Status: Complete
The Bad Boy Next Door
"What, the man can't feed himself?"
Jo knew she probably shouldn't be pouring her heart out to her next-door neighbor, but she realized how badly she needed someone to listen to her. "It's Pete," she said. "He's gone all the time. I know I'm a totally selfish bitch for wanting him home more, but I can't help it."
Frank frowned. "How does wanting your husband around make you a selfish bitch?"
"He's working so much for me, and all I can do is complain."
"Bullshit," Frank said, his sharp tone making Jo's head snap up. He reached out, stroking her cheek. "Jo, wanting your husband to spend time with you is not selfish. And don't fall for that 'I'm doing it for you' shit. If Pete is putting more hours in at the office than at home it's because he wants to, not because he's trying to make you happy."
"But he does so much for me," Jo said. "When my mother died, I was suddenly all alone, having to take care of a home and a fourteen year old. But Pete, he came in and made it all better. He married me, and Stacey and I moved onto the base with him. He even pays for her to go to college. And I try so hard to be a good wife, because that's what he deserves, but I guess I just can't be."
Frank gave her a quick once over, taking note of her perfect body. "How are you not a good wife?"
Jo looked down at the ground. "Like tonight, when he got home, I didn't have dinner ready."
Frank's eyes widened. "What, the man can't feed himself?"
"Frankie, I'm home all day. The least I can do is cook dinner." Jo sighed. "See, I thought maybe we could go out. It's been so long since we've been anywhere. But he wanted a meal at home after eating out so much while he was traveling. I should've known that."
If the other man didn't have a good five inches on him, Frank would've gone inside and throttled Pete Wentz. If Jo was his wife, he'd wine and dine her every night if that was what she wanted. "Jo, I'm sure you're a perfectly good wife. Hell, if I had ever told my wife to cook me dinner, she would've laughed in my face. Right after she smacked me good and proper."
Jo looked at him in surprise. "You have a wife?"
Frank looked away. "Ex wife. I haven't seen her in a couple of years."
"I'm sorry."
Frank shrugged. "Things happen. Jamia and I just weren't meant to be I guess."
His words were casual, but Jo could see the pain in his eyes. She wondered what sort of woman would leave him, but then she remembered her earlier musings in the kitchen. Maybe Frank wouldn't have been any more of an attentive husband than Pete. "I…"
Frank cut her off. "But we weren't talking about my pitiful excuse for a love life…"
Frank frowned. "How does wanting your husband around make you a selfish bitch?"
"He's working so much for me, and all I can do is complain."
"Bullshit," Frank said, his sharp tone making Jo's head snap up. He reached out, stroking her cheek. "Jo, wanting your husband to spend time with you is not selfish. And don't fall for that 'I'm doing it for you' shit. If Pete is putting more hours in at the office than at home it's because he wants to, not because he's trying to make you happy."
"But he does so much for me," Jo said. "When my mother died, I was suddenly all alone, having to take care of a home and a fourteen year old. But Pete, he came in and made it all better. He married me, and Stacey and I moved onto the base with him. He even pays for her to go to college. And I try so hard to be a good wife, because that's what he deserves, but I guess I just can't be."
Frank gave her a quick once over, taking note of her perfect body. "How are you not a good wife?"
Jo looked down at the ground. "Like tonight, when he got home, I didn't have dinner ready."
Frank's eyes widened. "What, the man can't feed himself?"
"Frankie, I'm home all day. The least I can do is cook dinner." Jo sighed. "See, I thought maybe we could go out. It's been so long since we've been anywhere. But he wanted a meal at home after eating out so much while he was traveling. I should've known that."
If the other man didn't have a good five inches on him, Frank would've gone inside and throttled Pete Wentz. If Jo was his wife, he'd wine and dine her every night if that was what she wanted. "Jo, I'm sure you're a perfectly good wife. Hell, if I had ever told my wife to cook me dinner, she would've laughed in my face. Right after she smacked me good and proper."
Jo looked at him in surprise. "You have a wife?"
Frank looked away. "Ex wife. I haven't seen her in a couple of years."
"I'm sorry."
Frank shrugged. "Things happen. Jamia and I just weren't meant to be I guess."
His words were casual, but Jo could see the pain in his eyes. She wondered what sort of woman would leave him, but then she remembered her earlier musings in the kitchen. Maybe Frank wouldn't have been any more of an attentive husband than Pete. "I…"
Frank cut her off. "But we weren't talking about my pitiful excuse for a love life…"
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