The Christmas Tree Guy (30 page)

“You have got to be freaking kidding me.”

“Mommy, you said a bad word.” Charlie looked up at Sydnee.

“Ah, you’re right. I’m sorry, honey.” Sydnee said dejectedly while staring at the darkened screen on her phone. “Mommy shouldn’t have said that. Okay, guys, we’re going in to find our seats.”

“Yay!” they yelled in unison as she took their hands and headed to the gate.

Working their way through the crowd, Sydnee found their seats and sat the boys down. They were so giddy and excited, and they laughed as they watched the mascot entertain the crowd. Sydnee was incensed.
He has some nerve.
Suddenly, she thought of Quinn, who was waiting for her to call. She quickly dialed his number and sighed.

“Hey. You on your way?” The joy in his voice made her stomach clench, knowing she was going to have to tell him what was going on.

“Uh, no.”

“Oh-kay, what’s going on?”

“Matt’s not here. The game has started and I’m sitting here with the boys.” Sydnee scanned the crowd trying to see any sign of Matt possibly coming up the steps to where they were seated. She knew it was futile to think he would hold up his end of a promise.

“He didn’t show up at all?” She could hear the agitation in his voice and she knew as much as Quinn cared about the boys, he was angry Matt had let them down.

“He sent me a text message saying he was held up and for me to take the boys in.” It was the sorriest excuse she’d heard, even for Matt’s standards. Something told her she had made a big mistake by trusting him. How could she be so gullible once again?

“This guy is unbelievable.”

“I had to bring them in. They were so excited about this. I’m so sorry.”

“No worries. I understand.”

“I’m sure they’ll get restless soon enough. Maybe we can leave early and all go get a pizza or something together later?” She was trying desperately to salvage at least some time with Quinn. Even if it was all four of them, she still wanted to see him.

“Hey, just keep me updated.” The slight agitation in Quinn’s voice stabbed her in the heart, and she hated being caught in Matt’s web of deceit, which was spilling over into her relationship with Quinn.

“Are you sure?” She hated doing this to Quinn, but she didn’t have a choice. She was looking forward to an afternoon with him just relaxing and spending quality time without the kids. It was something they hadn’t done in a while and it was something she seriously needed.

“Yes. Just call me when you leave.”

Sydnee sat watching the game and talking with the boys for more than an hour before she looked up to see Matt, grinning and ambling towards them. Suddenly, Sydnee realized she’d been played like a fiddle. The jerk had set her up. There was a reason the seat beside them was empty and now it all made sense.

“Daddy!” Travis called out as Matt got to his seat.

“Hey, little man, are you having fun?” He smiled over at Sydnee.

“Where have you been?” Sydnee’s jaws hurt from how tightly she clenched her teeth.

“I told you I had some things to handle. I’m sorry, it couldn’t be helped, but it looks like you have been having fun.” Matt reached over to tickle both Travis and Charlie who burst out giggling.

“You said you were on your way over an hour ago. Matt, I had plans.” She tried keeping her voice quiet as the boys chattered about the mascot. They were more enthralled with what he was doing than watching the game. Sydnee only wished she could be as happy as they seemed to be.

“Syd, look. The boys are having fun. You still haven’t learned how to relax, have you?”

“I’ve got to go.” She snatched up her purse to leave.

“Hey, no, guys don’t we want Mommy to stay?” Matt asked.
Are you freaking kidding me?
Her eyes went wide as Matt turned to the twins, waiting for their response.

“Mommy, please don’t go.” Charlie looked at her with tears immediately pooling in his eyes and her heart melted. Sitting down beside him, she lifted his chin.

“Charlie, you guys were supposed to spend time with Daddy. Mommy’s going to go so you can have him all to yourselves.” She knew it was useless to try and convince him to let her go. Charlie was hesitant to spend time with Matt and she couldn’t blame him. He wasn’t used to being around him and it took Charlie a while to warm up to people most of the time. She was pleasantly surprised how quickly he had taken to Quinn. Of course, Travis was a different story. He was excited to spend time with Matt and it was like he’d never left. She knew if Matt left again it would devastate him, and she hated the thought of it.

