Simon sucked at the warm butter dripping down his finger and looked up at the creak of the floorboards on the back deck. Eva sat on the dining table, her legs hanging over the edge, waiting while he made them breakfast.
A slight smile tried to surface. It was the same table he’d had her bent over not even ten minutes ago.
They’d spent the night together. One hell of an amazing, mind-blowing night.
One he wanted to repeat as soon as possible.
He put down the butter knife as a shadow passed the tinted window to his right.
Vance stepped into view on the deck, stopping on the other side of the closed security door, his hands deep in his suit pants pockets. Simon’s hackles rose as soon as he saw who it was.
He gritted his teeth and straightened. “Eva.”
Eva sat straighter, obviously steeling herself. She looked like the statue of a queen waiting for a peasant to petition her for lenience.
“I don’t think you should be here, Vance,” she said, her voice devoid of any inflection. “Why would you bother? And why are you in my backyard?”
Simon watched Vance’s body language carefully. If Vance was a kid, Simon was certain he’d be scuffing the toe of his shoe in the dirt right about now.
“I knocked on the front door, but you didn’t answer. Can we talk? There are some things I really need to say.”
Simon frowned. Didn’t the idiot know how to use a doorbell?
“I thought we’d done that with our lawyers present. According to them, there’s nothing left to say.”
“I was wro—”
Simon crunched down heavily on the toast he’d been buttering then chewed. It had the desired effect. Vance startled, turning to look at him.
“What’s he doing here?”
“What the hell do you think?” Eva slipped off the table and crossed her arms, not moving any closer to the locked door.
Simon’s blood pressure shot up. He didn’t dare look at Eva’s face; he’d be tempted to flatten the bastard if she so much as looked startled.
Vance cleared his throat.
Simon raised one brow and took another bite. He took his time chewing. “If you hoped to catch Eva alone, you made a mistake. As you can see, she’s not.” Simon’s anger ratcheted up with the thought.
A faint flush brightened Vance’s face, proving Simon right. His anger increased another notch.
Vance glanced at Eva. “Can we talk alone?”
Eva had yet to look at Simon. “No. You can talk in front of Simon. He’ll hear it anyway, once you’re gone.”
Vance glanced between them, obviously unhappy about how his intended ambush was going. He faced Eva. “I wanted to say I’m sorry. For everything. I want to come home.”
Simon stopped with the toast halfway to his mouth, stunned. Silence so absolute it almost had its own heartbeat suffused the room. Then Eva let out the loudest laugh he’d ever heard. Simon’s breathing finally started again, his lungs burning. He placed the toast back on the plate, all thoughts of eating forgotten.
“What the … Do you even understand how ridiculous that sounds?” Her expression sobered. “This isn’t your home. You never lived here. You signed your own divorce papers the moment you cheated on me. You left us.”
Vance placed a hand to the door jamb, staring at her through the screen, glancing at Simon as he did. “I know I hurt you. I know what I did was unforgivable—”
“And yet here you are,” Simon drawled.
Vance ignored Simon’s comment. “But I’m asking you to give me another chance. Please. I made a mistake. Things aren’t turning out how I thought they would. I didn’t realise how much I’d miss you.”
Simon couldn’t believe the BS coming from the man’s mouth. Did he actually expect Eva to believe him? To take him back?
Hell, no!
Just the thought made Simon want to kick Vance’s ass. Surely, there was no way she’d consider it?
Simon realised with a start that the intense burn deep in his gut was jealousy, extreme and fully formed. What would he do if Eva looked to be capitulating? The burn turned to lead, leaving him feeling ill.
Definitely shouldn’t have had the toast.
Eva cocked her head to the side. “Not turning out how you’d planned, hey? Poor, misunderstood adulterer. What about Hailee? Isn’t that her name? Does she know you’re here?”
“We broke up. I-I left,” he hurried to add. Vance shoved a frustrated hand through his hair. “I want to come back! It just took losing you to realise how much I loved you.”
Simon wasn’t sure whether to be shocked or outraged on both women’s behalf. “You asshole. You cheat on your wife then pack up on your girlfriend, expecting to come back after what you did? You’re a total creep.”
Eva glanced at him. She looked as rattled as he was angry.
Vance finally faced him. “Stay out of this. No one asked your opinion.”
Simon’s lips pulled back in a snarl, and he went to step around the island bench.
“Simon!” Eva shook her head, her eyes firm. “It’s not worth it.”
Simon sucked in a desperate breath, determined to honour Eva’s wishes when all he wanted was to pitch Vance off the deck by the seat of his pants. His hands itched, and he clenched his fists. He moved closer to Eva instead, determined to support her any way she needed. He wouldn’t overstep, but he’d sure as hell get rid of the prick if she asked him to.
She looked at her ex-husband as if he was something under a microscope. “Besides the fact that what you just said appals me to my very bones, you’re too late. I’m seeing Simon now.”
Vance let out a scoffing laugh. “Oh, please. You think he’s interested in you? He’s only here for sex.”
Eva jerked back as if slapped. Simon rounded the bench and stepped up beside Eva, taking her hand and squeezing it in support. “That’s enough. One more word out of you and I’ll show your ass the pavement.”
The manipulative mix of confessions of love and put-downs burrowed deep into his brain. Had Eva had to put up with this kind of treatment while she’d been married? The bastard was as toxic as they came.
“Why are you really here? Oh, that’s right, you must need money. Were you truly hoping I’d be here at home, pining for you? Ready to take you back because the sad little fat girl can’t get a guy? Simon makes me feel alive. Something I haven’t felt in many years. And he treats me like I matter. Something you never did.”
Eva slid beneath Simon’s arm and tucked herself into his side, her arm wrapping around his waist. Simon automatically hugged her close and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. He could see Vance registered their familiarity and that it wasn’t fabricated. His eyes widened comically as it hit home that they were, indeed, telling the truth.
“Please leave, Vance. Before I have to call the police and have you removed.”
Eva’s words finally seemed to sink in. Vance stepped backward. His expression showed he understood that she truly didn’t want him back.
Vance gestured to Simon, derision and distaste splashed across his face. “You think you have something special with this joker? He’s never going to stay. Once he’s had enough, he’ll leave too.”
“Oh, please,” Simon scoffed. “Just because you weren’t man enough to keep her.”
Anger flushed Vance’s neck and face. He narrowed his eyes. “You know, I’m actually glad I caught you screwing around. You never deserved me.”
He turned on his heel and stalked away before Simon could speak. Satisfied he was actually leaving, Simon turned to Eva and cupped her face in his hands while he tried to stay calm, when what he really wanted to do was go after Vance and give him a reason to never come back.
The faint sound of an engine gunned as he stroked her face, letting him relax.
He’d seen Eva’s face after Vance’s words. They’d cut deep. “You know he’s full of crap, right? He’s the one who didn’t deserve you. He messed up. It’s not your fault.”
A gut-wrenching mix of resignation and unhappiness stared up from Eva’s eyes, becoming deep pools of sorrow. “You know, sometimes I’m not too sure about that.”
Simon pulled her close and wrapped her tight in his arms. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. Eva’s arms slid around his back; her face pressed hard to his chest as the tears began to fall.