Chapter 7
We were finishing breakfast when the doorbell chimed.
I frowned at Gran across the table. “Are you expecting company?”
Gran shook her head, looking equally perplexed. “No. I wasn’t. Why don’t you go answer the door?”
I pulled my cardigan closed over my sleep tank top and shuffled my feet towards the door. Peeking through the glass, my heart kicked into overdrive. I pulled the door open and said, “Mrs. Williams.”
Standing on Gran’s front porch in her floral nightgown and dirt covered pink house slippers was Garrett’s mother. Her hair had fallen out of its braid and her blue eyes were frantic. “I can’t find Garrett. Have you seen him? He’s usually here with Lucy and her boyfriend.”
She paused, deep in thought, wringing her hands. “I think his name was Daniel. No, Derrik? Um…”
I swallowed and put a gentle hand on her shoulder. “David.”
“Yes.”
She pointed at me thankful I found the right name. “Yes, David. Garrett wasn’t in his room. I couldn’t find him.”
Mrs. Williams paced the porch, twisting her fingers as she walked.
I buttoned my cardigan and slipped my shoes on. “Gran, I’ll be right back.”
“No worries,”
she called back.
“Come on Mrs. Williams. Let’s take a little walk and we will get everything squared away.”
I ushered her down the stairs and directed us back towards her house.
“Thank you so much, Erica. Your daughter looks more like you with each passing day.”
My mom and I really had looked like one another, maybe that’s why dad had run off with a new woman after she passed. “Thank you, Mrs. Williams. We get that compliment often.”
“My son loves your daughter.”
Mrs. Williams shook her head with a faint smile. “David always was a man of action, whereas Garrett is a man of thought.”
My heart stuttered in my chest, but I did my best to play it cool. “Garrett will find himself a wonderful woman, just give him time.”
Mrs. Williams laughed as we made our way onto her street. “I don’t know. His eyes seem set on her. Maybe someday he will get his chance.”
My cheeks warmed as we walked up to her front door. Just then Garrett pulled into the drive in his police cruiser. “Maybe he will.”
“Lucy.”
Garrett breathed as he rushed out of the car. “Mom, what are you doing?”
Mrs. Williams studied Garrett for a long moment before placing a hand on his stubbled cheek. “Garrett? You’re all grown up.”
His eyes glistened as he watched his mother assess his face. “That I am. Thank you, Daze. That’s twice now you have saved the day, perhaps I should hire you on at the PD.”
I laughed and waved him off, trying very hard not to stare at the way his uniform hugged his toned body. “It was nothing. We just took a short walk, didn’t we Mrs. Williams?”
She turned to me and gasped. “Daze? Oh my. You’re Lucy. My goodness dear, you are as lovely as ever.”
I blushed and suddenly found a very interesting acorn at my feet. “Thank you. Well, now that you are all together, I should head back home.”
Garrett took his mother to Mr. Williams who was watching in the doorway with concern clouding his eyes. “Thank you, Lucy.”
I waved goodbye and turned to start walking back to Gran’s.
“Daze, wait up!”
Garrett called running to catch up to me.
God, was he beautiful. Those freckles, those bright eyes, that broad chest. I cleared my throat and said, “Yes?”
“Listen.”
He shuffled his feet, running a hand through his hair. “This is completely out of the blue, but if I can get my dad on board, would you be willing to watch my mom, I don’t have a scope of time frames or any particulars, but I would pay you. She is wandering more now, and she keeps finding you. I can’t help but think that’s a sign. She gets so agitated with everyone we have tried in the past.”
“She thought I was my mom,”
I whispered as I glanced up at him.
“Ah, that makes sense. You still look a lot like her.”
I blushed and pulled my sweater tight around my torso. “Thanks. Um, well, talk to your dad and discuss times. I would be happy to help however I can.”
Garrett tracked my movement and took in my clothes. “I see you still like Nightmare Before Christmas.”
He smiled as he glanced at my themed pajama pants.
Standing a little straighter, I huffed. “Nobody does Halloween quite like the Pumpkin King.”
Garrett laughed and tentatively tucked my hair behind my ear. “It’s good to know some things never change.”
The memory of us that night weeks after David’s funeral played without permission in my mind, forcing me to take step back and cross my arms over my chest. “Um, let me know how I can help your family.”
