Dev walks up and puts his hand on my back, pulling me up against his side as we walk down the hallway behind the boys. I hold the bowl of candy under my opposite arm. “You ready to have some fun? Get your sugar rush on?”
I look up him, still impressed by how impossibly tall he is. “I was born ready. Are you?”
He reaches down and grabs my butt. “I already have enough sugar right here.”
I whack him on the stomach with the back of my hand, acting like he’s a troll for doing that, but we both know better. Of course there’s been no time this week for more sex, what with the kids at home at night and strict bedtimes for everyone, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been thinking about it eighteen hours of every day. Forget buying a dildo; I’m only settling for the real thing.
I still can’t believe we did what we did in the back of his car. It’s awakened something inside me that I didn’t even know was there. I feel young, wild, and free. Even more so than I did when I was just out of college. And that’s a pretty big deal for a single mom with three kids. I’m going to relish it for as long as it lasts.
The kids are gathered in the foyer waiting for us slowpokes.
“Sophie, can you open the door?” Dev asks.
She nods very seriously, as if she’s been given a critical task. She stands there, holding it open so we can all go out before her. I kiss her delicate little cheek on the way past. I’m so proud of her.
Out on the porch are two giant lumps; they look like cone-shaped piñatas designed to resemble . . . pickles.
“Cool,” Sophie says. I’m pretty sure she has no idea what she’s looking at. I lock the door behind her, setting the bowl of candy we’re giving away on a chair on the porch next to the sign Sophie made instructing people to serve themselves.
“What’re those?” Melody asks.
Sammy runs over to the nearest piece. “That’th a crocodile! A big one! Awethome!” He looks up at me. “Mama, I want to be a crocodile!”
I envy my son’s creative vision. No way would I have pegged these two papier-mâché monstrosities as crocodile parts. “Not this year. You’re Spider-Man, remember?” I couldn’t believe my luck when he told me he wanted to be old Spidey again, and his costume still mostly fits. Yay for Spandex!
Jacob speaks up. “I can be Spider-Man’s pet crocodile. We can be a team.”
Sammy thinks about that for a few seconds and then nods. “Okay. I think Thpider-Man could have a crocodile for a pet.”
Dev leans down and whispers in my ear. “Crisis averted.”
“You’re telling me,” I mumble back.
Dev lowers Jacob and his chair together down the stairs to the front walk, and then spends a few minutes attaching the crocodile tail and head onto the wheelchair. When he’s done, we have a five-foot-long reptilian beast rolling down the sidewalk, surrounded by Spider-Man, a fairy princess, and a tiny, beautiful vampire, complete with cape.
I look up at Dev. “What are you supposed to be?” He’s dressed all in green. Now that I have time to focus on him, I realize how thoroughly he’s covered himself in one color. I can’t stop laughing.
He pauses and holds his arms out. “Isn’t it obvious? I’m a green bean.”
I shake my head, grinning until I get a cheek cramp. “You’re too much.”
He doesn’t say anything; he just reaches out and takes my hand. We walk down the street together, the witch and the green bean, letting the kids go up to the neighbors’ front doors on their own. It’s a pretty big deal, because normally I insist on accompanying them all the way in.
Within two houses, a routine is established. The girls are in the lead, but they look back as they’re going up to each door, making sure the boys are close behind. Sammy walks next to Jacob, in the grass if necessary. He has taken his ownership of a pet crocodile very seriously; he’s not letting him out of his sight.
“Trick or treat!” Their voices ring out around the neighborhood along with the hundred or so other kids busy hauling in their sugary treasures. Several of the parents walking by stop to say hello. These are people who would normally just pass me by with a wave, but when they see Dev, they’re compelled to be more sociable. They probably think an NBA player has moved onto the block.
I feel like I’m the most popular girl on the street, something I never experienced when married to Miles. And Dev is a serious charmer. Even though he’s dressed as a giant green bean, he manages to engage everyone in intelligent conversations that have them laughing and inviting him over for a beer sometime. By the time the kids are done with their trick-or-treating, I’ve fallen even harder for him. It almost makes me worry.