“But, Mommy, I want you to stay. Please.” Sydnee looked over to see Matt looking pretty pleased with himself. She knew he’d done it on purpose because he was well aware Charlie would have a meltdown if she left. Oh, what she would do for the eye scratching session she wanted with Matt for manipulating her and the boys, but she had to be civil for their sakes.

“You really want me to stay huh?”

“Please.”

“Okay, sweetie, Mommy will stay.” She felt horrible seeing the sense of relief wash over his face and she wondered if everyone was right. Should she have let the boys come to the game in the first place?

“Yay! Mommy’s staying.” Matt threw Sydnee his slickest, sly grin and high-fived Travis, who was sitting beside him.

“Your horns are showing, Matt,” she murmured under her breath. “You planned this all along.” By this point, her nerves were plucked and she sat, seething, with her arms crossed. Why did she fall for his song and dance? She should have known Matt hadn’t changed and never would. He was determined to get what he wanted, when he wanted it, regardless of anyone else’s feelings.

“Who, me? I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he quipped innocently and if the boys weren’t there, she would have hauled off and slapped him.” All right, fellas, who wants popcorn?”

“Me! Me!” Travis was in heaven at this point and she knew he was going to be very hyper after all of the junk Matt would fill him with during the game. “Can we have candy too, Daddy?”

“Anything you want. I’ll be right back.” Matt happily descended the steps to the concession stand to buy their snacks.

Reluctantly, Sydnee reached into her purse to find her cell phone. She hated to call and cancel on Quinn but there was no alternative.

“Hello?”

“Hi.” She was dreading this. She’d been looking forward to spending time with Quinn and now Matt had completely ruined their day.

“I take it by the sound of the crowd, you’re still at the game?”

“Yes. And guess who showed up miraculously, and with a ticket no less that just happened to be beside us? And, he convinced the boys I had to stay and watch the rest of the game with them.” Sydnee pouted, watching the boys talking and giggling with each other. She felt extremely stupid. She should have known Matt was up to something when he told her to take them in.

“You’re kidding, right? Sydnee, what do you mean you have to stay? I thought this was going to be his way of spending quality time with them.” She closed her eyes at hearing the distinct sound of Quinn’s displeasure with the entire situation magnify. She could hear it in the inflection in his voice and could just about imagine his silvery eyes narrowing in frustration.

“I did too, but, Quinn, I can’t leave. Charlie is already hesitant around him. He was nearly in tears when I got ready to go. Right now he has a vice grip on my hand to keep me from going anywhere.”

“Sydnee,” Quinn groaned.

“I know. I’m sorry, but Charlie needs me.” At this point, she could only hope he would understand her situation.

“I had a feeling something like this was going to happen.” The vacant tone in his voice let her know he was not happy and she felt horrible.

“Quinn, I’m sorry.”

“Hey, it’s fine. Don’t worry about it. Enjoy the game.” Before she could respond, she heard nothing but silence in her ear from him hanging up.

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, and put her phone in her purse then glanced at her two little cherubs and saw how happy they were. She couldn’t believe Matt had gotten her into this situation. She didn’t want Quinn to be mad at her, but at this point, she couldn’t trust Matt not to turn the boys against her if she left him alone with them. Once Matt returned with their popcorn and drinks, they were even more excited and if no one knew better, they actually looked like one happy little family.

###

Once the game was over, Sydnee piled the boys into her SUV and drove home. She was furious with Matt for keeping her from enjoying her day with Quinn, but she was even more disappointed in herself for letting it happen. She didn’t know exactly what Matt was up to and why he was insisting on spending time with not only the boys, but with her. He hadn’t mentioned Cassidy once during the time he was there and she couldn’t figure out what his motives were for disrupting her life.

