Free True by Gwendolyn Grace Page A

two-handed kiss. He flashes his sexy grin, one I haven’t seen for a while and blows a two-handed kiss back to me and disappears into the crowd.
    ****
    Monday was a pretty good day. I dropped Liv off at school and Jordyn at pre-school. Went to work. No Justin. Picked up the girls and took them to the park, made a big pot of pasta for dinner, talked to Alex on the phone for a while, went to bed.
    Tuesday was fine. Got the girls to school. Busy work day. Still no Justin, fed the girls leftover pasta, responded to two text messages from Alex, bed.
    Wednesday was okay. Got the girls to school. Ugh, annual audits at work. Where the fuck is Justin? Drive thru for dinner. Haven’t heard from Alex so I Facebook stalked him, but still got nothing. Drank a bottle of wine and then passed out.
    Thursday sucked. Woke up hung over. Got Liv to school late and had to sign her into the office, dropped Jordyn off at preschool in the middle of circle time. Both girls were pretty mad at me. Called out of work and went home and got in bed. Why did my heart hurt worse than my head? He always manages to convince me that things will be different. He will make me a priority. What kind of man goes an entire day and doesn't call to check on his family at least once? I called and texted him twice. I drifted off as the tears of anger and hurt trailed down my cheeks.
    Still Thursday, I think...
    I woke up to my door bell ringing like crazy. What the fuck?
    I get out of bed and see that it’s noon. Which means that this is not Child Protective Services coming to tell me I’ve forgotten my children at school and that they will not be returning them home to me. I can see through the frosted beveled glass panel in the door that it's a man, as I get closer I know exactly who it is. Shit.
    Justin.
    And he can see me too.
     
    I reach and unlock the door knowing that I look like shit but not being able to do anything about it. My hair is pulled back into a loose ponytail that I’m sure isn’t holding much hair anymore. I’m barefoot with zero makeup. I’m wearing gray yoga pants and one of Alex’s old faded concert t-shirts. The same one I slept in.
    “Justin. Hey.” I say after swinging the door open. He looks so ruggedly handsome standing there in his usual jeans and a black “Rich Construction.” t-shirt that always stretches across his muscular chest just right. Stop it, Court.
    “Courtney. Are you ok? They told me you were home sick.” His eyes were filled with concern as they looked me up and down. “I knocked a few times then I tried using your knocker, but it’s broken. So I started ringing your doorbell.”
    “Yeah, the knocker has been broken for a while so it was kind of just hanging on by a prayer. I’ve asked Alex to fix that a million times.” I step forward and take the door-knocker from his hand. “I’m fine Justin. I didn’t feel well this morning, but I’m okay.”
    Justin gestured behind me with his chin. “Is he… ??”
    “No, he’s in North Carolina until Saturday.” Justin visibly relaxes just a bit. “Well, you may say you’re fine but you look horrible.” Then he steps by me and into the house uninvited. I certainly hadn’t planned to let him in. So I stare after him for several beats, stunned, then finally I close the door. I find Justin in my kitchen opening cabinets and drawers.
    “What are you doing?” I sputter.
    “Making you a hangover cure.”
    “What? How do know I’m hung over.” He gives me a knowing glance and then tilts his chin at the empty wine bottle and glass that I left on the counter last night.
    “The whole bottle, huh?”
    “I didn’t know I’d drink the whole bottle until I was already drunk. Besides I’m not much of a drinker anymore since having the girls.”
    “One bottle of this stuff will do it.”
    The whole time he’s pouring and mixing things into a glass. I’m curious but not enough to ask questions. My stomach is queasy, and my head is pounding. He hands me a