“Why do you look so sad all of a sudden?” Dev asks as we’re walking on the sidewalk in front of my house.
I manage a smile. “I’m not. I was just thinking how much fun I’m having.”
“And that makes you frown?”
I shake my head. “No. I just have these melancholy moments sometimes, worrying how long the good stuff is going to last. Just ignore me.”
He grabs me and pulls me in close. “Don’t worry about that stuff. We’re having fun, right?”
I nod into his chest, my cheek rubbing on his green beanery. “Yes, we are.”
My next thought is cut off by the vision of my front door opening as my girls climb up the front steps.
Who’s in my house? “Stop!” I yell at the kids. They all pause and turn to look at me. Jacob and Sammy turn more slowly, Sammy leaping out of the way of the moving wheelchair before it knocks him over.
“Looks like someone’s home,” Dev says, standing straighter and walking over the grass.
For a moment there, I thought there was an intruder in my house, but now I know better. With the light on behind him, I can see the silhouette of my ex-husband in the doorway. And he’s not alone. What in the hell . . . ?
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
Dev goes a few more steps before he realizes I’m not with him anymore. He turns around and looks at me questioningly.
“I cannot believe him,” I say quietly so my voice won’t carry.
Dev looks at the front door and then back at me. “Is there a problem?”
“That’s my ex-husband.” I grind my teeth together before finishing. “And I’m going to guess that’s his new girlfriend.”
Dev looks once more at the house before he turns to me. “Why are they in your house?”
I start walking, taking long strides. “That is an excellent question that I am going to go find the answer to.”
As I move to pass by Dev, he reaches out and takes my hand.
I hesitate and look up at him.
“I know you want to go in there and rip some heads off. Believe me, I get it. But don’t forget, you have an audience.”
I squeeze his hand. “You’re right. Don’t worry. I would never kill my ex with this many witnesses around.”
He chuckles. “That’s my girl.”
His words have a very soothing effect on me. He called me his girl! So my ex-husband is a dick. Big deal. My new boyfriend is awesome. I’m so much better off in my new life with Dev by my side and the Bourbon Street Boys as my employer than I was with Miles and that whole mess of an existence we had together. There was too much sadness there. Too much disrespect. Dev would never treat me the way Miles did, and I’m proud to know that at this point in my life, I’d never let a man treat me like Miles did again. I’m stronger now. Smarter. Less naïve and seeing more clearly what I want in life and who I want to live it with.
As I get closer, I get a better view of the woman my kids have been talking about. The one that has Sophie so upset. She can’t be more than twenty years old. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if she were still a teenager. Jesus, I’d love to know what my ex is thinking he’s doing. Talk about a midlife crisis.
“Hey, kids!” Miles is all teeth and fake charm.
“Daddy!” Sophie is the first one there, of course, throwing herself at his waist, hugging him hard. Jacob
stops at the bottom of the steps, waiting for his father to bring him up. I vow to myself that I will use my next paycheck to put in a ramp so that he doesn’t have to do that anymore.
Miles’s attention moves from his children to the other people in the group. “Who’s this?” He detaches the girls from his body and walks toward us. At the bottom of the steps, he stops next to Jacob and holds his hand out. “Nice to meet you. My name is Miles.”
At least he’s not being a total jerk. We arrive just as Jacob is giving him his tiny hand. “My name is Jacob. I’m Spider-Man’s pet crocodile.”
“Really? Cool.”
“Hello, Miles,” I say, trying to sound friendly but not really pulling it off. “What are you doing here?”
“I can’t see my kids on Halloween?”
I shrug. “Of course you can. But a call or a text might’ve been nice.” I look up at his girlfriend for a second before addressing him again. “But maybe that would’ve interfered with your plans to go into my house when I wasn’t home.”