Confusion flashed across Garrett’s face, but he nodded. “Is your number still the same, Daze?”
“Yeah, it is.”
I smiled and turned to leave.
“I’ll message you tonight, then,”
He called after me.
I raised my thumb in the air, not daring to turn back around. “Looking forward to it.”
How on earth was I going to work for him if my body kept having these reactions to being around him? Well, he would just be paying me, but I’d be working with his parents. That was better, right? Honestly, the times might not work out, so really there was no point in worrying. Yet.
I was about to turn onto my street when a flashy red Porsche drove by and screeched to a halt. “Bitch,”
Mae yelled through the passenger window. “I was on my way to your Gran’s house to kidnap you. Now, you’re just making things way too easy! Get in!”
Laughing, I climbed into the flashy car. “Good morning, Mae. How are you?”
“Uh uh! You’re out here doing the walk of shame? Get it, girl! I want all the details.”
She wiggled her eyebrows with excitement as we drove to Gran’s.
I threw my head back and laughed. “You are about to be so disappointed. Garrett’s mom showed up at Gran’s looking for Garrett. We had just woken up and were having breakfast. I hadn’t had a chance to get dressed yet.”
Mae deflated for a moment before perking up with a thought. “Tell me Garrett was there.”
Shaking my head, I looked out the window to hide my blush. “He may have made an appearance and offered me a job.”
Mae pulled into Gran’s drive and put the car in park. “There it is! I knew this day would come and I’m so glad I was here to get the story firsthand before the neighborhood biddies.”
I turned and glared at her but ultimately ended up blushing as a smile spread across my face. “Stop. I can’t be interested in Garrett and vice versa.”
Mae had opened her door just to shut it and turn towards me. “And why, pray tell, can’t you?”
“I just lost David. The girls would freak out, and no self-respecting man in his late thirties wants to date a woman with three wild children.”
“Please. If you walked up to that man with five kids and three dogs and said take me out, he would fall to his knees and worship the ground you walk on.”
Mae shook her head and smirked. “He’s had it bad for you since the beginning. I can’t believe you didn’t know.”
I rolled my eyes and exited the vehicle, Mae close on my heels. “We were always just friends, Mae.”
It was her turn to roll her eyes. “You know denial isn’t just a river in Egypt, Lu.”
Denial was the only way I kept shoving down the toe-curling kiss we shared at the most inappropriate time in our lives. “What was your plan for us today?”
Mae beamed. “Well, once you get dressed, I thought I would take you all to the park and then get pizza at Marco’s. Honestly, I’m just thrilled my best friend is back and I wanted an excuse to catch up, so go put a bra on and let’s get this party started!”
Ice shot through my veins as I looked down and sure enough, I was not wearing a bra. I had walked Mrs. Williams back without a bra. I had talked to Garrett…Garrett! Without a bra. At least I’d had my cardigan on. Hopefully that had been enough to hide it. Groaning, I threw my head back and mumbled to the universe, “Fuck me.”
Mae laughed. “Nah, I’ll save that for Garrett.”
“Mae,”
I grumbled as I opened the door. “I swear to God.”
Mae grinned and patted my shoulder. “Come on, Tits McGee, you’re burnin’ daylight. Let’s go! Hi, Gran.”
She waltzed into Gran’s house like she belonged there, and everyone started chatting. Rushing up the stairs, I threw my hair into a high ponytail and changed into jeans, a bra, and an oversized sweater.
Feet thundered up the stairs as the girls pulled Mae towards the bathroom that held Garfield.
“You should have seen Mom,”
Kaley said with huge eyes and a wide grin. “She climbed the tree and got him down. Garrett caught her when she fell on the last step.”
Mae wiggled her eyebrows at me as I stepped into the hallway. “I bet he did.”
I sighed and threw my hands to my hips. “I would have been fine.”
“You would have landed on your butt,”
Eve mumbled, laughing as she opened the bathroom door. Garfield practically sprinted out of the small room.
“Well, I guess he was ready for an adventure.”
Mae chuckled as she watched the orange ball of fur trying to decide what to make of the stairs.
Kaley chased after him, only sending the kitten into an even bigger state of frenzy. He bolted down the stairs with my five-year-old right on his tail. Her giggles carried through the house, and I couldn’t help but smile.
