Page 38 of Sem

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I manage to make it through the rest of the morning without losing my shit and then help Lisa clean up, the best I can, as Daniel clings to my legs. His dad hasn’t spared him one single glance the entire time he’s been with me. Even I know better than that. That’s some lame parenting.

I toss Daniel around a few more times to make up for the fact that he has a shit-for-brains dad. And then force myself to act as normal as possible as I deposit dream guy’s kid on the bench beside him.

“Here you go,” I say, not meeting Maggie’s eyes.

If I look at him, I’ll do something irrational. Like, kiss him. Stake my claim or some barbarian shit.

That’s not what this is.

“Hi there. Magnus was telling me all about you, Sem. You’re really good with kids. I’m Colin,” dream guy says kindly, holding out his hand.

I know I shouldn’t, but I do it anyway. I crush his fingers beneath mine, and he hisses, pulling his hand away with a grimace.

“Sorry,” I mutter even though I’m not fucking sorry.

“Sem,” Maggie chastises, but I can’t even look at him. Can’t see him looking disappointed in me. I’m humiliated, fawning over another guy who doesn’t even like me. A guy who will fuck me but would never even think about going on a date with me. Maggie’s already mentally planning his wedding to the guy sitting across from him.

I don’t even factor into this equation. Makes sense. I never was very good with math.

“Going home now. Later,” I bite out and then stalk away.

The entire drive home, I stew over the whole morning. Colin looked fuckingnice. Like a regular family guy with perfectly cut hair and those nice clothes. He had kind eyes, even when I crushed his hand in mine. He probably owns his own home with a white picket fence and a garden.

His motherfucking dream guy.

Asshole.

I walk into my RV and quickly grab a few stray sketches of Maggie littering the space and rip them in half, stuffing them in the bottom of the trashcan with a grunt. My chest is heaving as I stare at them, crumpled and torn. Kind of like my mind right now. I’ve completely cracked. First, the irrational obsession with another man and then letting myself actually like him. I tug on the ends of my hair, shout in frustration, and then bend down and gingerly pull the rumpled pages out, smoothing them the best I can. I even tape the torn fuckers together. Because I can’t throw Maggie away. No matter how much I want to. Nah, I’m entirely too selfish.

My phone dings, and I glance at the screen.

Maggie: You didn’t say goodbye.

Maggie: You were really good with the kids today. Daniel really liked you.

Maggie: Want to come hang out with us?

That one really pisses me off. I try to get it together, to calm the fuck down, but the more I think about Maggie withhim, the angrier I get. Maggie seamlessly moving into their perfect little family. Forgetting all about me. What does he want me to do? Show up and babysit Daniel so they could fuck around? Is he letting that prick stick his cock inside of him? Does he let Colin actually touch him? Kiss him?

I work myself into such a state that I don’t sleep at all, I just end up pacing and furiously sketching like a madman. When morning arrives, papers with Maggie sketched on them are strewn about the RV, and I hastily gather them up and stuff them into a drawer. Without thinking about it too much, I pull on some clean clothes and drive to his apartment. Because the fucking devil couldn’t keep me away right now.

If I see Colin in there with him, I will full-on murder that asshole.

I pound so hard on Maggie’s door that I almost put a hole in it. It shakes and rattles as I beat my fist against it.

I need some fucking closure to move on with my life.

That’s what I need.

“What in the hell are you doing?” Maggie spits angrily as he yanks the door open. He glowers at me, with no smile in sight. Not that I expected him to give me one of those. No, those are for Colin.

But everything dies in my throat as my eyes slide over him.

“What the fuck are you wearing?” I roar, trying to process what I’m seeing. He’s wearing some kind of ugly athletic shirt that’s way too baggy on him and a pair of oversized jeans.

He looksdifferent.

I hate it.


Tags: Cora Rose Romance