22. Hattie
TWENTY-TWO
Hattie
“So you fucked the nanny?” Tilly asks over drinks at Teddy’s.
“T! Some class, please?” Lina scolds her.
“My bad, so you had sexual relations with the nanny?” Tilly laughs. “How the fuck do you class that up? And unrelated, but when was this?”
“Why does that matter?” I raise an eyebrow as I sip my beer.
“There might be money on it,” Tilly admits, looking nervously at Lina.
“Are you kidding me!?” I say a little too loudly. “You two bet on when I’d sleep with Emmy!?”
“Well, no,” Tilly says. “We bet on when you’d fuck the nanny.”
“In my defense, I was betting that you wouldn’t do it,” Lina adds, but I glare at her. Even my friends are betting against me.
“Ha! You’re just mad because you probably lost.” Tilly laughs, then turns to me. “So, was it last night?”
“You two are unbelievable,” I groan, putting my head down on the bar table. But I can feel their eyes on me, so I sigh, “Yes, it was last night.”
“Ha!” Tilly exclaims at the same time Lina groans.
“Did you guys at least talk about what it might mean?” Lina asks.
“Well…” I wince, raising my head enough to see their disapproving looks.
“Hattie!” they both exclaim.
“It isn’t like I ghosted her…But I might have left this morning when she was still sleeping.” My friends make faces. “What? I didn’t know what to do, I didn’t know what it meant, and I had work!”
“So, you’re going home later and hoping she’ll already be asleep?” Lina guesses.
“Well, when you say it like that, it sounds like I’m some kind of player,” I say.
“Well…” Tilly winces.
“I’m not a player! I just don’t know what the hell to do.
I don’t want anyone to get hurt, especially Ollie.
He has so much going on right now with Christopher coming back into his life and Benny passing.
I don’t want to spring a new relationship on him, especially one with someone he cares so much about.
” I take the last few sips of my beer and put the empty bottle back on the table.
“So why not just tell her that?” Tilly asks. Lina and I face her in shock. “What? I can be insightful.”
“Tell her what?” I ask.
“Exactly what you just said. Maybe tell her you like hooking up with her, you like her, but you have to put Ollie first. She’s his nanny; it’s not like she won’t understand that.
Half my shit with Bells was just us not owning our own crap and dancing around the truth.
But that gets you nowhere.” Tilly sips her beer while Lina and I look at each other, impressed.
We knew Tilly had a soft side, but it isn’t something we see too often.
“What if she quits?” I ask.
“Then you’re saving you and Ollie the pain of extending that. If he’s attached now and it’s barely been a month, imagine how he would feel months from now. Isn’t it better to get it out of the way now?” Lina says, offering a comforting smile.
“Hey all, what did I miss?” Bells joins the table with a fresh round of beers, kissing Tilly on the lips and taking the open seat she was saving for her.
“Hattie fucked the nanny,” Tilly says, taking one of the new beers.
I grab one too and groan, “I didn’t fuck the nanny. I just might have had sex with her…”
“Is that not the same thing?” Bells asks, laughing. God, she and Tilly are perfect for each other; it’s annoying.
“What? Did you not place a bet on this?” I glare at Bells.
“Um, no?” She looks confused, then at Tilly, “Babe! Did you bet on her love life?!”
“Well, uh…” Tilly turns bright red.
“She did, her and Lina,” I tell Bells, hoping she’ll defend me.
“Guys! I know I’m new to the group, but I feel like betting on our friends should be frowned upon,” Bells says.
“Yes, I agree. I didn’t think it needed to be said, but here we are.” I roll my eyes.
“So, what are you going to do?” Bells asks, curiously.
“I don’t know. I sort of snuck out, and now I’m afraid to go back home. It was just really good, and I don’t know if I can tell her it can’t happen again.” I sigh.
“Wait, now I’m lost. If the sex is good, why can’t you have it again?” Bells asks.
“Because of Ollie. I don’t wanna mess with someone stable in his life,” I explain.
“That sounds like an excuse to me.” Bells sips her beer while Lina and Tilly look at her wide-eyed.
“Excuse me?” I ask, thinking maybe I misheard her.
“It sounds like you’re using Ollie as an excuse for not being with the hot nanny. Which is lame because you deserve to be happy too,” Bells says as if it’s obvious.
“The hot nanny?” Tilly makes a face at Bells.
“Oh, what? I have eyes. I can appreciate a beautiful woman, even if it doesn’t mean anything,” Bells says, reassuring Tilly with a kiss.
“Unfortunately, she’s right. It’s not like you’re someone who is constantly dating and Ollie can’t handle it. He’s seven; he’s never even known you to go on a date with someone,” Lina points out.
“And who says you have to tell him right away?” Tilly asks.
“Well, I guess I just thought it would be tough to hide with her living in my house.” I shrug.
“Kids are perceptive,” Bells says.
“Especially Ollie,” Lina adds.
“I can’t think about this anymore; my brain is too tired,” I groan again.
“I’d tell you to go home and sleep it off, but I think you’re avoiding that too,” Lina teases.
“Ugh,” I grumble. “I’m going pee.”
