An Old Fashioned book two Full Circle Series

An Old Fashioned

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Chapter 38

An Old Fashioned

Emerly

How can he do this? How can he think that it's okay for him to keep playing with my heart this way? He doesn't want us. That was made perfectly clear. So why is he here saying he wants to be a part of Ryder's life? What does he really want?

"Have you lost your mind?" Cole demands Jeremy answer him. "You're a real piece of work! You know that?"

Jeremy laughs. A gut busting laugh that makes me believe Cole is onto something. Maybe Jeremy hit his head and is going crazy. This definitely isn't the man I spent several months getting to know so well, I thought I was falling in love with him. He certainly fooled me.

Once. I believed in him once, that'll be one mistake I won't make again.

"I am a piece of work! I'm a rat bastard! You are right about that, Cole! But you know what? You're a backstabbing bastard yourself!" Jeremy yells back. The loud roar scares Ryder, making him jerk awake and cry horribly.

"Both of you, stop this!" Scooping my screaming baby out of the portable crib, I snuggled him close to my chest, rocking on my heels to soothe him, just like I've seen so many mothers do. It must be instinct to rock a crying child. I've never had that particular instinct, until now. "Jeremy, you said you didn't want the responsibility of being a father. You said you didn't want me, or Ryder. That you weren't a family man kind of person. Why would you suddenly change your mind?"

Jeremy shrugged his shoulders, like he changed his mind on what he wanted for dinner. "Maybe I wanted a change."

I don't buy that.

"Maybe, I saw something that made me realize I would regret letting you go." Is he serious? He thinks I'm going to believe this story?

"You've never regretted anything in your life! You are so full of bullshit your eyes have turned brown." Cole's anger has his hands curling into tight fists. I won't be surprised if he punches Jeremy right in the nose before this is over.

Taking a long hard look at Jeremy, I determine that I'm right. He is lying. He's too calm about Cole's accusations. He too humored by upsetting him. Maybe that's the whole purpose. He lost us and now he wants to make Cole as pissed off, and as annoyed over all this, as he is. Whatever the reason, the truth is right here staring me in the face. He is lying through his teeth.

"That's not it. You don't change. Not this drastically." When I called him out, Jeremy's eyes snapped to mine. Seeing that I'm not going to fall for his line, Jeremy rolls his eyes at me and smiles. Not a pleasant, happy to see you kind of smile either. This is a sarcastic, angry smile, that knows he's being called out for his bluff.

Turning away from me, Jeremy goes to the far side of the room and sits down in the lazy boy, popping the footrest up and reclining back. Exhaling a long sigh, he gets comfortable in the chair before closing his eyes. Folding his hands over his chest, it looks like he's getting ready to take a nap.

"What are you doing?" I ask, appalled at his self absorbed actions.

"I'm waiting for your new boyfriend to take a hike, so you and I can discuss our son." Jeremy didn't even bother to open his eyes and look at me as he spoke. He won't even acknowledge Cole's position in this situation. Not that I'm completely sure where his place is. I'm not, but I'm not going to rudely disregard him either.

"Whatever you have to say, you can say in front of Cole. I'm not going to play this game with you, Jeremy. Say what you came here to say and get out." His eyes angrily snapped open, glaring at me across the room as if I'm the one who is out of line. I'm not going to fall for his game again. I went down this road once, I don't need to go through it again to know that he isn't going to change.