“I was lost after just a month of being here alone and Jenny had always been around. She never strayed far away and I latched onto her. I did what I was supposed to do. I didn’t love her, but she was there for me, I thought. I proposed, we got married, and we had Iris.”
“Who is adorable.” Smiling, Reagan sat forward in her seat, her eyes warm. “You made a cute fucking kid.”
“She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I tried to stay with Jenny because I was afraid I’d lose Iris, but eventually, I couldn’t do it anymore. She made me miserable. She hated the racing, hated that I wasn’t at college like the other guys. When they came home, it was clear that she hated you so much out of jealousy.”
Reagan’s eyes widened. “Do you mean…?”
“She wanted the full team.” I laughed at the expression on her face, finding humor in a situation that usually just left me feeling embarrassed. “Divorcing Jenny is the second-best thing that’s ever happened to me. I pissed my entire family off, but it was worth it. Thankfully, Jim and Mary are great and wouldn’t let Jenny cut me off from Iris. That’s why I’m close with them and go over to see them. They keep Iris during Jenny’s time usually and they welcome me over to be with them, no Jenny, whenever I want.”
“They seem like amazing people. I truly don’t understand how Mary made Jenny.” Making a face, Reagan stuck her tongue out like she’d tasted something bad. “Demon spawn, maybe?”
I laughed. “Maybe.”
She grew serious as she stood up and moved to stand in front of me. “It’s over for you and Jenny? No chance of reconciliation?”
I gripped the sides of the chair to keep from grabbing her. “Not a chance in hell.”
“She’s just wearing your ring and you’re stopping by for swims because…?”
“Can’t tell you why she’s wearing the ring. Probably just to establish some sort of bullshit dominance over you in her head. And I didn’t stop by for a swim. I stopped by to see you and eat a sandwich. A sandwich that you didn’t let me have in the end. That was all just more of Jenny’s games. The same with her calling me hon like she’s referred to me as anything other than asshole in the last few years.”
“I can trust you?” The vulnerability in Reagan’s face cost me my battle with my self-control.
I stood up and pulled her into my arms, holding her face against my chest. “You can trust me.”
She slowly wrapped her arms around my waist. “Your heart is racing.”
I grunted. “It’s the dress. Definitely just the dress.”
“Theo?”
“Reagan?”
“Will you take me to bed now?”