Life of Harlow

Uncomfortable Conversations

Liam

After dinner, I was sitting with McKenzie on her couch. My arm was around her shoulder, my left hand entwined with hers. She got a call during dinner from Lance and has been acting weird ever since. I let her open up to me when she's ready. I have my own shit going on, but how she feels and her life are still important to me.

"Kenz..."

"Hm?"

She stared at the TV. A movie was on, but we were each lost in our own thoughts. I had to sort shit out with Harlow's grandparents, if not for any reason other than Harlow. As for McKenzie, she was taking hit after hit from her ex-husband and Trevor's father, Lance. For someone to have moved on with a new family, he sure is concerned with what she has going on. I'm not talking about being just concerned for his son either. It's clear he still has feelings for McKenzie.

"What's on your mind?"

She shook her head.

"Nothing."

She moved to get up, but I pulled her back down.

"Hey, just how I talk to you, know that you can talk to me about anything. You got a call from Lance earlier and whatever he said bothered you. What's going on?"

McKenzie shared with me the details of her relationship with Lance. From getting together to breaking up along the way. They got back together when she got pregnant and ended up tying the knot. The final straw for her was him cheating. She said if it was once, she could've forgave him. The fact that he was having an affair, she said she couldn't do it.

To make matters worse, they divorced amicably more so as a front. They shared the house, sleeping in separate rooms. Then Lance started to bring Hannah around and would have her in the house. McKenzie told him he could date whoever he wanted, but a boundary was not bringing anyone into the home they shared and she wouldn't either. He would joke and say that she wouldn't really move on because she loved him so much. It's clear the man wanted to have his cake and eat it too.

As time passed, she said that she was able to get back on her feet again even though she was heartbroken. She would put on a facade, but never let Lance or Trevor see her crack. She suffered in silence. She said she talked to her Aunt Anna, but knew if she told Andrew, Cody, or Colton, they'd lose their shit and go after Lance. This woman had so much bottled up and the fact that he was messing with her now that she's moved on with me, it was starting to piss me off.

"Lance backed off about the whole custody thing, but wants me and Trevor to come for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I told him that he had Trevor for holidays last year. I let him have both Thanksgiving and Christmas, plus Trevor was there all of winter break. He was there this past Summer. I want holidays with him, too. He said I had no right keeping him from his son while I played house with a new man."

I chuckled. This guy was a piece of work.

"You're not bothered by my ex-husband at all, are you?" she asked.

"Not even a little bit. That's Trevor's father and that's that. It's not a competition to me, but he's starting to poke holes and make it one. I'm not here trying to take his place, but let's be honest, this has nothing to do with Trevor. That man still wants you."

"Well, I don't want him."

She broke out of my hold and went to the kitchen. Following her, she grabbed the bottle of wine and poured a full glass, chugging it.

"Come here, Kenz."

"No. Stay over there."

I raised my brow.