The Ex Husband. |✔️|

Eleven

The next morning Tyler was a big ball of energy, bouncing around "please can we look at private school" Cole asked.

"No, I don't want him growing up to be a brat, he's a normal kid and he's going to a normal school"

"but.."

"but nothing" I held my hand up "if he doesn't like it, I'll think about it, but until then"

"can we go now, mama"

"yes" I finally gave in, go get you bag, the three of us jumped in the car and headed a 40-minute drive to Tyler's new school.

"Are you excited," I asked, noticing he was quiet looking thoughtful out of the window.

"mhmm," he nodded.

"what's up bud?" Cole asked.

"What if I don't make friends," he said sadly.

"What!! Your the coolest guy I know, everyone is going to want to be your friend" cole grinned moving his mirror so he could see him.

"I guess" he shrugged clearly still not sure.

"how many kids do you know that have got there very own movie theatre in their house"

"not many," he said this time a little perkier.

"and how many kids get to go to school in a sports car"

"I don't know I've never been to school before"

I let out a snigger, the kid was right.

"well not many, so already your the coolest kid at that school"

"yeah, you're right dad, I am pretty cool aren't I," he said proudly.

We pulled up at the gates and felt a lump form in my throat, his teacher came to go meet us and I had to hold back the tears "right Tyler give mama a kiss" I said bending down next to him.

"Woah Bella don't embarrass the kid it's his first-day" cole joked.

"yeah mama, don't embarrass me" he hooked his arms around his bag and began to walk off, I turned away before I started to cry like a baby, watching him walk in like a big boy.

"Mama!" I heard his little voice shout, I turned around and saw him running back up the path "I need a kiss" he said flinging his arms around me.

"have the best day baby!" I gave him the biggest squeeze.

I got back in the car "he really loves you doesn't he" Cole said proudly.

"he's a little Monster" I joked back clipping my seatbelt in.

"I have a surprise for the two of us"

"oh Cole what have you planned now, I've got work this afternoon"

"You don't, I spoke to Colin and he was more than happy to give you a few weeks off"

"Cole I can't afford..."

"Paid, time off, Bella we've got some catching up to do! I don't want anything coming in between that"

We pulled up at a little burger shack in the middle of nowhere, my heart lurched, this was the very place we first met, not the sort of place you'd imagine to meet a millionaire playboy, my car had broken down on the way to a job interview, and he had pulled in to get coffee, he saw me having a full-blown meltdown, and he offered me a lift, turns out it was his job ad I had replied to, so that pretty much sealed that deal, on the way home he dropped me back and waited with me in the diner until my car was fixed.

"Why have you brought us here" I laughed

"oh my goodness, bert look who it is," the little old lady said loudly as we walked in, cole and I presumed she had us confused for somebody else.

She came hurrying over to our table "We always wondered whatever happened to you two" she said all excitedly.

"Excuse me?" Cole replied looking as. Confused as I did.

"I watched the whole love story start, I saw him come to your rescue when your car broke down all these years ago, I said to bert them two are going to have a long and wonderful life together," she said staring at us in awe.

"can we have two coffee please," I asked quickly changing the subject, the diner hadn't changed one little bit, everything was exactly the same.

We spent the next two hours drinking coffee and ordering curly fries, talking about the past, people we used to know, family, and I realised at that very moment, it was the old cole I didn't love, but there was something about this new mature Cole, he listened and asked questions rather than talking about himself or bragging.

"what do you keep looking at me like that for?" cole asked.

"like what?" I frowned unaware I was looking at him like anything.

"I don't know like your plotting to kill me" he laughed.

"no I was just thinking, I like the new you, I just hope it isn't a charade and your ask will slip, I've got too much to lose this time Tyler and I are happy and secure and I just feel like if I give you my everything like last time I'll be left with nothing again"

"Bella, I would never let that happen! I will make sure you and Tyler are set up for the rest of your lives with or without me"

"I'm just scared Cole, it's like sticking your hand in a fire even though you know you're going to get burned"

"Bella you have my word"

He grabbed hold of my hand "you remember me telling you that you would regret leaving me, I was wrong, it was me that was going to have to live with the regret with being a shit husband, the moment you walked out the door I knew I had made a mistake, and right now I feel like I've been given a second chance"

"Cole, as much as I hate you, I've never once not loved you, you just make it hard"

"So is that a yes?"

I rolled my eyes and took a sip of my Coffee.