Chapter 11

Eden

I park in Kirk's driveway and give my reflection one last check over in the rear vision mirror. I made a special effort to tame my curls, and thanks to a fair amount of hairspray, my hair is staying put no matter what.

I've kept myself sane on the drive, listening to a couple of podcasts and then singing away to some of my playlist. Granted, it may contain way too much Backstreet Boys, but nobody has to know.

I've also managed to distract myself from thinking about Brooklyn for most of the way.

I'm still coming to terms with our non-divorce. To him it may not be a big deal, but to me it is. I've been toying with the semantics of it and I'm finding it hard not to be mad at Brook. He's known for being aloof and easygoing, but this is ridiculous.

That said, I felt bad for him standing there at the barn when I left Blake's party, but I had to get out of there. I know he hasn't been himself lately, and this whole debacle is why.

He's not the happy-go-lucky guy I know.

I talked to my best friend, Carrie, last night about some of it, and she was very sympathetic.

We met here in Stoney Creek after I arranged her wedding some years back. She's the sweetest thing, and sometimes equally wild, and married to Tom who's a local builder in the area. I'm also close friends with Autumn Davenport too; she's besties with Beau Bassett, so I'm going to wait until I'm back from my trip before we have a girls get together and I can get things off my chest in more detail. It's not that I think she would say anything to Beau, it's just me getting my head around the whole situation first.

A text pings in just before I get out of the car.

It's Carrie.

Good luck with lover boy tonight ??

I giggle like a schoolgirl, I'm excited about letting my hair down finally.

Me

I'll give you all the sordid details, hopefully by morning

Carrie

Go get him tiger!

I can't help but laugh. I'm anything but a go-getter when it comes to men. But Kirk has been patient.

I press my lips together and with a slow and steady breath, I get out of the car and walk up to Kirk's swanky townhouse. He has a locked box for the spare key, and I know the code. He's in surgery so I know he won't be there.

I'll let myself in and just make myself at home, I know he won't mind because he wouldn't have even told me about the locked box or the code for it along with his alarm system. I might even strip off a few layers, and wait for him to get home…

It's not like I have anywhere to be. I'm looking forward to the look on his face when he gets here and sees my car in the driveway.

I roll my small suitcase up to the front door and grab the key out of the coded box. I let myself in, dropping my things in the hallway. I turn to the alarm panel on the wall but see it's already disarmed. I guess Kirk forgot to put it on when he left for work.

It's so modern inside and has every gadget known to man. He's not overly showy with his wealth even though, clearly, he's loaded. I'm glad that he's done well for himself; it's hard work and long hours being a doctor and on call all hours of the day or night.

I kick my shoes off in the hallway and make my way down to his impressive open plan living and dining area with his plush couch and massive projector screen TV.

I decide to take my things up to the bedroom first and then grab a drink and make myself comfy. I contemplate sending him a text, but from his earlier message it sounded like he might be home in a few hours anyway. I'll watch a movie or something.

Grabbing my little case, I walk up the stairs. I'm halfway up when I hear a noise coming from above and freeze on the landing. A female is laughing and then I hear a deeper male voice.

Oh shit, is someone here? I can't quite make out what they're saying but I notice the increase in my heart rate instantly.

Maybe he left the TV on?

"Hello?" I call out as I edge further down to the end of the hallway, taking more tentative steps towards Kirk's bedroom. "Kirk, is that you?"

I mean, who else would it be if it's not the TV? As I get closer, I hear more vivid noises; grunting, panting and moaning. The voices get louder as I get closer to Kirk's bedroom.

"Oh, baby, that's so good. Mmm, just like that," a woman's voice echoes.

I'm right behind Kirk's door now and frozen to the spot. I don't even feel like I can move a muscle even if I wanted to.

"Kirk!" the woman screams.

Panic thunders in my chest as real time seems to move in slow motion. The door is slightly ajar so I edge it open with my foot, now facing the huge king bed that I was so looking forward to cozying up in tonight.

I'm met with the sight of Kirk's ass in the air as he furiously pumps some girl from behind, grinding into her with each exulting breath. Their skin slaps together as they both pant and moan in union. I can see from this angle that he's holding onto her very large breasts as they move.

They haven't even heard me come in, nor have they seen me.

The blood drains from my face. I feel sick standing there, and utterly shocked to my core. It takes me a second or two to gather my voice, but when I finally do, I yell out, "KIRK!"

The grinding stops and Kirk quickly turns his head. "Holy fucking shit," he curses, running his hand through his hair as he sees me standing there.

My eyes flick down at his cock, as he quickly pulls out of the woman beneath him; it now makes me feel ill looking at it.

"What the hell?" I scream.

