It had taken me so long to figure out how to breathe and kiss at the same time. We were now so good that we didn’t need to stop every minute. Embarrassing, I know. Soon, we were on the grass. Brody’s body moved on top of mine as we kept kissing. His knee nudged my thighs apart to let him in closer.
My legs wrapped around the backs of his thighs as my hands roamed his back. He kissed me harder and hips beginning to push forward created a new pleasure I had only recently experienced. I had become incredibly embarrassed as I had moaned when he first did that, and to ease my embarrassment, he told me he had to stop before he came in his boxers, which he was extremely close to doing.
We didn’t take it any further than just making out that night. But soon, we would.
You would think things felt easier after being separated for a couple of weeks. It wasn’t. Brody and I were back into the cheating accusations and jabs towards each other. We made sure to never fight like we had done that night around the children again, and we kept that promise.
The sleeping alone wasn’t too bad. We’d been apart for so long that I was used to being in a large bed by myself. It was the silence that ate me up, going into a small house and being alone. Nobody could hear me cry each night to sleep. I was also able to use the treadmill in here; twice a day, I had been running. It took my mind off everything.
If you’re wondering if I had gone and done a new makeover to make myself feel better, you’re damn right I did. Although it didn’t help, at least, I now had clothes that fit my body better than the other clothing I owned. Cathy and I had gone shopping. She didn’t know about Brody and I. Nobody did.
How do you tell someone you’re getting a divorce? It wasn’t that simple especially when we were still yet to tell our children, Noah and Lila.
Brody was back to working constantly, and it was a good thing that I had stayed at the house. He was working early to almost midnight, and the kids were missing him like crazy. Of course, I assumed he was cheating.
As I washed the dishes in the kitchen and began to make Brody’s lunch for work, I couldn’t help notice that he kept glancing over as he sat and ate with the kids.
“So what’s going on today?” he asked.
“I’m going to play with my friends. What about you, Daddy?” Lila asked, sounding so grown up as she sat on his lap and tried to fix his work tie.
“Well, I have work to do, and then tonight, we’re going to go out and celebrate,” Brody answered, not bothered that Lila’s greasy fingers were all over his silk tie like he normally would be.
Lila, being her nosy self, replied, “Mama too?”
I felt so guilty when she asked this. I plastered on a smile and looked over at her. “Of course, sweetie. How about you leave daddy alone and finish your breakfast? Otherwise, you won’t get to play with your friends at school.”
“I’m finished,” Noah said with a mouthful. “I’m going to brush my teeth now.”
Watching him walk off after handing me his empty bowl, I glanced at Noah and internally sighed. He always looked so good in a suit. “Your breakfast is ready, and coffee is hot.” He met my gaze, and I realised he probably thought I’d be joining them for dinner tonight. I’d just make up some excuse like normal and let them have time together.
Brody stood up, downed his coffee and pushed the bowl of food aside. “I’m not hungry. I’ve got to go. Can’t be late today.” I didn’t say anything about the food. I didn’t care anymore. “I should be home by five.”
Normally, I would have said good luck. It just didn’t seem appropriate to do right now. “Okay.”
Lila watched us like a hawk as we both faked a smile and wrapped our arms around each other. Our mouths met, and although there was still somewhere there, I always blocked it out. We gave each other a kiss goodbye and pulled away.
“See you all later. Have a good day!” He called out, picked up his briefcase and left for work.
I gave Lila a curious look, and she grinned. “You have germs from daddy,” she giggled.
Rolling my eyes with a smile, I nodded towards her food, “Eat up, little miss, or I’ll come and give you some of my germs that daddy gave me.”
When everyone has gone to work and school, I cleaned the house spotless; then, wrote the grocery list. I also searched online for jobs, and apartments. There was nothing unless I wanted to be a check out chick who worked with an on call type of roster. I needed something that would suit the children as well as me.