“Kaley!”
Eve shouted from the balcony. “You’re going to traumatize it! Stop!”
Mae grinned, crossing her arms over her chest. “Oh, I love your family. Chaos as it should be. Let’s get the babe and head out.”
We all piled into my Subaru, and I have honestly never seen someone look so out of place as Mae did in her designer black glitter hoodie and hot pink and black Doc Martens. If she felt uncomfortable, she didn’t show it, she just joined right in, singing Disney songs with the girls and tickling Liam’s nose.
Mae never specified a playground, so I drove to the one at the base of Whispering Spring’s popular mountain trail. As we exited the car, Kaley sprinted to the jungle gym. Eve grabbed a book out of her backpack and made a beeline for the multicolored hammock next to the swing set.
“Something for everyone.”
Mae nodded with a smile, watching the girls find their desired spaces. “Eve is just like you were.”
“Don’t I know it.”
I chuckled, shaking my head. We walked to the metal bench and sat with Liam. “Let me tell you, parenting yourself is not for the faint of heart.”
Mae smiled as she blew raspberries at Liam. He giggled and reached for her. She looked to me for permission.
“You don’t have to ask, Mae.”
I placed Liam on her lap and the two started babbling back and forth.
“I’m barren.”
The way she said it was matter of fact, but the statement hit me hard.
“Mae-”
She shook her head and smiled at Liam, her eyes losing a bit of their brightness from before. “My doctor wants to perform a hysterectomy next month. I’m only thirty, Luce. I have endometriosis that has consumed everything. My partner and I have been trying for the last year. I finally went in and asked questions and dammit, I hate the answers. I think I would have been a great mom.”
She hugged Liam to her chest. He grabbed a handful of her hair and went to put it in his mouth.
I carefully pried her hair from his grip and said, “You would have been a fantastic mother, Mae. And maybe someday you can adopt. I know it’s not the same, but there is hope if your partner is open to that.”
Mae swallowed and nodded, watching Kaley scale the monkey bars. “He is. It’s more than that, though. My parents will disown me if they find out who I am dating. I’m a grown woman. That shouldn’t scare me like it does, but I’m a pre-k teacher. Do you know their annual salary? My trust fund is a great comfort, but I’m supposed to marry from a list my dad has in his office within the next five years. Ugh, I’m sorry to unload on you.”
I threw my arm over her shoulder and looked at Eve swaying in the hammock as she read her book and mouthing the lyrics to the song that was playing from her headphones. “You can always vent to me. I know we haven’t seen each other in years, but I’ve always been here.”
Liam reached for his sippy cup in the diaper bag, leaning over Mae’s lap. I smiled and handed him the cup. “I kissed Garrett two weeks after David’s death.”
Mae sputtered and turned to me in shock. “I’m sorry, can you repeat that? I think I had a stroke and didn’t hear you properly.”
I rolled my eyes and bumped her shoulder with mine. “You heard me.”
“I would like every single detail please.”
Mae bounced Liam on her knee, green eyes staring at me eagerly waiting for the story.
“Fine, but it was a lapse in judgement. We were both grieving and it…it was an accident.”
“Would you shut up and just tell me please?”
Two weeks after the funeral
The doorbell rang as I laid Liam in his bassinet. Glancing down at my spit up covered robe, I sighed and shuffled my feet toward the door. My eyes were sandpaper from crying all day. The girls had fallen asleep in my bed again. The bed I couldn’t stand to look at.
Quickly, I threw my hair into what I hoped resembled a ponytail and opened the door.
I don’t know who I expected, but nothing could have prepared me for Garrett to be standing before me. His blue eyes bloodshot, brown curls a mess.
“Daze.”
He breathed before reaching out and pulling me into his arms.
I stiffened, only briefly, until his strong arms wrapped around me, and his hands gently rubbed my back. That was when the dam holding the tears at bay broke and I shattered against his chest. I think that was the permission he needed to cry as well, because we fell to our knees in the foyer and cried in each other’s arms until there was nothing left to cry.
We eventually peeled ourselves off the floor and made it to the couch.
“I would have been here sooner, but my mom.”
He shook his head. “Her memory is fading, and she keeps leaving the house. I’m sorry, Lucy. God, I’m so sorry.”
“My brothers just left Monday. It’s okay. We weren’t alone.”