"Baby." He scrambles to his feet and takes a step toward me, then seems to realize he's exposed and grabs his robe from the edge of the bed, quickly tying it around himself. The woman sits back on the pillows, pulling the sheet up to cover herself, looking just as shocked as I am.

"Don't baby me, what the hell is this?" I gesture toward the blonde with huge breasts just sitting there stunned, not knowing where to look. I back away as he walks toward me.

"I'm so sorry, Eden."

I tremble with anger. My whole body is on fire and I feel like I might explode.

Tears escape my eyes, but I brush them away, determined not to let this get the better of me in front of him. I'll cry my eyes out in private and not give him the satisfaction of seeing my distress full throttle.

I back out onto the landing, taking careful steps so I don't trip over my own feet. "Get away from me!" I manage as he makes another attempt to come closer.

When we're both in the hallway, he pulls the bedroom door closed behind us and stands in front of me, like that will erase the fact he was just ram rodding some buxom blonde into oblivion when he's supposed to be at work.

"I can explain," he starts.

I shake my head. "Don't even bother. I came to surprise you, but it looks like I got the surprise of my life!"

"I never meant for this to happen?—"

"Is this all because I was taking my time getting to know you?"

"No, baby, it's nothing like that. But I do have needs, and temptation got the better of me. It's never happened before. I'm not a cheater, Eden, I swear to God!"

"You're not a cheater?" I scoff. "Umm, you were just doggy styling it with that woman in there, how isn't it cheating? We said two months ago we were exclusive!"

"I didn't realize?—"

"You didn't realize we were exclusive?" I laugh without humor. "That's such bullshit, Kirk! You came to my daughter's birthday party!" Thank God he left early and I didn't sleep with him that night. The thought makes me shudder. Maybe he didn't even get called back to work then either, he was probably hooking up with the woman in the bedroom, or someone else.

"You're a wonderful woman, Eden. I've fucked up so bad. I do really like you."

I feel the bile rising in my throat at what I just witnessed. "Is this your way of showing it? You told me you were in surgery." How many other lies has he been spinning?

"I got home earlier than expected."

"Lying again!" I scoff. "You had this all planned out with her. In the meantime, I'm driving down here for hours to surprise you." I don't mention that I was going to sleep with him tonight and we were going to have the time of our lives. He's not even worth my breath anymore.

I turn to leave.

He grabs my wrist. "Eden, don't go."

"Leave me alone!" I pull out of his grip with force, my head whipping around to face him again. "Why don't you go back in there and finish what you started?"

He grits his teeth. "I don't want her."

This is definitely a side I've not seen with him. He played it so well. I was certainly fooled. "Then why is she here?" I yell as I make for the stairs. "And stop following me!"

He ignores me and follows me down the stairs. "I got horny, E. It happens, it's no excuse. I was trying so hard to keep it in check, but we've been together for months!"

I swing around to face him. "Don't you dare throw that back at me! I told you at the start I wasn't a fast mover! That I'd been married before and hadn't dated much since my divorce. Brook was the only guy I'd known back then. You said you were fine with us taking things slow…"

"And doesn't he just want to keep you all to himself!" he says angrily.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"He's got a thing for you. You're blind if you don't see it. Maybe a bigger thing than he's got going for himself!"

Oh my God, is he flipping this around now on Brooklyn? "Don't talk about Brook like that!" I seethe. "He's not like that at all."

"He couldn't wait for me to leave the party. And he tried to break my fucking hand when we met!"

"Maybe he saw through your bravado to what an asshole you really are!"

"You don't even see it, do you?"

"Stop turning this around on me! Brook has nothing to do with this. He's protective, and that's because we're still friends. Obviously a relationship someone like you doesn't understand, you asshole." I poke him in the chest and he steps back. I turn abruptly and wheel my case back down the hall to the front door. My hands are still shaking and my heart is still racing. I need to get out of here.

"We never would have stood a chance with him around!"

"You're disgusting," I fire back at him. "I told you from the beginning I had a child and my ex-husband was very much involved. You said you were okay with it, and Brook isn't going anywhere, so stop using excuses to try and cover up your infidelity."

He stands with his hands on his hips. "Don't go…"

I shake my head. Does he actually expect me to stay? "You're an asshole. Is she the only one?" God, do I even want the answer to that?

"I've said I'm fucking sorry, Eden. I really wanted to make this work. But like I said?—"

I put my hand up in front of him to shut him the hell up; he's completely avoiding answering the question anyway. I turn and pull the front door back, one of the wheels getting caught on the doorstep. He leans forward to try and help but I yank it away. "Leave me alone!" I spit. "Don't ever contact me again. I swear to God if you do, I'll punch your fucking face in and you're the one who will need plastic surgery!" I march back to my car as fast as possible in case he tries to run after me again.

