take it back. And while I do that, I’ll return to my original point. You need to be seeing someone.”
“Not happening.”
“Why are you so stubborn?”
“You show me yours first,” he said. “Tell me what you’re really doing back in LA. Why are you living with your mom and working retail? Why aren’t you out finding some rich guy to fund your happily-ever-after? There’s something driving you and I can’t figure out what it is.”
She picked up her glass of brandy, then put it back down. After tugging her feet free, she tucked them under her. She thought briefly about slipping off the skinny strap of her dress to flash him some boob. That might be enough of a distraction to make him forget the question.
But instead of doing that or running or a thousand other things, she sucked in a breath and admitted, “I want to be a teacher.”
His steady gaze never wavered. “I thought you were already tutoring.”
“I am. I mean a real teacher, with credentials and a classroom and students leaving me apples.”
“Do kids still do that?”
She smiled. “A metaphorical apple.”
“You’d be a great teacher,” he told her. “I can totally see it. You have a four-year degree, so what’s holding you back?”
“Fear. Logistics. I need to find a certificate program or I can try to get into the LA Unified School District’s internship program. I haven’t decided which way to go. But before all of that, I need to re-establish my residency and my credit and that takes time.”
She picked up her glass again. “I appreciate you not laughing.”
“I wouldn’t do that. You’re pretty amazing, Sage. You can do anything you want.”
“You have no idea how much I wish that were true.”
“Have a little faith.”
She smiled because that was what he expected, but she knew that faith was never enough. Most dreams took hard work, an instinct for timing and luck. So far in her life, she’d managed to avoid having all three at once—whether through circumstances or an unconscious need to self-sabotage.
This time would be different, she promised herself. This time she was going to do better.
fifteen
Daisy wanted to believe that everything was going to be fine. She wouldn’t show she was upset. Ben and Krissa were both excited about spending the night with their dad at the hotel, and Jordan had even gotten special dispensation to allow Lucky and Sheba to tag along. Privately Daisy was sure he would regret bringing the two oversize dogs, but that was on him. The bigger problem was not only that both kids would be gone for the night—something that hadn’t happened even once—but the lack of conversation between her and Jordan.
Since their first therapy session there hadn’t been much more than logistical texts and one quick call when Krissa had wanted to tell her dad she got an A on her history project. Perhaps foolishly, Daisy had hoped for more.
She’d thought they might try to speak more, to start to work through their issues, maybe talk about how long he’d been resentful of the house situation. They still had their date to go on, something neither of them had raised yet. A silly part of her wanted him to mention it first. Ridiculous, but true. But he hadn’t and now she was annoyed about that and worried about the kids being gone.
Maybe they could talk for a few seconds when he arrived to pick up the kids, she thought, adding canned and dry dog food to the tote she’d prepared for Lucky and Sheba.
“Daddy’s here!” Krissa shrieked from upstairs. “He’s here.”
She raced downstairs at a speed that made Daisy’s stomach lurch.
“Calm down,” she told her daughter. “You’ve stayed at a hotel before.”
“Not like this!” Krissa danced to the front door, then threw it open. “Dad, we’re ready,” she yelled loud enough to make Sheba wince, and ran outside.
Daisy clipped leashes onto collars, then called for Ben. Her son came downstairs at a more normal pace, his backpack slung over his shoulder.
She smiled at him. “Excited about tonight?”
“I guess. I was going to watch that show on PBS.”
Daisy did her best not to laugh. “I’m recording it for you. Have fun. You need to spend time with your dad.”
Ben hugged her. Krissa appeared, hanging on to Jordan.
“Hi,” Daisy said cheerfully. “Ready to be invaded by the horde?”
“Hey.”
His smile seemed half-hearted and his tone was decidedly lacking in enthusiasm. She frowned.
“Everything all right?”
“What? Sure. I’m fine. We’re going to stop for takeout. It’ll be fun.”