Right With Me - Stacey Lewis Page 0,38
can reach. “Although,” she muses, “I guess it’s better than doing just a movie. At least you can talk during dinner.” Looking off to some unknown point, she continues. “I’m trying to think, have I ever met Hailey? Since she grew up I mean. She was such a pretty little girl, and a pretty teenager too.”
The woman is baiting me, and I know it, but I go along with it anyway. “She’s still beautiful. I don’t remember her from when I was younger, but she’s definitely the prettiest woman I’ve ever seen.”
The smile Mom gives me is wide, and so bright it could power the sun. “Good! So, tell me all about her.” She’s settling in for the long haul, but I’m hungry, my food is getting cold, and I don’t want to dissect my date with my mother.
“Mom,” I groan. “How bout this? If it goes further than just last night, I’ll bring her over and you can see for yourself how great she is. Okay?”
She looks scandalized. “If? What do you mean if? You didn’t ask her out again last night when you dropped her off? Did you at least talk to her this morning?”
Before I can answer, my dad’s voice comes from the kitchen and sounds like he has a mouth full of food. “Woman, leave the boy alone. He was married for Christ’s sake. I think he knows how to woo a female without your assistance.”
I try, I really do, but I can’t keep from laughing at the scowl and glare she gives the empty doorway. When he doesn’t come into the dining room, she gets up and goes to him and I listen to them bicker back and forth while I finish my lunch. Hearing them argue good-naturedly brings back so many memories of my childhood, and that’s exactly what I need today.
Chapter 20
Hailey
It’s been a week since the best date I’ve ever had, but aside from some very hot looks he’s given me during pick up this week and a couple of texts exchanged, I haven’t spent any time with him. I shouldn’t feel like I’m going through withdrawals, but I do. The whole thing is so crazy.
His wife “had” to bring the kids back on Sunday though instead of keeping them until their scheduled switch date, so that has a lot to do with it too. He can’t just leave his son at home babysitting every night so he can come to my apartment after Connor goes to bed. Not that I’d want him to anyway. Ben should be able to just be a kid, not the son who watches his sister while his dad has a hookup. That’s not right, or okay, and if he was doing that, I wouldn’t be as attracted to him as I am.
Thank goodness today I have plans and can’t think too much about him and what’s going on with him. Riley invited me to a girl’s brunch she has once a month with a group of friends she’s known forever. She’s been my saving grace since I came back to Seattle and moved into this apartment. It doesn’t hurt that she’s Connor’s pediatrician either. Having his doctor live across the hall makes my mommy freak out moments a lot easier to calm.
I swear, without her, I wouldn’t go anywhere or make any new friends. All the friends I used to have stayed with Seth in Portland, and after being basically deserted by them all once I left him, I’m a little gun shy when it comes to making new ones. I haven’t even tried to make friends with any of the other teachers at work for this reason.
A couple have made overtures, but I’ve rebuffed them, and I probably should change that. I need to make a concerted effort to move past the hurt I felt when Lanie and Sabrina stopped coming around, of course, considering Sabrina is now dating my ex-husband, she’s no great loss. What kind of friend does that anyway? Not a very good one.
The knock on my door startles me out of my dark thoughts and I realize it’s time to go and that’s probably Riley at the door to tell me to get a move on since I’m riding over with her. Last night was the second Friday sleepover Connor had with my parents, and sleeping in felt way too good. I’ve been dragging since I finally got out of bed.
When the door swings open, it’s not Riley standing there. It’s