When I found nothing, I went into town for an appointment. Being Italian with thick hair, I attended my usual waxing appointment. There was only one time that I became shy, and it was when the girl waxing me had my legs spread apart and hot wax in her hand.
“The usual?” Avora asked.
I went to say yes, just the usual bikini wax and trim, but instead, other words came out that had me blushing like a tomato. “All of it.”
Not that I was extremely hairy down there, I liked to keep myself tidy and trim, but now, I wanted to do something different. Maybe, I was having a midlife crisis with my impending divorce. It was a bad excuse, but I just wanted to change everything about me, not that anyone would be seeing me naked anytime soon.
“Gabby, don’t go all embarrassed. I see dozens of vagina’s each day. This is like brushing hair. Only, I’m taking it off,” she said with a giggle. “Relax, it won’t take long.”
When she pulled that first strip, I was already regretting my decision. My god, it was painful!
I was sure I was limping as I picked Noah and Lila up from school, still adjusting to new waxing style. It didn’t hurt after a while. I was just too numb to feel anything. They were inside playing on the Xbox when I went to find Brody to see if he was still taking them out or not.
Walking down towards the gym, I stood at the door for a moment, watching him flex his strong arms as he lifted the weights. Letting my eyes wander, the heat began to spread, and the desire set in as I struggled to take my eyes from him. Sweat trickled down, his shirt wet. Oh god. Stop it. I had to remember why I was coming in here. Tearing my eyes away, I pushed the door open further making a noise, he looked up and stopped. Setting the weights down on the floor either side of him, he started to walk towards me.
“Noah and Lila want you.” My words failed as my breath caught in my throat. “Are you still taking them out? Otherwise, I’ll make something,” I said, barely able to look at him and still tried to wipe the image of him working out of my mind.
Wiping the sweat from his face with the bottom of his shirt, he answered, “I promised them I would, and I won’t break that promise as you broke yours to me.” He began to walk past me to leave the room. “All the weight loss and getting back into shape. Is it for him?” he muttered coldly. “Does he satisfy you the way I couldn’t?”
I was so fed up with these jabs about another man. They’d been going on for the past week, almost every day. “You’re a bastard. How dare you accuse me of screwing someone else?” I hissed, the desire long gone. “If I were getting satisfied, then I wouldn’t have been begging you not to come before me. Just because you’re now fucking Kate, don’t try to blame me!”
He began to laugh. “You’re a bitch. I haven’t and wouldn’t fuck anyone else but you. I’m an honest person and faithful unlike you! That’s why you were so quick to move out, isn’t it? So you could sneak off to him or have him over. Who is he, Gabby? Who?” With each word, he soon had me pinned against the wall with nothing between us as his body pressed against mine.
“Get off me!” I tried shoving him. Hands flat against his chest, I felt his new muscles. “God, I wish there was someone else just to shut you up! You know there hasn’t been anyone else. But if you’re so convinced that there is, please, when you find him, let me know as well so I can finally meet the man I’m supposedly having so much sex with.” I yelled, gripping his T-shirt and trying to ignore the spreading heat throughout my body caused by him.
I hadn’t felt this way since before Lila
was born.
He just glared. His eyes narrowed even more while his arms were pressed either side of me as he had me completely trapped. “Yeah? Why get back in shape then? Why get your hair done more often now? It’s been coloured darker.”
I felt so small and trapped between the wall and him. We rarely touched, and now he was pinning me with his body. His erection pressing into my stomach was something I hadn’t expected. God, it aroused me, though. I was starting to go back to the place of want and need.
Shaking my head at him, I sighed. “Is it so bad that I wanted to lose weight? I have been running my ass off each and every day to lose all that extra weight. I hated that I had to lose almost fifteen kilos to start feeling good about myself because you never made me feel that way.” Tears were burning my eyes. “You’re divorcing me. Who the hell is ever going to want some fat housewife who’s too insecure to get naked? I did this for me. I’m doing it to feel good about me.”
