Just a Couple Ex's Blindsided by S. Anders Read Free Book Online

they came from. That wasn’t what he’d planned to say. However it felt right.
    “Axel? What?” Liv’s voice seemed to focus in on what he was saying. “Oh I couldn’t,” she began.
    “Why not?” he asked quickly.
    “I ... well,” she paused, then said, “You know that was probably just an automatic answer I’d give because I’m married.”
    He stopped pacing and stood looking out into the dark beyond the picture windows. “I know,” he answered, quietly.
    “Well ... but I will bring the pizza. I insist.”
    He smiled. “You have a deal.” Then he gave her the directions. But as soon as he thumbed the call closed on his cell, he grabbed his car keys. He had a little trip to make before Liv arrived.

Chapter Five
    L iv picked the Italian Grill to buy the pizza. It was more expensive but worth it. She got some salads and a bottle of soda, to round it out. After waiting about forty-five minutes she was on her way, following the directions Axel had given her. There was a knot of excitement centered in her belly and it overrode the angry feelings she had toward her husband. It was nearly as if she was thrusting a sword into Andrew with these daring actions, saying, “Take that you bastard.”
    Then when she was a few blocks away from the address Axel had given her, her cell phone rang. She didn’t like to speak on it while driving, so she pulled to the curb by a row of older suburban houses. As soon as she’d wrangled her cell out of her purse, she groaned when she saw who it was. Andrew.
    He usually called her once at night when he was out of town. This was his commitment call. Funny how disparaging she looked on it now. She accepted the call, while wondering if he was going to say he was in town or lie.
    “Hi, sweetheart.”
    “Hello, Andrew.” She tried to sound neutral, but she wasn’t calling him an endearment.
    “It’s good to hear your voice, Liv. I can’t wait to see you tomorrow night.”
    That lie smacked Liv right in the chest and she struggled not to start crying. My god where was he? With another woman? He couldn’t have gone back to Houston by now. “I ... uh, yes I can’t wait either.” Her voice sounded raspy to her, she just hoped the cell covered it.
    “You okay, hon, you sound upset.”
    Liv looked up at the streetlight, then at the glare on the windshield of her SUV. She blinked rapidly, keeping her tears back. That bastard. “I’m getting tired of you not being home, Andrew.” It came to her to start laying the groundwork. “It’s like we’re barely married.” It was an old accusation, but now it hurt worse because she knew why.
    “It’s not that bad. Don’t be overly dramatic, hon. You know I shrivel up in that small town. How about next time you come with me. We can make a mini-vacation of it.”
    Liv squinted her eyes, trying not to get madder. “Maybe I should sell the rose farm and move to Houston with you. I don’t want to be responsible for holding you back.” She lobbed that bomb on him, holding her breath.
    “Ah, hon ...” Because she knew. “Ah, well I couldn’t, ah, ask you to do that.”
    She knew he wouldn’t do it, even for all he said he had to go to Houston. God, she’d been such an idiot thinking she was holding him back, making him live in their small town because of her work. When all the time he would have never accepted them moving to Houston together.
    “I’m just really tired, Andrew.”
    “Okay, hon, you go get some sleep.”
    Liv sat there for a long while after speaking to Andrew. She hated wondering where he could be and who he was with.
    “Why should I care,” she demanded, hitting the steering wheel. But it took a lot of effort for her to not call Axel to cancel, so she could go look for Andrew’s sports car, and find out where he was at.
    She inhaled sharply, then she made herself let it out. “I already know he’s cheating and lying.” Resolutely she shifted out of park and forced herself to drive to Axel’s. She