I don’t really have to go, but I need a moment by myself where I don’t have to talk about this.
I really hoped my friends would just tell me what to do, but I should’ve known better.
Benny was the only one who would tell me what to do.
Bells reminded me of her just now, with the way she told it like it was.
That’s exactly how Benny was with me. Maybe I am just overthinking this whole thing.
Maybe Emmy doesn’t want to hook up again, or maybe she doesn’t want a relationship.
I have no idea…because I keep not talking to her about it.
Sighing, I know they are right. I need to talk to Emmy.
As much as I want to figure this out, I can’t do it without her.
I glance at my Apple Watch and realize it is already after eleven; she won’t be awake, not after a full day with Ollie.
I guess I will have to talk to her in the morning.
“You don’t like baseball?” Bells asks, glancing at the game Tilly’s watching.
Lina makes a disgusted face. “No, my ex used to play. I try not to keep up with my ex’s lives.”
“Wait, your ex played Major League Baseball?” Tilly’s eyes move from the game to Lina. This is news to all of us.
“Yeah.” Lina shrugs. “What? It’s not a big deal. It was a long time ago; they were good, they got drafted, and we broke up.”
“Shit.” Bells frowns.
“Wait, what team did they play for?” Tilly asks.
“I don’t wanna say, I don’t like talking about it.” Lina looks at me uncomfortably.
“Okay, let’s change the subject. Bells, how is the orchard doing?” I ask.
“Good! The masquerade party brought in a lot of money, and the Fall Festival brought in even more,” she says proudly.
“With our projections, Halloween weekend is supposed to double that,” Tilly adds. Lina and I glance her way in surprise. “Bells has been teaching me the lingo.”
“Figured my business partner should be able to speak about what we have going on. Tilly really has a mind for it; my old company would’ve been lucky to have her,” Bells praises.
“Wow, look at you go.” I clink my beer to Tilly’s.
“Our own Elle Woods.” Lina holds her beer up.
“I thought Elle was a lawyer.” Tilly looks at Lina, confused.
“Well, I don’t see many movies made about people owning orchards; I thought it was close enough.” Lina laughs.
My laugh stops as I glance at the front door and see Christopher walking in with his new wife, Crystal. I hope he doesn’t see me, but the next second he’s beelining to our table. I suck in a deep breath and take a long sip of my beer, only wishing I had ordered something stronger.
“Seriously, Hattie?” Christopher says angrily.
“Hello, Christopher, fancy seeing you here. Can I help you with something?” I say, gritting my teeth.
“Who the hell is this guy?” Lina asks, not having the pleasure of running into him yet.
“Where the hell is our son?” Christopher answers, ignoring Lina.
“He’s at home with his nanny, in bed sleeping, I presume,” I say calmly.
“You’re kidding me, right? I can’t have my son, but you can leave him with the nanny whenever you want to go partying with your friends?” he scoffs. Crystal tries grabbing his arm to rein him in, but he pulls out of her grip.
Tilly looks like she wants to punch him in the face, and as much as I’d love to see her deck him, I shake my head at her. Sighing, I try to compose myself before answering.
“I’m perfectly entitled to have a drink with my friends, Christopher. I didn’t leave him home alone, nor am I ‘partying’. I’m having two beers with my best friends for the first time in months,” I explain, even though I know I shouldn’t have to.
“It’s a fucking joke, Harriett,” he says.
“Honestly, I’m perfectly in my rights.” I stare him down, letting him know I’m not intimidated by him in any way.
“I told you we can go through the courts if you’re going to keep him from me. Why wasn’t I contacted to watch him before paying the nanny?” he asks angrily.
“Because you’re not someone I trust alone with him yet.
And yes, if you’d like to revisit that court idea?
It recently came to my attention that we should go down that route.
I’d be entitled to child support for the last seven years.
” I tilt my head. “What do you think? Maybe let the mother of your child enjoy one night out?”
His face turns red, a mix of embarrassment and anger. He opens his mouth twice, but nothing comes out; instead, he grabs Crystal’s hand and storms out of the bar. Tilly, Lina, and Bells are whooping and cheering for me the second he’s gone.
“God, I just wanted to punch that guy,” Tilly grumbles.
“Well, Hattie just took him out with her words,” Bells says in amazement.
“That was badass. I haven’t seen a man look that scared in forever.” Lina claps.
“We need to buy you a round of shots for that. A takedown like that needs to be celebrated.” Bells rushes to the bar before I can protest.
“I take it that asshat was Ollie’s dad?” Lina asks.
“Oh yes, and unfortunately that’s how he usually is with me.” I sigh.
“Well, it’s clear Ollie didn’t get anything from him. Any chance he’s not the father?” Tilly jokes.
“No, unfortunately, the list of men I’ve slept with is short,” I say.
“You mean fortunately.” Tilly winks.
“Let’s go! I’ve gotten a round of whiskey because we go big or go home!” Bells places the shots in the middle of the table, and we shrug.
We all took a cab here together, so it isn’t like we are driving. Plus, I need something to calm my nerves after Christopher. I don’t want him ruining my buzz or trying to tell me what kind of parent I should be.