I stared absently at the wall of our family pictures. “Liam, he, he will never know his dad. I can’t believe he’s gone. He was our everything. I loved him, Garrett.”
He pulled me into his arms and held me as my breathing shook. “I know. He was a great man, and a great dad.”
“We were t-boned and crashed into a tree. We were leaving a restaurant after Eve’s soccer game. It was a hit and run. David died on impact. The girls and I were transported to the hospital. God, I was stuck there due to trauma to my abdomen. I only just got back home after giving birth. Brett watched the girls for me. It’s been the worst nightmare, and I keep hoping I’ll wake up. I just want to wake up and David to be next to me, holding my hand, being here for our kids. But he’s gone. He’s gone and he isn’t coming back. The girls were there. They will always have that night in their memory, and I can’t save them from that pain. I can’t take it away, Garrett. If it hurts this bad for me, it must be unbearable for them.”
Garrett was silent as he let me process everything. His hands ran slowly up and down my arms, and we eventually just sat in silence together.
Time passed immeasurably and Garrett finally said, “Do you remember that time you locked yourself out of your car and David and I came to do God knows what, neither one of us had a clue how to break into a car.”
I smiled at the memory. “You two broke my freaking window.”
“David tried so hard to get that hanger unwound and through the seal.”
Garrett chuckled.
“My dad was pissed.”
I grinned and wiped the dampness from my eyes. Mom had just passed, and Dad’s temper was short.
“I didn’t think we were going to leave your house in one piece when he caught us.”
Garrett squeezed my shoulder.
“Oh my gosh! Do you remember when we snuck out that one night and jumped into your grandpa’s pond in the middle of winter? David swore it wouldn’t be that cold.”
“He fucking lied. We all almost got hypothermia.”
Garrett’s chest shook with quiet laughter.
I leaned into his warmth and closed my eyes. “I still wear extra layers in the winter just to fight off that feeling of numb fingers and toes.”
“There was never a dull moment with him.”
Garrett leaned his cheek against the top of my head. “Do you need anything? What can I do to help?”
I sighed, keeping my eyes closed. “This is enough. We are set financially. Right now, we just need to focus on finding our new normal.”
Garrett’s fingers found my chin and turned my face up towards his. Those blue eyes piercing mine, his thumb making small circles against my cheek. “Are you sure?”
My heart raced in my chest as I mechanically nodded. “I’m sure.”
Garrett nodded, but didn’t release me. He just kept rubbing those circles on my cheek with his calloused hand. Whether it was sleep deprivation, emotional exhaustion or a pure lapse in control, I leaned into his touch until our noses were practically touching and our breath collided with one another’s. He didn’t back away and I didn’t stop to think, I simply closed my eyes and leaned further in.
Our lips met and warmth spread through me as his hand moved to cup my cheek and caress my skin. Garrett kissed me with tenderness as his tongue slowly traced my lips and I all but forgot who and where I was.
“Momma,”
Kaley called from the stairs, sending a burst of realization through both of us. Like same sided magnets, we pushed away from each other to opposite sides of the couch, both breathing heavily.
“I’m so sorry.”
I shot from the couch and went to Kaley.
“I thought I heard Daddy,”
Kaley cried as she rushed down the stairs into my arms. “I miss Daddy.”
Her voice broke as she said it and brought a new wave of tears streaming down my cheeks. I scooped her up in my arms and carried her back to bed. She begged me to sing her to sleep, and by the time I made my way back downstairs, Garrett was gone, but a package was left on the coffee table.
Gathering what strength I had left and allowing the guilt to wash over me, I opened the box and found David’s old jersey, a bottle of wine, and pictures of the three of us through the years.
The tears didn’t stop that night, even when I laid my head down and tried to sleep.
Present Day
“Wow.”
Mae set Liam down on his blanket. “See? I knew he liked you! That man has never had a long-term girlfriend. If you ask me, I think it’s always been you for him.”
“I can’t believe that’s what you got from that story.”
I fidgeted with Liam’s teething ring and watched a leaf blow across the pavement. “I am not girlfriend material. Hell, I don’t even know that I could allow myself to love again. I don’t think I could survive another loss.”
“Loss is a part of life, Luce.”
Mae placed her hand on my knee as she said it. Regardless, the words still stung.
