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good time, Phoeb.” Shane kept his voice even
and low.
    “I knew it. I knew that first day. The way you were looking
at her. You just can’t keep your dick in your pants.”
    Tess pulled on Shane’s t-shirt and stood in the hallway,
just out of sight and listened.
    “What I do with my dick is none of your business,” Shane
retorted. “Now, I’m busy. So, I’ll talk to you later.”
    “It may not be my business but make sure that little bitch
knows you were sticking it in me, too.”
    “Goodbye, Phoebe.”
    “Fuck you.”
    “Always so classy.” Shane slammed the door and almost ran
into Tess in the hallway. “I’m sorry. Jesus, she’s a bitch.”
    “I need to get my clothes.” Tess slipped by him to grab her
stuff and went into the bathroom. She tried not to cry while she got dressed. As
long as he lived there, Phoebe would be a thorn in her side and right up in the
middle of Shane’s business. She had that entitlement complex and was actually a
little scary, like restraining order scary.
    She found Shane sitting on the bed when she came out. “I’m
going. I’m sorry, but I can’t do this.”
    “Tess, wait.”
    She held her hand up. “No. I have to go. I won’t compete
with her. She ruins everything.” Grabbing her purse, she left before Shane could
respond.

Chapter 4
     
     
    Tess’ resolve crumbled when she hit the highway and a sad
country song came on the radio. “I’m such an idiot,” she said out loud and
banged her fist against the steering wheel. The tears stung her eyes and she
didn’t try to hold them back. Listening to Phoebe and Shane had been the
proverbial slap in the face. She could not have sex with him knowing he was
probably sleeping with Phoebe, too. She thought it wouldn’t matter. She was
wrong. Dead wrong. She would not let herself get hurt. Not anymore than she already
was.
    Her cell phone rang and she checked the number. Shane. She
rejected the call and turned it to silent. His voice was the last thing she
needed to hear. She stopped at the liquor store outside of town and bought a
bottle of wine and went home to drink him out of her head.
     
    ****
     
    Olivia called and invited Tess to go out to lunch with her
and Ella. Tess had not spoken to either of her brothers since the confrontation
in the kitchen, but she loved Cade’s wife and their little girl. Tess had been
moping around the house for over a week and decided she should get out, so she
accepted Olivia’s offer.
    They met at the diner in town, just down the street from
Luke’s wife’s office. Olivia and Ella stood out front. When Tess stepped onto
the sidewalk, Olivia let go of Ella’s hand and she ran to Tess laughing. Tess
scooped the toddler up.
    “Hey, princess.” Tess kissed her cheek.
    Ella wrapped her arms around Tess’ neck and squealed. “I’m
princess Ella and mommy is the queen.” She pointed a chubby finger at her
stepmom.
    Olivia came closer and hugged Tess. “How ya doing,
sweetheart?”
    Tess forced a smile. “I’m okay.”  
    “Let’s go inside.” Olivia hooked her arm.
    They sat at a booth toward the back of the restaurant with
Ella perched in a high chair. Olivia gave her the child’s menu and crayons the
waitress had left on the table. Ella scribbled over pictures of chicken nuggets
and macaroni and cheese before haphazardly coloring the dinosaur yellow. She
bit her lip in concentration just like her dad did when he was younger.
    The waitress returned and took their orders and brought
their drinks. After she left, Olivia put her elbows on the table. “Wanna tell
me what’s going on?”
    Tess sighed. “I don’t even know where to start. What did
Cade tell you?” She pulled the wrapper off and dropped a straw into her tea.
    Olivia pushed her red hair off her shoulder and offered Ella
a drink. “He told me that he and Luke went over to your house and made complete
jackasses of themselves. He also told me that Natalie read Luke the riot act
over it and told him to keep