Maggie
“Idon’t want to go.”
“I know, but you have to.”
“But why?”
“Because he’s your father, and it’s his weekend.”
“Well, that’s stupid,” Nathan huffed. “I don’t even see why we gotta go. He’s never even there. He’s either hunting or playing golf or off on some work thing, and we’re stuck with his stupid girlfriend.”
“Fiancé.”
“Whatever.” He rolled his eyes. “She sucks... She smells funny and can’t even make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich right.”
“What?”
“She just slaps everything on there. Doesn’t even cut it in half or take off the crust. It’s gross, and so is she.” Nathan sat down at the kitchen table and poured himself a bowl of cereal as he continued, “I don’t want to be there with her, and neither does Sam.”
I understood his frustration. In fact, I felt the same, but there wasn’t much I could do about it.
It was Chad’s weekend, and, like it or not, they had to go.
It didn’t make it any less frustrating. He rarely spent time with the kids when we were together, but during the divorce, he did his best to portray ‘father of the year’ and pleaded for every other weekend and various holidays and summer break.
I wanted the kids to have a relationship with their father, so I agreed.
At the time, I had no way of knowing that he would pawn them off on Crissy—his personal secretary and new girlfriend.
It infuriated me, but there was little I could do.
The courts had granted him every other weekend, and I had no choice but to comply.
I wished I had some great words of wisdom for my precious son, but there were none to give. “I’m sorry, honey, but there’s not much I can do about that.”
“I wish he’d get hit by a bus.”
“Nathan,” I fussed. “Don’t say things like that.”
“Well, I do.” He gave me a disgruntled shrug. “He’s the worst.”
“Maybe so, but he loves you and wants to spend some time with you.” I feigned a smile as I suggested, “Maybe you could get him to take you shopping, and you could look for a new pair of jeans to replace the ones with the ripped pocket.”
“Maybe.”
“And you’ve been saying you needed a pair of new boots. Your sister could use a new pair, too.”
“New pair of what?” Samantha asked as she strolled into the kitchen.
“Boots and any other clothes you might need. I was thinking your dad could take you to do some shopping.” I’d already spent a small fortune on their back-to-school clothes.
It was only fair for Chad to pitch in with their fall clothes, so I told her, “You really need a jacket and maybe a couple of new hoodies, too.”
“I don’t like shopping with Dad,” Samantha whined. “He’s always fussin’ about how much stuff costs.”
“Well, things are expensive these days, especially when you’re buying for two growing kids.” I poured them each a glass of juice and carried it over to the table. “Regardless, it will give you a chance to spend some time with him.”
Neither of them responded. They just gave me one of their ‘whatever you say, Mom’ looks and started eating their breakfast. I watched them for a moment and couldn’t help but smile.
They’d grown up so fast. Nathan was twelve and was growing taller by the second.
He had a long, lean frame and a boyish charm that came and went depending on the day of the week.
He and his sister both had thick, curly chestnut-brown hair and the cutest little freckles on the bridge of their noses.
Samantha had just turned eleven and had a similar slim build to her brother, albeit a good bit shorter, and her bright, inquisitive eyes were a shade lighter, revealing an innocence that matched her age.
They were my heart and soul, and I couldn’t imagine loving them more.
I thought it might help for them to have something to look forward to, so I suggested, “We could grill out on Sunday when you get home and have a movie night?”
“Yeah, that’d be good.” Nathan stood and carried his bowl to the sink. “Hurry up, turd-head, or we’re gonna miss the bus.”
Samantha sighed dramatically, rolled her eyes, and grumbled as she picked up her bowl of cereal and took it over to the sink. “Today is going to be a long day.”
“But it’s Friday.” I stepped over to her and kissed her on the forehead. “You have a whole weekend to look forward to.”
“Yeah, I guess.” She forced a smile and started out of the kitchen. “I love you, Momma.”
“Love you, too, sweetie.”
Samantha grabbed her backpack from the floor and then darted outside to catch up with her brother.
Once they’d gotten on the bus, I rushed to my bedroom and changed clothes.
It was going to be a busy day at the salon, so I decided to wear my favorite pair of joggers and my tennis shoes.
I took a second to fix my hair and makeup before darting out the door.
After a quick stop for coffee, I pulled into the salon’s parking lot and headed towards the building.
I unlocked the door, and as soon as I stepped inside, I was hit with the familiar scent of lavender mixed with vanilla.
I inhaled a deep breath as I closed the door and made my way over to my station.
There wasn’t much to the place, but it was mine and I was pleased with the latest renovations. Where it was once cold and modern, it now had a rustic charm with comfy sofas, cedar beams across the ceiling, and large, welcoming windows that let the light filter through.
I loved all the earthy tones, exposed wood, and vintage barber chairs, but most of all, I loved the fact that my best friends, Keeley and Ryan, worked there with me. We’d met at cosmetology school, and even though they were both much younger, we’d hit it off from the very start.
As usual, I was the first one there, but I liked having a moment to myself. I used the time to sip on my coffee and mentally prepare, and with the day I had ahead, I was going to need it. I was organizing my station when the front door chimed, and Keeley stormed inside.
The normally bubbly red-headed bombshell didn’t say a word as she went over to the sofa and plopped down with a pitiful sigh.
Her eyes were puffy, and her cheeks were bright pink, and her bottom lip was quivering.