He sighed, and his face changed from hatred to sorrow. His voice was almost a whisper. “I didn’t. You have always looked good to me.” With that, he pulled away and left the room, leaving me and my hot tears behind.
I waited until I was able to speak before heading up Noah’s room. I walked in and acted as if nothing had happened. “You two, I need you to get dressed. Daddy is taking you out to eat.”
“You too, Mama?” Noah asked.
I hated lying to them. “Oh, sweetheart, I’ve been feeling a little bit sick. I think I’m going to stay home and have an early night. You go and enjoy your time out with daddy, okay?”
I felt like disappointed when I noticed their smiles fading. Placing Noah’s clothes on his bed, I turned and left the room before I cried and then went to get Lila’s clothing for her to wear.
When I heard the knock on the guest house door, I sighed and got up off the bed. I just wanted to change and go to sleep. Walking to the door, I opened it and noticed Brody standing there in a pair of navy denim jeans and a black top clinging to his body. God, I hated how he had become more handsome over the years.
“Come to search the place for men before you leave?” I asked sarcastically. “I haven’t turned on the red light to my brothel just yet.”
He just stared at me. “No, I came to see why you weren’t coming to dinner. You told them that you were, this morning, and you should come. I sold off a company after almost a year. It’s finally a done deal. It’s over.”
I had no idea he was working on something for so long. I actually felt bad that I knew nothing about his work other than he was incredibly smart and made his bosses a lot of money.
“Do you really want me there? I told them I was feeling unwell,” I said, leaning against the door frame.
“You need to eat too.” Raising a brow, she gestured to my body. “I finally found the reason you’re not eating much, shakes. Gabby, for how long?”
I shrugged, unable to meet his heated gaze. I felt ashamed. “I don’t know, two months maybe.”
“You’re coming to dinner. You need to eat something instead of skipping meals.”
“I’m not skipping meals,” I pointed out. It wasn’t as if I were starving myself. “I just… you wouldn’t understand.”
“Make me understand then.” He walked further into the small kitchenette, shaking his head. “I can’t stop thinking about what you said; fat housewife? If you truly believe that’s how I have made you feel, I don’t blame you for wanting out.” Turning, he faced me. “You’re fucking sexy. Now, get your ass changed. We’re leaving soon.”
My cheeks flamed. Fucking sexy? Realising there was no way out of this, I gave in. “Give me ten minutes to change, and I will meet you in the car.”
Nodding, he stood up straighter and smiled with triumph. “Good. We’ll wait for you in the Audi.”
I walked away into the small bathroom. Staring in the mirror, I thought, My God, what a mess I looked. Quickly, I washed my face and picked up some of the make-up I had bought but rarely used. If we were going out to celebrate him, the least I could do was make an effort especially if he was making me join them.
Slipping my legs into a pair of navy blue fitted jeans, I contemplated on changing. I was always in trousers, and it was a nice night out. I bravely dared myself to wear a light grey tee dress that came just above my knees. It was comfortable, casual but not too plain. I then made my way towards the car.
Brody was sitting in the front seat and the kids chatting in the back about where they thought we were going to go. I asked him where he wanted to go, but he just kept staring at me like he was lost in his own little world.
“Daddy, can we get ice cream afterwards, please?” Lila asked excitedly.
“Um, what? Yeah, we can do that, sweetie,” he said with a confused look on his face. “So, uh, where do we want to go eat?”
I frowned a little and looked out the window. “That’s what I just asked you.” If he was going to ignore me, then I didn’t really want to be here. “Wherever is fine. You choose since this is to celebrate your successful day at work.” I glanced over and gave him a small smile.
He did something that shocked me. He smiled back at me. “Sorry, I didn’t hear you ask that.” Then, he looked out the front window. “How about pizza? I know a good place.”
The kids loved pizza, so they were excited to eat there. I agreed as well.
I had expected to go down to the normal parlour in town, only a ten-minute drive away, but when we began talking about our day and the kids rambling on about theirs, I lost track of time and realised we weren’t at the place I had expected.