“Well, it’s not fucking fair.”
“Amen to life not being fair.”
Mae leaned her head on my shoulder, and we sat together watching my kids be their own humans in the same space. “Are you coming to girls’ night next week?”
“I don’t know, it depends on if I start working for Garrett to watch his mom and what those times look like.”
“I bet if you offered him another kiss, he’d let you have any day off you asked for.”
Mae laughed as she reached for Liam, tickling his belly.
I blushed and turned my gaze to the clear blue sky above us. “Yes, because that’s how I want to start off at my new job, a manipulative kiss and a request for time off in the first week. No, thank you.”
“I think you are overthinking it.”
Mae glanced at me before turning to make silly faces at Liam until he giggled and bounced in place on his blanket.
We eventually came to an agreed upon time to leave and head to lunch. We piled into the car, warm and refreshed from the hours spent at the park with no expectations and no rush. The girls were quiet, and I knew if I simply drove for a few extra minutes, they would fall fast asleep.
I pulled into the parking lot of Marco’s just to find Kaley’s eyes closing as she laid her head on the edge of Liam’s seat.
Eve yawned and nudged Kaley awake. “Pizza time,”
she mumbled.
Kaley grumbled as she crawled out of the car, raising her arms to me to carry her.
I smiled at her, patting her shoulder. “You’ve got to walk, hon. I need to get Liam.”
“You get her, and I’ll get Liam,”
Mae chimed in providing her best of both worlds’ solution.
I picked up Kaley and hefted her onto my hip as we all made our way inside and found a seat.
We had just placed our orders when raised voices and hysterical tears caught our attention. The entire dining room went quiet.
“You cheating son of a bitch!”
Salad went flying as a bleach blonde woman threw her bowl at the man in front of her.
“And you wonder why,”
he grumbled, brushing the lettuce leaves off his suit jacket.
“Oh my god,”
I whispered to Mae who was already trying to cover her grin. “Is that Markus and Loralai?”
Mae bit her lip to keep from laughing and nodded. “I swear they do this at least twice a year.”
I couldn’t help the chuckle that left my chest and shook my head. “They have been doing this since high school. Why on earth are they still together?”
Mae lost all composure when Markus threw his napkin onto the table and made to leave, only to be pulled back by Loralai. She gripped the lapels of his shirt and looked up at him with mascara running down her cheeks and eyes wide as she cried, “Don’t you love me anymore?”
Eve frowned at the scene. “What on earth is wrong with them?”
Mae chuckled and bounced Liam on her knee. “I think it’s how they keep the passion alive.”
Eve sneered and grabbed a garlic roll. “I hope I never fall in love.”
The comment startled me as I peered around Kaley and stared at my teenager completely baffled by her proclamation.
The bell on the door rang as someone entered, Markus and Loralai turned, both deflating and grimacing as they took in the newcomer.
“Afternoon,”
that warm, smooth voice washed over me before true realization hit. “Mark. Lore. How are ya, now?”
Mae squeezed her lips together and watched with mirth. I turned in my seat and watched as the couple tipped their heads toward Garrett and mumbled incoherently.
Garrett shook his head, fighting a smile of his own when our eyes caught and that smile broke free, causing my heart to sputter. “Daze, Mae. Enjoying your dinner theater?”
Kaley snuggled into my lap and laid her head on my shoulder, yawning around the garlic roll in her mouth.
Mae grinned. “It wouldn’t be a true dining experience without a little drama. Want to join us? We could make room.”
My eyes went wide. I kicked her under the table. She just laughed.
“Nah, I’ve got to get back to the station. I’m just picking up my lunch and checking on a disturbance of the peace notice I just received.”
He eyed Markus and Loralai. “But it looks like everything is in order.”
Markus placed money on the table, grabbed his wife’s hand and proceeded to do the walk of shame out the front door.
As they left, it was as if the entire restaurant let out a breath, and everyone broke out into laughter. Mae set Liam in his booster and went to help the waitress clean up the thrown salad.
Garrett shook his head and made his way to the counter.
Have you ever seen a man who was just all man? Tall, firm, with the perfect ass in form fitting pants? Garrett was the prime example of why women go feral for men in unform. The utility belt that shifted with each step did nothing to help the allure.
“Why are you looking at him like that?”
Eve asked as she frowned and bit into her roll.
