An Unexpected Love (Women's Fiction/BWWM Romance) by Stacy-Deanne

to her room.
    Cross stood beside her. “Got a visitor,
huh?”
    She sighed. Patrick watched her with that
accusatory expression he always had before they got into an argument.
    “You all right?” Cross whispered.
    “I’m fine,” Layla assured as they approached
Patrick.
    He greeted her with, “Hey, beautiful,” and
held out the carnations. “Your favorites.”
    She hesitated before taking them. “Thanks.
I…uh…didn’t expect to see you tonight. Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”
    “Thought it would be nicer if I just
stopped by.” He put his hands in his pockets. “Who’s your friend?”
    She gestured to Cross with the flowers. “This
is Cross Evers.”
    “Hey.” Cross held out his hand. “It’s nice
to meet you.”
    Patrick didn’t take his hand. “Is it
really?”
    Layla glared at him.
    “Yeah,” Cross said. “Is there a reason I
shouldn’t be glad to meet you?”
    “Don’t take the bait, Cross.” Layla held
the flowers to her side. “I had a nice time tonight.”
    “Me too.” He rubbed her arm. “You’re a
great dancer.”
    She giggled as she said, “Thanks.” Then she
glanced at Patrick. “Almost forgot how good I was since I haven’t been dancing
in I-can’t-remember-when.”
    Patrick cleared his throat.
    “I’ll see you in the morning.” Cross
kissed her cheek. “Oh, I forgot. My son’s coming tomorrow to visit me. I’d love
for you to meet him.”
    “That would be lovely.” Layla smiled. “The
next time my daughter comes, I’ll introduce you.”
    Cross smiled. “Great.”
    Patrick cleared his throat louder.
    “See you, Layla,” Cross told her.
    “Goodnight, Cross.”
    He went down the hall. A condescending
smirk spread across Patrick’s face.
    Layla opened the door and went inside her
room. “What?”
      “Nothing.”
He followed. “It’s just that I pictured you in here depressed and miserable, but
instead you’re acting like you’re at Club Med. How’s this supposed to look to
me?”
    Layla set the flowers on the dresser. “I don’t
give a damn how it looks.” She lowered her voice when a nurse passed her door.
“We’re not married anymore. I don’t have to explain myself to you.”
    “Who is that guy?”
    She sat on the bed and kicked off her flip-flops.
“Cross Evers. Is your memory that bad?”
    “You know what I mean. Who is he to you?”
    “He’s a friend.”
    “A friend?” He leaned against the dresser.
“None of my friends kiss me on the cheek or feel me up when we’re slow dancing.”
    “You saw us in the gym?”
    “You damn right, and don’t play me like a
fool.” He nodded. “It looks like a lot more is going on here than friendship.”
    “What do you want?”
    He walked to the bed and started to sit
down.
    “No.” She gestured. “What do you want,
Patrick?”
    “I missed you. I told you that on the
phone.”
    She took the clamp out of her hair. “Why
do you miss me?”
    “What the hell kind of question is that?
Don’t you miss me, even a little bit? I just didn’t think it would be so hard
to live without you.”
    “How are the girls? How’s Aliyah?”
    “I didn’t come here to talk about the
girls.” He sat beside her and took her hands. “You know, I’m a man of pride,
and I’m stubborn as hell...”
    “Oh, you don’t have to tell me that.”
    “I made the biggest mistake of my life
when I let you go.”
    “I don’t understand any of this.” She slipped
her hands from his and stood. “Are you saying you want to try again? You can’t
be serious.”
    He stood and pulled her to him. “I love
you so much, Layla. There’s no other woman I’ve ever loved as much as you.”
    “I don’t believe this.” She paced,
stroking her hair. “I cannot believe that your ass is standing here saying this
shit to me now. We just got divorced.”
    “I know, and it’s killing me!”
    “Well that’s just tough, Patrick! You
shouldn’t have always been so busy treating what we had like some