𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙏𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙚 | 𝘾𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙚 𝙎𝙝𝙤𝙥 𝙎𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 | Balancing motherhood and adulthood is difficult, but Kay embraces the new challenge with love and care. When Noah James barrels into Brian's life, that challenge shifts, and the happy couple...
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**Brian**
I was wrecked with nerves by the time Kay walked through the doors. And those nerves exploded once I saw her face, red eyes like she'd been crying. She paused to take the twins out of the stroller, put them in their playpen with sippy cups, and after she quickly turned, falling into me.
I grabbed her immediately. "What happened?" I asked.
She pressed her cheek against my chest as she took in a shaky breath. "Who is Noah James?"
I stiffened. Anger boiled in the pit of my stomach. It wasn't at her, I couldn't be mad at her, never. She didn't do anything wrong. But she was upset and asking about Noah; I could only connect the dots.
"What did he do?" I breathed in a deep, worried voice. Cupping her face, I made Kay look at me. "Did he hurt you?"
Her eyes widened with terror, rimming with new tears. I didn't want to terrify her, I just needed to know. But I asked the wrong question, didn't I?
"Hey, hey," I whispered, "don't cry, please don't cry."
She couldn't help it. Tears slid down her cheeks. I brushed them away with my thumbs as she sniffed. "Who is he?" she asked in a whisper. "I feel like I've done something bad and—"
I shushed her. "Whatever you did or think you've done, believe me, Kay, you did nothing wrong." I lifted her chin slightly with my finger. "I am glad nothing happened to you."
Her hands slid up my chest where she gripped my shirt in tight fists. "Who is he? He said he knew you, found me through Facebook—"
My brows pinched together. Was that how he knew where we were? I told Rianne I hated social media...
"He said he wanted to reconnect and catch up with you—"
I tongued my cheek. Yeah, he really tried to reconnect.
"And I just thought he was nice, you were so sad I asked him to help me buy you flowers—"
I relaxed. Kay was Kay. And because I wasn't honest about what was happening, my kind, thoughtful wife ended up in Noah's path.
This is my fault.
"So when I saw him outside this afternoon, I thought accepting a lunch invite was innocent," she hiccupped. "He was so nice until today."
My chest burned. I had so many questions but again, none of this would've happened if I had filled her in. We loved each other and swore to be honest with each. And yet, there I was, being the opposite of what we tried to accomplish.
I gently kissed her forehead. "Noah James isn't a friend. I knew him in the past, he was an enabler," I looked into her eyes, "I distanced myself after Katerina died because he was a problem in my life. And now he's back demanding that I pay him over a hundred thousand dollars."