“What a day!” She collapsed onto the sofa and sank into the cushions. The house was quiet now, she’d been able to calm the boys down from all of the candy and soda Matt had plied them with. It had taken hours to get the sugar out of their systems. Finally, both calmed down enough to get their baths and get into bed. Thankfully, they conked out once she’d gotten them into their pajamas.

She was about to drag herself to bed, when she heard a knock on the door. “Are you serious?” Pushing herself off the sofa, she trudged over and looked through the peephole before stepping back to exhale a slow and controlled breath. Her shoulders sagging, she opened the door. “Matt, what do you want?” Annoyance resonated in every word she spat out. She had had enough of him during the day and it was taking everything in her to keep from slamming the door in his face.

“I wanted to talk to you.”

“I don’t feel like doing this right now.” Shaking her head, she moved to close the door.

“Syd, can I come in, just for a few minutes?”

“Matt, it’s late. I just want to go to bed. The boys are asleep-”

“Just five minutes.” Throwing up her hand, she relented and opened the door further for him to come in.

“Five minutes, and not a second more.”

“Wow, when did you get so feisty?”

“Four minutes.” Crossing her arms, she waited for him to say what he needed.

“Okay, okay. Look, I know you’re mad. Sydnee, I just wanted the chance to spend some time with you and the boys. Is that so wrong?” He looked at her with what she almost mistook for sincerity, but it was Matt, and she knew he didn’t have one sincere bone in his body.

“Matt, why trick me into being there? Why couldn’t you just be honest in the first place?”

“Would you have gone?”

“Probably not.” She turned to walk past him into the living room. She straightened the sofa cushions and folded the throw, placing it on the chair. She knew she wouldn’t have gone to spend time with Matt on purpose. Hell, she was still struggling to figure out what she had ever seen in him in the first place. He had controlled every part of their life. The plan she’d had for her life, he’d been a major player in. She met Matt during their senior year in college. He was an accounting major and tutored her in the one accounting course she couldn’t dodge. Their relationship grew from there. She pretty much gave over control of the relationship and before she knew it, they were engaged. Her mother absolutely adored him. He was smart, well put together, articulate, and everything Carroll could have ever hoped for in a future husband for Sydnee. He was a provider and as a future CPA, he was well on the way to making the money and achieving the status her mother wanted for her daughter. He was also well on the way to showing his true colors as a selfish, womanizing blowhard. At first Sydnee tried to hide it from everyone. Her mother taught her to keep family business as family business and what went on behind closed doors needed to stay there. For the first few years, she kept everything to herself. Internalizing all of the hurt and pain, until one day she broke down crying in her brother’s arms. He wanted to tear Matt apart limb from limb, but Sydnee wouldn’t allow him to say anything. She didn’t want her mother to think she couldn’t handle her life and she didn’t want to taint the image her mother had of Matt. For some reason she never wanted anyone to think badly of him, especially once the boys came. It was the craziest thing, and she wondered how she let her whole life be railroaded.

“Can you at least look at me?” He followed her into the room and she turned abruptly to face him.

“Why, Matt? Why do I need to look at you? Hell, why do I even need to listen to you? You come here out of the blue, show up unannounced and it’s like you want us all to stop our lives and throw you some kind of ticker tape parade. Oh, look everybody, Matt’s here, now we can stop the mundane things we’ve been doing and focus on Matt. It doesn’t work that way. At least, not anymore.” She was tired and right now all she wanted was to undress and curl up in her bed. It was bad enough she missed a chance to curl up in that same bed with Quinn. Now, she was through with Matt and his nonsense. At this point, all she wanted was a quiet respite to calm her nerves and try and figure out how she had sat on the sidelines of her own life for so long.

“Sydnee-”

“Matt, I am tired. I do not feel like going through this with you right now. I just want to go to sleep and try to get back to my normal life.”