Brody had driven to the same place, the same small pizzeria that he had taken me to on our first date.
CHAPTER NINE
“I wonder if those booths are still in there.” I found myself whispering to no one in particular.
The place still looked exactly the same even down to the sign hanging out the front of the brick building. I was still in a dazed shock that he had driven us here to eat. Of all places, maybe, this was a trip down memory lane.
“I want a cheese pizza,” Lila was saying as Noah then told her that wasn’t a pizza. “It is!” she grumbled back.
“Is not. You’re just eating bread with cheese like a sandwich,” Noah retorted. “Except it's hot.”
“Please don’t argue or no ice cream, remember?” Yes, that soon shut them up.
Looking over towards Brody, our eyes locked, and I couldn’t begin to describe the feeling that came across me. Was it nerves? It sure felt like butterflies. It must be nerves. I pushed it away as soon as they came.
He gave me a small smile as he took hold of Lila’s hand. “Noah, hold mama’s hand please.”
His hand wrapped around mine as we walked across the road. Once inside, I realised it wasn’t just the outside that hadn’t changed. The inside was still the same too: dim, romantic lighting and families eating together. It was a family type of restaurant, and it felt nice to be back, like home.
“I’ll go order. You pick out a spot to sit,” Brody said as Lila was clinging, stating that she wanted to stay with her dad.
I looked towards Noah. “All right, where do you want to sit?” He could choose. There were a few empty spots available.
Noah was leading me towards the back booth when I felt a hand touch my shoulder. Turning around, it took me a moment to realise it was the man I had once worked for. I was surprised. “Richard, wow, small town.”
“Elle?” He was the only man who had never called me Gabby or Gabriella. “Wow, it’s great to see you again. You’re looking well.”
I nodded, not denying the compliment made me feel good about my choice in outfit. “Thank you. Are you here with Trish and the kids?”
“Yes, family night out.” He tilted his head in the direction of where his wife and three children sat, already halfway through their meals. “Where are you working now? You must be keeping yourself busy somehow.”
“The kids keep me fairly busy for now.” I lau
ghed. “Not much life outside school and activities.”
“Let me know when you’re interested in coming back to work.”
I slightly rolled my eyes with a laugh. “It’s almost been nine years. You say this every time we run into each other.” Way to remind myself how long I haven’t been working work. Then again, it wasn’t like I had taken a vacation.
“No one’s ever been able to make my coffee the way you do,” he grinned. His brown eyes twinkling with playfulness.
Oh, now, he was just baiting me up. I felt Brody’s eyes on us, but I couldn’t bring myself to look over at him. Politely smiling at Richard, “Well, of course, they were the best. I slipped in a couple happy pills.”
Barking out a laugh, his head tilted back. “I bet you did.” Glancing towards Noah, he patted my arm once more. “I see you’re out with the family, so I won’t keep you. Give me a call if you ever need a job. I’d hire you back in second.”
I smiled, giving him a wave goodbye. “I might take you up on that.”
Wrapping my arm around Noah, I looked towards where he was looking. “Have you picked out a table?”
Lifting his arm up, he pointed directly towards a small booth. Oh, dear God, please don’t let it be that one. He smiled. “I want to sit over there.”
Just my luck, he picked out the exact same table his father had chosen over ten years ago.
We walked over, sliding into the deep red booth seats. I glanced towards Lila and Brody as they were heading back over, and I noticed his raised brow, silently asking if I had picked this spot purposely. I shook my head and tilted towards Noah. He had done it all on his own.
Our pizza and drinks were brought over, never one to keep their customers waiting. It smelled the same. The freshly baked dough had my stomach grumbling with hunger. Brody kept giving Richard a glance now and then. He had hated it when I worked for him, always thought he were a sleaze who was trying to nail me. I’d laugh it off and tell Brody that the only one doing any nailing would be him.
Forgotten Sweethearts: A Romance Novel Page 8