His expression darkens. “Don’t start, Jenny.”
Dev holds his hand out for a handshake, inserting himself into the conversation. “Hey, bud. I’m Dev. Nice to meet you.”
Miles tips his head back to look Dev in the eye. He shakes his hand, maybe a little star-struck, if I’m reading his expression accurately. “Miles. Nice to meet you too.” He narrows his eyes. “Don’t think I’ve heard you mentioned before.”
Dev releases his hand and smiles. “Nope. Probably not. I’m the new guy on the block.”
“What are you supposed to be tonight?” Miles asks, looking Dev up and down. “The Jolly Green Giant?” He laughs at his own lame joke.
Dev laughs good-naturedly. “Close. I’m a green bean, actually.”
Miles shakes his head, but wisely says nothing. He’s lucky, because I’m seriously considering slapping him right now. I just need one more reason. Just give me one more, Miles. Just one.
Miles turns halfway and looks up the stairs at his girlfriend. “Chastity, why don’t you come on down here and say hello?”
The girl, who’s still learning her social manners, apparently, walks down, teetering on very high heels. I have to grit my teeth to keep from mumbling anything unkind. She’s young. She’ll learn eventually how to act, I hope. As long as she doesn’t stay with Miles for too long, anyway.
“Hi,” she says, “nice to meet you.” She gives me her hand, but only manages to get her fingers into my grasp. They’re as limp as a pile of worms.
“Nice to meet you.” I want to say that I’ve heard a lot about her, that my kids don’t like her, and that I think she’s too young to be dating an old man like Miles, but of course I don’t. I just smile and smile and smile. It’s easier to do with Dev at my side.
“I’m going to take Jacob inside if it’s okay with you,” Dev says to me.
“Of course. Go ahead. I’ll be right in.”
Dev gets on with the business of lifting his son and his chair up to the porch, walking backward. I admire the way his muscles strain under the weight, smiling to myself as I picture him under me in the backseat of that stupid Pontiac. He is such a good man. Seeing him here next to Miles makes it that much more obvious. I can’t believe I was so blind. I spent ten years with that turdbasket.
I shift my focus to him, speaking quietly so only he will hear me. “So, why are you really here, Miles? Because I know it’s not to visit the kids.” They’re in the house now, digging into their candy, so I can afford to be honest.
He hisses out a sigh of annoyance. “I don’t want to have another fight with you.”
I shrug casually. “I don’t either. I just want you to be honest. You can do that, can’t you?” I glance at his girlfriend, who’s staring at the ground. Good. She’s uncomfortable. She should be. “Oh wait, that’s not really your forte, is it? Being honest . . .”
“Just shut it, Jenny. I’m here for the watch.”
I frown at him. This is coming out of left field. “The watch? What watch?”
“The watch that I gave you. It’s mine. I want it back.”
My jaw drops open. “Are you serious?”
“Yes, I’m serious.” He has the grace to look uncomfortable, at least.
I’m whisper-yelling now. “Did you seriously break into my house so that you could steal the watch you gave me for my birthday two years ago?!”
His jaw tenses up. “I didn’t break into the house, Jenny. I used to live here. I still have a key.”
I shake my head. “Well, you shouldn’t. I’m changing the locks. Don’t ever come in here again without my permission.”
I walk away, because I don’t trust myself not to get physical with this man. He’s obviously got a screw loose, and he doesn’t realize he’s about to tangle with a Bengal tiger on her front lawn. In her territory. I will use my claws on his sorry ass.
His tone changes. Now he’s trying to sound pitiful. “I’m a little short on cash, Jenny. I need that watch.”
I laugh bitterly. “Why don’t you get a real job, Miles? Then you won’t have to worry about stealing jewelry from your ex-wife.” In typical fashion, he probably decided that his one week of commissioned sales should be enough to last him for the month and he’s slacked off and spent every last dime he made that week. God, I’m so glad I’m not married to that sloth anymore.
