He pulled up to the curb, and sure enough the bitch formerly known as my best friend was sitting right beside him, her large sunglasses doing nothing to hide the glower she was directing at me through the window, like I’d done something to her.
Alex climbed out of the car and rounded the hood, scooping Ivy up as soon as he reached her. As much as I couldn’t stand the sight of him, I’d always count my blessings that he was a good dad to our daughter. Even though our marriage failed, she still had us both, and that was all that mattered to me.
“Hey, monkey. It’s so good to see you. I’ve missed you.”
“I missed you too, Daddy!” She hugged his neck tight before pulling back quickly. “Can we gets ice cream for dessert again?”
He looked down at her and let out a small laugh. “We’ll see, honey. Did you have a good week?”
Yuh-huh! I gots to play with my friends at daycare and go in with Mommy to the flower shop. Oh, and I gots a new treehouse!”
Alex looked a bit baffled as he turned to me. “You built her a treehouse?”
Ivy got there before I could answer. “My best friend Mike made it. And he gave me six dollars for the swear jar, but Mommy made me give it back,” she added with a mild pout.
“Mike? Who’s Mike?”
“Mike is—” I began, but before I could get anything else out, Ivy began to squirm, demanding her father put her down, and shouted, “There’s Mike!”
Micah’s truck came growling around Alex’s car and turned into his driveway. Instead of pulling all the way in, he stopped close to the street and climbed out. He was still dressed for work in a pair of gray slacks and a sage green button-down that did incredible things for his eyes. His badge was still hooked to his belt, adding an element of authority to his already drop-dead gorgeous appearance. Taking in all that was him just then, it was a wonder I didn’t spontaneously orgasm.
“Hey, Monster,” he greeted as she ran up to him. She launched herself into the air, and he caught her with ease, spinning her in a circle that made her squeal before settling her on his hip and closing the rest of the distance between us. Watching that, I nearly swooned into a puddle right there on the walkway.
Before I had a chance to do that, he moved right into me. Looping his free arm around my waist, he pulled me into his chest and bent his neck, pressing a lingering, claiming kiss to my lips. When he pulled back, he still didn’t bother acknowledging Alex’s presence as he asked, “You have a good day, baby?”
“Uh.” It took practically nothing for this sexy man to leave me tongue-tied. “Y-yeah. It was good.”
“And what about you, Monster? Good day?”
“Yep!” Ivy told him.
Alex cleared his throat then, demanding attention. He looked at me incredulously. “This is Mike?”
“Micah, actually. Only Ivy calls me Mike.” Oh damn. I curled my lips between my teeth and had to lower my head to hide my laughter. “And you are?”
“Alex,” my ex grated out. “Ivy’s dad.” His gaze bounced between the two of us a few times before finally settling on me, his tone almost accusatory as he asked, “So how long has this been going on?”
Once again, I was cut off before I could answer. “I’d say since that weekend in Richmond a little over a month ago.” Micah’s eyes came to me then, the green glinting with amusement. “Right, Red?”
Had it really been just over a month since I met this man? It felt like so much longer. “Uh huh,” I replied, unable to form a full sentence for fear of bursting into laughter.
Alex’s mouth gaped open. “I didn’t—I wasn’t . . .” Tugging at the collar of his shirt, he cleared his throat awkwardly. “I, uh, wasn’t aware you were seeing anyone.”
I wiped the humor from my face and looked back to him. “Yeah, well . . . now you are. And you guys probably need to get on the road, huh? Ivy hasn’t had dinner yet.”
Micah turned his attention to my daughter. “All right, Monster. Time to go. Put one there.” He pointed at his cheek and Ivy gave it a smacking kiss before he put her down. I crouched down, dislodging Micah’s hold so I could give my baby girl a hug and kiss. “Love you, honey. Be good, and I’ll see you in a couple days.” As soon as I rose back up, Micah reclaimed me.
“Bye!” She waved enthusiastically as she skipped to the car and yanked the back door open.
“Hayden,” Alex said, pulling my attention from my daughter. “Can I have a quick word?” He cut his eyes to Micah for a split second. “Alone?”
“Not a chance,” my new man answered on my behalf, and the only reason I didn’t throw attitude was because he’d said exactly what I’d already planned on saying.
My ex bristled, and in that moment I couldn’t help but compare the two men standing there. It was no surprise that Alex came up short by miles. “I wasn’t speaking to you, thank you very much. I was talking to my wife.”
“No,” Micah gritted out instantly, “you were talkin’ to my woman.”
“She knows what I mean.”
I heard the whir of the automatic window seconds before Krista’s voice sounded. “Alex, sweetie? What’s taking so long?”
Things were deteriorating fast, and while I wasn’t thrilled Ivy would be leaving with them, I wanted Alex and Krista as far away from my home as possible. “Alex, it’s time for you to go.”
“Alex, come on,” Krista said in a whiny, nasally voice. “I’m hungry.”
He clenched his jaw while pulling a sharp breath in through his nose. “Just a second,” he said before looking back to me. “I’m going, but you and I need to talk. I’ll bring Ivy back a little early on Sunday so you and I have some time to sit down together.” At that, I felt Micah’s entire body spring so tight I thought he might snap.
“Alex!” Krista snapped, but he acted like he couldn’t hear her.
“If you want to bring her back early, that’s totally fine with me, but unless it directly involves Ivy, you and I have nothing to talk about. And if whatever you have to say does directly affect our daughter, you can tell me over the phone or through email.”
“Hady Cakes—”
“What did I tell you about calling me that?”
His whole frame rocked back. He was so used to me being the one to jump through hoops to make him happy that he was taken aback by my tone.
“Get in your car and go,” Micah rumbled under his voice. “You make me say it again, you aren’t gonna like what happens.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“Clue in, asshole. You’re standin’ on my woman’s property in my town, and I’m the one wearin’ a badge. How do you think this is gonna play out for you?”
I was officially done with this whole thing. Stepping out of Micah’s grasp, I moved to the back door of the car and pulled it open, leaning in to buckle Ivy into her booster. “Have the best weekend ever, love bug.”
“’Kay, Mommy. Love you.”
“And I love you.” I gave her one last kiss before closing the door and moving away. I didn’t bother giving Alex another look as I started up the cobblestones toward my house. Micah’s footfalls sounded on the path as he followed after me. A few seconds later, I heard a car door open and slam shut. Alex’s car was gone by the time I walked into my living room and stared out the front window.