talk about the boys when necessary, but drop-offs and pick-ups were the only time I wanted to see him, full stop.

I trailed the man in black down the driveway, irritation building. Steven was fidgeting in front of a second guard, shifting from foot to foot and glancing around warily. He broke into a grin when he saw me coming. Honestly, I'd thought hiring security was overkill, but now I was glad I'd listened to Eis.

The first clue I got that Steven wasn't bringing divorce papers was the bunch of flowers in his hand.

The second clue was the absolute bollocks that came out of his mouth.

"Janie? Why are your ears pointy?"

"Because it's Halloween?"

"Right, never mind. I've been doing some thinking, soul-searching if you will, and I realise now that I made a terrible mistake."

"A mistake?"

"I never should have left you. You were everything I wanted in a woman. Everything I needed. A momentary infatuation impaired my judgment briefly, but I've come to make things right."

"I see. Does this have anything to do with your Jaguar getting repossessed and Luisa shagging another bloke behind your back?"

"You know about that?"

"Of course."

"But…but how?"

"The boys told me. It's amazing what you learn if you actually listen to them. Such as the fact that Harry doesn't like football, for example. How did you know I was here?"

"I figured you'd be with Alfie, and his phone's here."

"You turned on the tracking app again?"

I mentally added "acquire new phones" to my to-do list, right above "kick Steven off a tall building."

"It's there for safety."

"Which part of ‘safety' involves stalking me at a party?"

"You're my wife. I care."

Give me strength.

"Leave. Just leave. Turn out of the gates and follow the sign for Fuckoffsville, and after you get there, take the turning for Fuckoffsomemore. When you reach the cliff with the big notice that says ‘No pillocks beyond this point,' put your foot on the gas, ignore the warning signs the same way you always do, and keep on fucking going." I turned to the security guard who was standing impassively beside me. "I'm so sorry."

"It's quite all right, ma'am."

"Janie, that's really childish," Steven whined. "We're still married."

"Only because you keep dragging your heels on the financial settlement."

As he'd done for our entire marriage, he ignored the parts he didn't like and changed the subject.

"Why are you dressed up like that?" He wrinkled his nose. "I can understand the youngsters wearing costumes, but you're at least thirty years old."

Honestly, I wasn't sure whether to punch him or be flattered because I was almost thirty-two.

"At least thirty? Steven, do you even remember when my birthday is? Let's just go for the month here."

"Uh…uh… It's sometime around Christmas… December?"

How had I stayed with this pillock for as long as I did? Every year, he'd forgotten my birthday, and when I'd bothered to remind him, he'd just promised to get me a better Christmas present instead. Two gifts in one. Then he'd arrive home with a sad bunch of flowers or—on one memorable occasion—a giant cookie cake that said Happy Birthday Julie . Apparently, the shop had been selling it off cheap after Julie ditched her boyfriend and he declined to collect it. Julie had the right idea.

"Look, I make no apologies if my idea of having fun is juvenile compared to your hobby of porking my boss. If it bothers you, have you tried minding your own fucking business?" This time, the security guard's lips twitched. "Again, I'm so sorry."

"I was in the Navy, ma'am. I've heard far worse."

"Carry on, babe. Your filthy mouth is making me hard."

Oh, shit.

Who had told Eis I was here?

"Who the hell are you?" Steven snapped.

"Eisen Renner." He held out a hand, and Steven shook it automatically because he afforded men a respect he didn't offer women. Ah, that little wince made me smile. "I'm Janie's future husband."

I'm sorry, what?

Eis smiled, and he looked relaxed, but it was fake relaxed. I could feel the tension in him when he slipped an arm around my waist.

Steven's mouth gaped open, and he goldfished for a few moments. But then his expression turned calculating.

"If you two are getting married, does that mean I won't have to pay child support?"

That slimy little shitbag. Money. It all came down to money with Steven. I was so stupid for so long.

"Does it matter?" I asked. "It's not as if you've ever paid a penny anyway."

Eis's fingers dug into my hip as he stared Steven down. "I don't give a fuck whether you pay child support, but you know who will? Your boys. When they're older, and they realise their dad didn't care enough to put a watertight roof over their heads, they'll care. And then they won't be your boys anymore."

Now Steven had turned red. "Is this some kind of joke?"

He thought being a father was a joke?

Eis's death stare turned into a smirk. "It's your move, arsehole."

Three more members of the security team had appeared, and Eis gave them the tiniest nod. One of them stepped forward.

"Sir, we need you to leave now."

I didn't wait around to see what happened. I didn't give even one tiny shit. They could toss Steven into the pool for all I cared, and no, he couldn't swim. Instead, I leaned into Eis as we walked back to the party.

"Future husband?"

"As soon as those fucking papers are signed. You good with that?"

It would be fast.

Really freaking fast.

With Steven, I'd spent hours agonising over the details of the wedding. Pink flowers or purple? Veil or no veil? Should we shell out for a fancy car to take us to the reception? Which photography package should we buy? Would people judge me for being pregnant? And don't even get me started on the seating plan.

With Eis, I realised I didn't care about any of that stuff, or what people thought of me. I just wanted him to be mine, and that was it.

"I'm good with that. You think I should see about getting my tubes untied?"

"Yeah, I do. Your birthday is the twenty-fourth of November, by the way. Just in case you forgot."

I'd told him that thirteen years ago.

With Eisen Renner, the big decisions were the easy ones.

* * *

The party began to wind down after nine o'clock. The local kids had been picked up by their parents, and the Bristol kids were back on the minibus, along with two parents who were acting as chaperones. Harry was yawning, and Alfie was hyper and telling everyone who would listen that he was getting an entire flock of chickens.

"We can make a quiet exit if you want," Eis suggested. "I wasn't kidding about being hard earlier, and I've got a better use for your sharp tongue."

"We can't leave our own party. What about the boys?"

"Harry's asleep on his feet, and I can borrow a straitjacket from that guy dressed as Hannibal Lecter for Alfie."

"Is it small enough? What about his extra legs?"

"The straps are…" Eis's attention focused elsewhere. "…adjustable. Who's that guy with Edie?"

I turned to look. "Oh, that's Liam's little brother." Little in terms of both age and stature. Heath was two inches shorter than Liam and best described as wiry. The handbag was still in Edie's left hand. "Is she okay?"

"I think so. Edie started the conversation. She never starts conversations. Is Liam's brother a decent guy?"

"I've only met him a couple of times, but Marissa says he's very sweet. He just got out of the Army." I groaned as Alfie bounced over to Marc di Gregorio and began flapping his arms. "Where did Hannibal Lecter go?"

"You deal with Harry; I'll catch Alfie."

"If I'm too knackered to tell you later, I love you."

Our story wasn't exactly conventional, but I knew one thing was certain: I'd be writing "The End" with Eisen Renner at my side. This Halloween would go down in history as a day to remember.

"Love you too, Janie. Always have, always will."