I sputtered as a blush crept up my neck. “I’m not. I wasn’t,”
I trailed off as Garrett’s eyes met mine and his knowing smirk showed I was the worst liar to ever exist.
“I’ll talk to you tonight, Daze.”
Garrett winked as he left with his lunch and I’m fairly certain it was at that moment my soul left my body.
“Why are you seeing him tonight?”
Eve stared at me ignoring the pizza as it was placed in the center of our table.
Mae returned and took a slice from the pan. “Ooo, what did I miss?”
She took a huge bite, dismissing any preconceived notions that her financial status affected her behavior.
I grabbed a slice of pizza and started cutting tiny pieces for Liam. “Nothing. Garrett just wants to talk tonight to discuss the position.”
Mae gasped with a sly smile. “Which position? The one helping his mom or the one where you’re under-“
“Mae!”
I glared, glancing at Eve.
She grimaced and took another bite. “Sorry.”
I sighed, adjusting Kaley who was now asleep with a roll in one hand and the other wrapped around my shoulder. “I might work for him to help take care of his mom,”
I explained to Eve as I handed Liam his food.
I don’t think that made Eve feel any more comfortable with me spending time with Garrett, but she nodded and silently ate her pizza.
Mae gave me an apologetic glance as we all ate in a rather awkward silence. Honestly, if I needed any kind of reminder that I shouldn’t be thinking about attractive men, this was it. But knowing what his lips felt like against mine, how it felt like we fit together perfectly, well, that lived rent free in my mind.
It was nearly two when we returned to Gran’s. Liam was passed out in his car seat, holding his teddy bear to his chest as he snored. Kaley shuffled her tired feet as she and Eve made their way inside.
“I’m sorry I overstepped,”
Mae said as she stared at Liam in my arms. “I wasn’t thinking about how it would affect the girls.”
I shook my head and offered what I was hoping was a comforting smile as I whispered. “I’m pretty sure Eve expects me to become a nun and take a vow of celibacy from here on out. And truthfully, there is a part of me that feels that I should do that. Like am I dishonoring David’s memory by finding our best friend from school attractive? Am I a horrible person?”
I shrugged and leaned my cheek on Liam’s head, his short hair tickled my nose. “Maybe.”
Mae gripped my elbow, forcing me to pause. “There is nothing wrong with finding love again, Lucy.”
“You don’t even know that we would find love together, Mae. There are too many moving parts here. I just want to drop it, please.”
She dropped her hand and nodded. “You’re right. I’m sorry. It’s dropped. After you have spoken with your new boss, would you like to come over for movie night? Allison asked that we do an impromptu sleep over.”
“I don’t know.”
I shifted Liam in my arms. He let out a quite snore with the movement. “I’ll let you know after I hear from Garrett.”
Mae gave me finger guns as she entered her car. “Thanks for today. It was a lot of fun!”
I give her the sign language sign for I love you, so I wouldn’t shout and wake up Liam. She blew me a kiss as she pulled out of the driveway.
The house was quiet as I entered. Gran put her fingers to her lips and pointed upstairs to where I assumed the girls had gone. I tip toed with Liam up to our room and laid him down. Peering through the open door of the girls’ room, I found them snuggled together on Eve’s bed with their eyes closed. Pulling out my phone, I snapped a quick picture of something that probably wouldn’t happen again for a long time.
I found Gran outside, sipping her tea on the porch swing.
“Looks like you had a busy morning.”
Gran smiled as she swung, the creases around her eyes deepened with the expression.
“It was actually pretty relaxing. We went to the park for a few hours and had Marco’s for lunch.”
I took a seat in the rocking chair, leaning my head back and closing my eyes.
Time passed immeasurably. Gran eventually went inside, and I got lost in the soft sounds of the birds flying by and the wind rustling the crisp leaves in the trees. My breathing slowed and the pent-up tension left my body as I rocked. I forgot how peaceful Gran’s front porch could be.
It all came to a startling halt when tires crunched the driveway gravel and Brett’s kids came barreling towards the door.
“I have come to collect your children for movies and a weenie roast,”
Brett announced as he made his way up the porch steps.
“They will love that. Are you sure you want all of them? Six is a lot of tiny humans.”
I winced as I heard something crash and Gran scolding Hayden and Kaley.
