Page 13 of Spending Forever With You

That smell came and this time my nose decided to join the list of muthafuckas to betray me as I actually inhaled, love-hating it.

“Hey Holls, we need to talk,” he said, sounding closer than I wanted him. I didn’t know the actual distance between us since I wouldn’t turn around.

I can’t. I can’t be this close to him and breathe.

“Luke, no we don’t. I’m not even understanding why the fuck you’re here. We’ve been in the same city for the past five years now and not once have you needed to talk about a muthafucking thing. Nothing’s changed. I still hate you.”

I crossed my arms over my chest as I popped my hip out, holding my stance on the topic.

“Things changed. Well, or never did. Jimmy left you some things in his will.” I really did love his grandpa, so to hear he’d left me anything had me turning around with my face twisted as my brows bunched.

“What? Why would he do that? He knew we weren’t…haven’t been together.” Luke dropped his head, shaking it as he shrugged.

“You know like I do that old people do whatever the hell they want. And to him, I guess we would always be together.” I scoffed at his words.

“Well, our divorce ten years ago says different. And why wouldn’t the attorney over his will not contact me directly anyways? Why the hell they send you? You playing messenger now?”

He laughed as he stroked his goatee. “Kinda.” That was all he got out before Mickey and Johnni and their crew came out, interrupting our conversation, leaving me stuck on what Luke meant by kinda.

I didn’t like how it sounded at all.

Kinda?

The girls’ chatter seemed to dwindle when they noticed who was in my face. With Johnni being the only one to have met Luke before, she spoke first.

“Hey, Deacon, it’s been a while.”

“Oh wow, hey Johnni. Yeah, it’s been… what, ten years? I see you got a baby and a new man now.” He walked over to her, giving her a side hug while I stood there watching it all until Mickey called me over.

“Hollis, come introduce us.” I wanted to be childish and yell across the yard until I saw Lacy making her way outside.

“Shit,” I said lowly while I made my way over to the small group.

“Mickey, BK, and Tunk, this is Deacon, my⁠—”

“Husband. It’s nice to meet y’all.” Luke cut me off, stepping in front of me, shaking the guys hands first. Both Mickey and Johnni gasped.

I squinted with one brow dipping in and my mouth hanging slightly open in confusion as to why the fuck he would introduce himself like that.

I chuckled to help loosen the tension.

“You barely have speaking privileges and yet you’re still fucking up. Please don’t pay this man any attention. He’s my ex-husband. Like Johnni, I married young, but got out quickly before shit got worse.” If it wasn’t awkward before, it definitely was now thanks to me. I turned toward Luke, not saying anything else. I was fuming, still wondering what the fuck he was here for.

“Um… I’m going to change CJ. Baby, come help me,” Johnni said, now pulling Tunk along with her. Mickey didn’t even give an excuse to leave us alone.

“Ten years and still bitter. Yeah, this was a mistake.”

“Bitter? Nigga, bitter would imply I still have feelings lingering for you. I promise ain’t shit between us. And you damn right. I don’t know why you came here.”

“Because Jimmy left me and my wife, the house, the car, and a trust fund for the kids.” There was that marital term that tied me to him again. A title I knew I no longer owned.

I snorted.

“Okay, well obviously Jimmy said wife, meaning your new one, because we damn sure don’t have kids. We never got that far.” I let the last part slip and it damn near caved my chest in.

Luke blew out a frustrated breath as he proceeded to produce a piece of paper that further knocked the wind out of me.

“No, Holls, the position is still yours and he must’ve known because you’re listed by name.” I grabbed the papers and looked them over line by line several times before everything was spinning, including Luke.