There was clearly something wrong, so I rushed over and sat down next to her. “Hey, are you okay?”
“No, I’m not.” She cleared her throat. “Far from it.”
“What’s going on?”
“Brandon is what’s going on.”
“What do you mean? What happened?”
“We broke up last night.”
“What?” I gasped. “But I thought things were going so good between you two.”
“I did, too.” She leaned her head back against the wall and closed her eyes. “But apparently, things have been going even better with his ex.”
“Oh, no.”
“Yeah.” She pressed her hands against her eyelids, trying in vain to keep the tears at bay. “I should’ve known better. I knew he wasn’t over her when we started talking. I should’ve never gone out with him.”
“This isn’t your fault.”
“But it is.” A single tear trickled down her face as she explained, “I always go for the wrong guy and end up getting my heart broken.”
“That’s because you have a big heart and always see the best in people.”
“I’m an idiot who thinks an issue isn’t really an issue until it smacks me right in the face—just like with Brandon.
” She wiped the tear from her cheek and shook her head.
“He was so handsome, and he had his life together, so I didn’t think it mattered that he’d just broken up with someone he’d been dating for six years. ”
I didn’t respond.
I just sat there and listened as she continued to vent, “The six years part should’ve been enough to make me walk away. I mean, seriously. Who dates someone that long? Brandon, that’s who. What a stupid jerk!”
“I know it hurts, but it sounds like you are better off without him.”
“Yeah, tell my heart that. For some reason, it’s not getting the memo.”
“It will. You’re just gonna have to give it some time.” I reached over and gave her a quick hug. “Why don’t you go across the street and get yourself a cup of coffee?”
“I have a client coming.”
“I’ll cover until you get back.” I stood, then offered her my hand and helped Keeley to her feet. “Now, get and grab me a mocha while you’re there.”
“Sure thing.” A soft smile slipped across her lips. “Thanks, Mags.”
“Anytime.”
I waited until Keeley walked out of the shop before going over to her station and prepping it for her client.
I’d pulled her foils when the door flew back open, and Ryan burst into the shop.
As usual, she was dressed to the nines. She had on a fitted black dress with knee-high boots, and her sun-kissed blonde hair was swooped up in a messy bun.
Her oversized hoop earrings started to swing when she made an abrupt stop and announced, “It’s official. Men are assholes.”
“So, you heard about Keeley and Brandon.”
“What?”
“She just found out that he’s messing around with his ex.”
“See!” She threw her arms up in the air. “Assholes!”
“Okay. What’s going on with you?”
“Remember how I thought Tony was going to propose last night?” She tossed her bag on the table and grumbled, “Well, it turns out that he had zero plans to ask me to marry him. Like, the thought hadn’t even crossed his mind.
How could it not have crossed his mind? We’ve been together for two years. What the hell is that?”
“Oh, honey. I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be. It’s my fault for getting my hopes up.” She let out a defeated breath. “I just thought we were in a different place, and it’s disappointing to find out that I was wrong.”
“I’m really sorry.”
“It’s all good. Some people just aren’t destined to be happy.” There was no missing the disappointment in her voice when she said, “Apparently, I’m one of those people.”
“No, you’re not. You just gotta give it time. I’m sure Tony will wise up and realize that he has a good thing with you.”
“If he hasn’t figured it out by now, I doubt he ever will.”
I understood her doubt. I’d felt it many times, before and after my divorce.
That’s what being cheated on does to a person.
It fills them with doubt. I doubted myself, my marriage, my entire life, and it killed my self-esteem.
It was one of the many reasons why I hadn’t gone on any dates since.
I simply wasn’t ready for another reason to doubt myself, so I steered clear of men.
Except for one night when I let myself get swept away—a night I would not soon forget.
I’d gone to the movies to watch a Star Wars marathon. I didn’t like Star Wars all that much, but it was Chad’s weekend with the kids, and I needed something to distract me.
And I found quite the distraction.
I was standing at the concession counter, waiting on my popcorn order, when a man came up next to me.
I glanced up at him, and my heart leaped to my throat.
He was unusually handsome—the kind of handsome that made me feel immediately insecure in my own appearance.
He was rugged, big, and broad in that sexy grab-me-and-throw-me-over-your-shoulder kind of way.
I felt an indescribable urge to run my hands through his reddish-brown hair and down across his thick beard.
I was hit with an unexpected flush of desire, which only grew worse when he cocked his head and raked his teeth over the corner of his bottom lip.
He was checking me out, and that was something I wasn’t used to.
In fact, I hadn’t had a man look at me like that in quite some time.
He spoke to me, but I didn’t hear what he said.
Not that it mattered. I was too flustered to even respond.
I took my popcorn and made a beeline for my movie.
I quickly found a seat and thought that would be the end of it, and I’d never see the handsome stranger again.
But just as the previews started to roll, he came into the theater and sat a few rows down from me.
We shared a few lingering glances, and before I even knew what was happening, he was following me into the women’s bathroom.
He locked the door, and everything from there was a heart-pulsing, desire-infused blur. It was amazing. Just thinking about it gave my stomach butterflies, and a part of me had hoped that this chance meeting was the beginning of something more.
But sadly, I hadn’t crossed paths with the handsome stranger since that night, and I feared I never would.
Maybe Ryan was right.
Some people simply aren’t destined to find their Mr. Right.