Brett scratched the back of his neck but grinned so wide his dimples popped. “Yeah, I’ve got a projector on the patio and the kids can run rampant until they wear themselves out. It’ll be great. I even have a tent and sleeping bags out in case they want to have a camp out.”
I smiled as I stood and wrapped my arms around his waist. “You’re a good guy, Brett.”
He hugged me back and sighed. “Tell that to Hannah, will you?”
“How long have you been separated?”
I asked hoping it wasn’t crossing a line.
“Four months,”
he grunted as he released me.
“Do you want to fix things?”
We started to walk inside, saw the children running to the backyard and thought better of the decision, choosing to sit on the swing instead.
Brett took a long, shaky breath. “I do. The thing is, I don’t think she does. I fucked up, Lu. I own that. I swear I do, but fuck, sorry isn’t enough.”
I rested my hand on his knee, noting the tear that escaped and ran down his cheek. “May I ask what happened?”
Brett dropped his face into his hands and groaned. “There was a man who was working with Hannah. They had gotten close. They were texting all the time, and it was ultimately harmless. They’d get lunch once a week and.”
He paused and took a deep breath. “I looked at her texts one night and he admitted to having feelings for her. I pretended not to have seen anything but stormed into their office the next day. I got in his face and started yelling. They called security on me. I swear I saw the moment she gave up on us. But, I’m not blameless. My company took off this year. I’ve had business trip after business trip. I’ve been absent, Lu. Even if she had been having an affair, which she wasn’t, who could blame her? She was alone and it was my fault.”
I leaned on his shoulder and let him process. I had no words to offer him. His emotion stunned me, so opposite from his usual demeanor.
“I made the call to work remote for the foreseeable future to be more present. I just don’t think she’s ready, to, to, I don’t know what. I don’t know what’s next, but I want us back. I love her, Lu.”
“I know,”
I whispered as I hugged his shoulders, only to laugh. “God, Brett. If you get any bigger, I won’t be able to give you a proper hug. Do you live at the gym now?”
“Hey, there are worse coping skills. It could be drugs. It helps that Josh owns the gym in town. I can go anytime I want.”
We laughed and Gran chimed in saying, “Thank the good Lord it isn’t drugs. Your Hayden would burn my house down, given enough time.”
I looked at Brett, eyes bulging and we broke into hysterics.
“Ain’t that the truth.”
Brett shook his head and let out a loud whistle. “Alright crew, load up. Last one in the car has to do dishes tonight!”
I helped the girls pack up after making sure that they really did want to go. Eve agreed as long as she could bring her books. Kaley danced around the room, talking about all the smores she was going to make.
They grabbed their bags, gave Garfield some goodbye kisses and sprinted to Brett’s van. I went upstairs and retrieved Liam from his crib, gathering his diaper bag and blanket.
Elle pointed at us from her seat in the van. “Aw, Liam got dish duty. Daddy, how is a baby gonna do dishes?”
“Liam can’t do dishes,”
Kaley argued as she frowned at Elle.
Eve rolled her eyes. “Hayden was the last big kid in the car.”
“This sucks,”
Hayden kicked the seat in front of him.
“Don’t kick my seat, butthead!”
Alex turned to shout at Hayden.
“Don’t yell at your brother,”
Brett huffed and reached for Liam. “Enjoy your night, Lu. We are going to have a great night.”
I raised a questioning brow and laughed. “I sincerely hope that for you. If you need me to rescue you, I’m a phone call and four blocks away.”
“Won’t happen.”
Brett secured Liam and climbed into the driver’s seat. “By Gran. We’ll be back tomorrow!”
I smiled and waved at the girls, Eve’s expression did nothing to hide the fact that she was suddenly questioning her decision. I chuckled and sent her a quick text.
Text me if you need anything.
Three bubbles danced before her response chimed in.
Headphones and a weekend on a remote island.
I laughed and typed back: Best I can do is a night with just the two of us.
A picture of Kaley sticking her tongue out while Hayden reached around Alex’s seat to stick his finger in his brother’s ear and Elle with her hands covering her ears pinged.
You owe me more than one night.
Two nights? I reply
She left me on read and all I could do was hope she has some fun. I took a deep breath and headed inside, deciding now was a great time to have a date with the clawfoot bathtub in my ensuite.