Why is he even bothering? He has a beautiful woman in his bed — he'll probably walk right back in there and pick up where he left off.

How many times has he done this since I've known him? Was he doing it the whole time?

Thank God I was cautious and didn't jump in the sack with him straight away.

I quickly throw my things in the back of my car and start up the engine, while he stands in the doorway watching me.

I flip my shades down and reverse out of the driveway as fast as I can without driving like a crazy lunatic and take off up the street.

It's only when I've turned the corner and I'm out of view do I pull the car over to the side of the street and put it in park. I put my hands up to my face and burst into tears.

It comes out in a huge sob. I'm hurt and bewildered.

I don't know how he could do this to me when we both agreed to take it slow! He said he was tired of meaningless hookups and wanted to settle down with someone. I was going to meet his folks soon. We were planning a little getaway to Mexico in a few months. All because I didn't sleep with him straight away? What an asshole.

And the nerve of him trying to bring Brooklyn into it, like it's Brook's fault he stuck his dick into another woman behind my back.

I can't believe the audacity of the man. No matter what Brook was being like at the party. Yes, he can be a tad over-protective, but maybe he did truly see that Kirk was a sneak and a liar.

He certainly didn't think much of him, and I feel stupid now for defending Kirk and making out he was as good as gold.

I feel sick to my stomach. But I need to go home.

It's a long drive back but I want to leave this experience as far away from me as possible.

After I'm spent with my tears, I blow my nose and wipe my eyes with a tissue. I take a deep breath and right myself, grabbing the steering wheel like I'm holding on for dear life, and maybe I am.

This asshole isn't going to get the better of me.

I flick my indicator on and pull back out onto the road and head for home.

Stoney Creek is the only place I need to be.

My cottage on the edge of town is quaint and cozy. I bought it after I split with Brooklyn. He helped me purchase it — even going through the divorce — because I had nowhere to live once I moved out of the farmhouse we'd built. I obviously wasn't going to ask Brooklyn to leave his family farm so I could live there, that wouldn't make any sense. So the natural thing was for me to look for a place while we sorted things out. It was strange at first being somewhere new, but I quickly grew to love it.

When I pull up into my driveway and look at my white shiplap cottage with a dark blue steel roof and trim around, my heart feels better already.

I feel safe. And thank God I feel a million miles away from Kirk and his bullshit.

It's been surreal thinking about it all the way home. It's way after dark now and I know Blake will be at her dad's place with Noodle.

I decide to just have the night to myself and let Brook know tomorrow I'm home a day early. I don't even know how to explain any of this, but he's sure to ask what happened down in Georgia. He'll know something's wrong the minute I see him, so avoiding him is going to be tricky. I know he'll hit the roof when he finds out — not that I plan on broadcasting it.

When my shock and tears subsided on the drive back, I started to replay the conversation back in my head, all while trying to remove the images of Kirk fucking that woman. I'm not sure how long that will take to erase.

I drag my case, and sorry ass, inside and feel a million times better when I walk into my cottage. I have a sweet little rose garden out front and all the creature comforts inside.

I love shabby chic, so the interior is all white with some splashes of duck egg blue.

The floors are laid with a whitewash, laminate wood-look and my kitchen is all country kitsch with white cabinetry. My den opens out just off the kitchen and always makes me feel cozy and warm with a gas fire-place and a rustic mantel that surrounds it. A beautiful crystal chandelier dangles from the high ceiling and sets off the high ceiling beams. I adore the French doors off my little rear den area that lead out to a small side patio with more garden where I've been unsuccessfully trying to grow some herbs. Blake knows more about it than me, so we were going to redo some planting one weekend.

The little area outside leads to my separate home office that I run Bloom Weddings and Events from; it's like a small casita. I love being able to walk out the French doors a few steps to my work.

I lean on my kitchen counter, feeling the coolness of the quartz under my forearms, wondering what to do next. It's so quiet without my daughter and my dog.

I glance down at Noodles' water and food bowls.

Everything is how I left it this morning, but it feels like so much has changed. I can't actually believe that Kirk did this to me — that if I hadn't caught him red handed, who knows how long he'd continue lying to me?

I feel my gut churn.

I go to the liquor cabinet, not that I ever drink that much, and pull out a bottle. I smirk at the Bassett Brothers Bourbon label that faces me as I trace the fancy logo with my index finger. The bull head that the family is known for sits proudly atop in gold lettering.

Tonight I'm going to pour myself a shot and wallow in my own self pity.

I'll be alright, I have to be.

But right now, all I need is to numb the pain.