Prologue
Cameron
Six Years Earlier
The pool stick slides easily between my fingers as the quiet click of the cue ball sends the eight ball into its designated pocket. I stand back up and arch my eyebrow at the redhead sitting on the edge of the pool table at the opposite end of me. She giggles and slips the last piece of clothing down her legs. I place the pool stick down on the table and stalk toward her.
“Well, that was quick.” She smiles.
“And predictable.” My lips tick up into a smirk as I grab her waist and push her back on the green felt. I run my fingers down her chest and over her fake tits as she opens her legs for me. I lean over her and my lips graze against her creamy silky skin following the path my fingers just took.
“Oh god, yes!” she pants as her fingers thread through my hair.
“Is this how you want it?” I murmur against her skin.
“God, yes!” she screams.
“Mom! Are you home? Dad, I think I heard her downstairs in the game room.”
I immediately stop kissing her and look up, her wide eyes mirroring my own deer-in-the-headlights frozen stare. Mom…Dad?
“Are you fucking married?” I seethe as she scrambles out from underneath me.
“Shit, shit, shit!” she whispers. “They weren’t supposed to be home until Sunday.”
What the fuck?
She shoves my coat into my arms and pushes me toward the French doors leading out to the pool.
“Get out!” she hisses as she turns to quickly find her clothes and put them on. I’m just standing there slack-jawed watching her in disbelief. She growls in irritation as she lunges toward me and grabs the door handle open. “Get out before he catches us!” She violently shoves me out the door. “You’re going to have to climb over the back wall. Now go!” She slams the French door in my face, the glass rattling.
My eyes try to adjust to the darkness as I look around the backyard. I’m tempted to barge back in through the door and get some answers from her, but I’m not so sure it’s worth it…if she’s worth it. Pitiful thing is, five minutes ago I thought she was.
I mentally shake myself and jog toward the back wall. I don’t particularly want to meet the fist of a scorned husband right now.
I look up at the eight-foot stone wall. At least I’m used to rock climbing, although not the ideal time to be doing it in the dark, while wearing wing tips, my Dolce & Gabbana suit and Burberry wool coat. I grab the edge of the cold stone as my foot slips on the crusted ice. Dammit, this isn’t easy. I get a better purchase on a different stone and heft myself up. I deftly climb up and over the top and jump down into mud.
Are you fucking kidding me right now? My Italian leather custom-made shoes are now ruined. Fucking Jessica. How in the hell did I miss the signs she was married? With kids? I wipe my hands off on my wool coat and gather my bearings.
I quickly walk to the sidewalk and spot my silver Audi R8 parked in front of Jessica’s neighbor’s house. You’re such a fucking idiot, Cam. Didn’t you wonder why she asked you to park across the street from her house? I look at the house in question. It’s a sprawling two-story stucco home with a minivan parked in the driveway. I drag my hand down my face in utter disbelief at my stupidity. Details, Cam, you missed the fucking details tonight. Like why would a single woman live in such a huge house in an upscale neighborhood? And the fact she always insisted we go to my condo at night, making excuses for why she could never sleep over.
I’ve been seeing Jessica for the past three weeks, but we always went to my place after our “dates” of her hanging out at the bar while I finished up paperwork. I should have known better. Rule number one: Never get involved with the customers. Jesus, I can’t believe I got duped. She probably isn’t even an attorney like she said, probably just a bored trophy wife seeking attention.
I shake my head as I get into my car. My pride seriously wounded. I actually liked Jessica, maybe I was even falling in love with her. She was funny and smart, beautiful as hell. I start the car and the engine roars to life. I look over at the house one last time as I pull away from the curb. I can see her in the upstairs window watching me. I grind my teeth and jam my stick into gear, peeling away from the curb.
Never again. I will never let a woman make me feel this way again.
Chapter 1
Andie
Present Day
I ring the doorbell and shift Enzo in my arms as I look down the street. It’s a beautiful neighborhood with perfectly manicured lawns and fancy cars parked in the driveways. I look back at my economical Ford Focus sitting behind a Lexus and an Infinity SUV and already feel out of place. Enzo starts to fuss to get down as I punch the doorbell again. I hope I have the right house.
The heavy door swings open and a petite blonde with beachy-wavy hair and flawless makeup answers the door.
“Hi! I’m Melissa, are you here for Moms Gone Wild? Come on in.”
“Hi, I’m Andie. This is my first time to a Let’s Meet event.”
“Oh well, welcome. If you don’t mind taking off your shoes.” She smiles as she looks down at my Converse, but her smile doesn’t reach her eyes. “He’s cute! What’s his name?”
“This is Enzo, he’s fourteen months old.”
“Aw, great! We have some other moms here with little ones around his age.”
My lungs quietly exhale as my anxiety slowly leaks from my veins leaving me less edgy than I was five minutes ago. We enter her family room and I see five women sitting around a coffee table chatting as their babies crawl or toddle around the room.
“Hey girls, this is a new member of the group. I’m sorry, what was your name again?” Melissa laughs lightly.
I smile around the room at the women. “Hi, my name is Andie and this little guy is Enzo.”
The women smile pleasantly and greet me as I sit down on the floor with Enzo since there aren’t any more seats left. Some women are dressed to the nines and some are wearing yoga pants. I’m feeling good, dressed in between in a cute top and jeans.
“So Andie, where are you from?” a nice woman across from me asks.
“I just moved here a couple months ago from Alabama.”
“Oh, did your husband get transferred here? It’s so hard starting over in a new town with a baby in tow.” She gives me a sympathetic smile.
“Oh, um, no it’s just me and Enzo.”
“Oh…I’m sorry. Well, that’s a shame. So you and Enzo’s dad divorced? Long distance will be so tough on a little one.”
“No, we never married. His dad actually isn’t in the picture.”
A woman to my left gasps as the one across from me frowns. “Wow. So, did you have him in-vitro?”
“Hannah!”
“What? I’m just curious.”
“Um, no, I had him the natural way with my ex.”
So much for feeling anxiety free. The other women eye me surreptitiously as they sip their coffees. Melissa puts down a fruit tray on the coffee table and the ladies dig in like a flock of vultures on a fresh kill.
“Did y’all hear about Stephie?”
“No! She’s not coming today is she?”