The kids are all inside, but the door is still partway open. I walk up to the porch and shut it before turning around to face the couple below me. They’re both looking up at me. “Chastity, I don’t know you, but let me give you a little piece of advice: If you’re as smart as you are pretty, you shouldn’t settle for a guy like Miles. Trust me. You’re better off without him.”
“Fuck you, Jenny,” Miles spits out.
I smile and nod at him. “Nice. Classy. Just what I would expect from a guy like you.” I walk into the house and shut the door behind me, locking it for good measure. I pull my phone out of my back pocket and send myself an email.
Dear self: Change locks immediately.
Not that I could forget anything like that. This incident will be swimming around in my head for at least the next month. I cannot believe he actually broke into my house to steal my watch! Wait until I tell May. She’s going to go ballistic.
Dev is standing in the entrance hall waiting for me. “You okay?”
I nod but don’t trust myself to speak. It’s so embarrassing that he witnessed that. Will he judge me a loser because I married one?
He takes me into his arms and hugs me, somehow knowing exactly what I need. His kindness, gentleness, and understanding, his knowing that I just need the space to handle my own problems . . . it blows me away.
“How did I get so lucky?” I ask.
“Lucky?”
“Yes. Lucky to have you in my life.”
He kisses the top of my head. “We both got lucky. And I think we can thank your sister for that.”
My sister and fate. Fate is what locked me up in that panic room with Dev two weeks ago. I thought I was in the wrong place at the right time, but I was wrong. It was definitely the right place to be and the right time to be there.
The kids are in the kitchen, no doubt with their candy poured out all over the table. I can hear them commenting and exclaiming over the awesome things they collected in the neighborhood.
I pull back from Dev and look up at him. “Thank you for being so cool.”
He smiles, pointing to his body. “Yo, lady. I’m a green bean. It doesn’t get any cooler than this.”
Even with that stupid green outfit on, I can see his muscles underneath. I’m inspired. “I think I’m ready to start my training now.”
His non-eyebrows rise as his face lights up. “Really? That’s awesome. We can start Monday.”
I walk down the hall with him toward the kitchen to join our children. “Should I be scared?” I ask.
“Yes. Be very scared.”
I stand at the entrance to the ro
om admiring the kids and the happy camaraderie they share. When I first got divorced from Miles, I yearned for the simplicity of a child’s life. I didn’t want stress, I didn’t want worry, I didn’t want all these responsibilities. But now that I’m with Dev I have a different outlook. I like the complications. I like the excitement. I like steamed-up windows and random sex in the parking lot. I like being with a guy who’s seven feet tall and bold enough to go out on Halloween dressed as a green bean.
Dev steps up behind me and leans his chest on the back of my head. “Happy?” he asks.
I nod. “Yes. Very.”
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
Life could not possibly be better. I’m headed into my second week of work at Bourbon Street Boys, I have a new boyfriend who’s way better than any I’ve ever had before in my entire life, and my kids are happy. What else do I need?
Before when I drove into the port, I felt uncomfortable. I felt like I didn’t belong there. But this time, right now, bright and early Monday morning, it’s completely different. I’m ready to kick ass in this new job, and I’m ready to begin a new case as an official part of the team. I’m ready to shed the fear that has been ruling my life for way too long.
I came early today on purpose. Before-school daycare had spots for my kids, and Ozzie is always here, so I figured he could let me in and I could sit down at one of the cubicles and go over the preliminary file that Lucky sent me via email over the weekend. I want to be ready to knock their socks off in the meeting, to show them how serious and dedicated to the job I am. I have a little less than ninety days to show them my stuff, and I’m ready to prove that no one can do this job better than I can.
I pull up to the front of the warehouse and let the car idle for a few seconds. Should I feel bad about ringing Ozzie’s doorbell at seven o’clock in the morning? He doesn’t seem like the type to sleep in, but if he’s had another wild night with my sister, I guess it’s possible.