Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 84247 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84247 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
My gut twisted uncomfortably. I fought to ignore it and test the waters some. I didn’t want to outright lie to her, to either of my kids. “That’s because Callum is a little different.”
“Whatever. I’m gonna go play with Frankie Blue.” She took the gloves off.
“Charlie.”
“I don’t want to make the table with you.”
“Then can I come play with you and Frankie?”
She stopped, looked at me, and shrugged.
While I put my things away, she lingered, waiting. Then we went to the yard and threw the ball for the dog, who never fucking got tired. She could do the same thing all day. Charlie loved it, though. We laughed and played around. Afterward, we went inside and played this board game she liked, where you had to do silly things and the other person had to figure out what your card said. This was Charlie, so she was dramatic about the whole thing, and by the time we finished, my stomach was hurting from laughing so much.
She went to watch TV while I made lunch. I was thinking about her reaction in the barn, then her laughter while playing the game. My cell was heavy in my pocket, this taunt I couldn’t get away from. I didn’t know what to do here. Did I call Callum and ask him not to come over tonight? That maybe we ease up with spending time together while I worked through whatever was going on with Charlie? But then I thought about him and knew he would be crushed. He would understand; that’s how Callum was. But I loved him. I didn’t want to hurt him. I didn’t want to lose him. What if Charlie didn’t come around?
Because sometimes life liked to beat you when you were down, my phone buzzed. I tugged it out of my pocket to see a text from Cal. What’s Charlie’s favorite pizza?
“Fuck.” I dropped my head back and looked up at the ceiling, hoping to somehow find answers there. He couldn’t bribe her. That wasn’t how this worked—maybe temporarily, but that was all. But he was trying so damn hard. Charlie also needed to see she couldn’t be rewarded for her behavior. Hell, maybe I should have taken Carol up on her offer to talk to the kids together. I didn’t know what to do.
Before I could reply, there was a knock at the door. I turned the stove off and answered it.
“Hi, Amanda.” I smiled.
“Hi. How are you doing? I hope the boys were good.”
I nodded. “I’m all right. Just got a lot going on. The boys were good, though.”
“Anything I can help with?” she asked kindly. She really was a nice woman.
“Nah, but I appreciate it.” I turned and called, “Logan! Dale! Your mom is here.”
There was a clatter, and the two boys and Charlie came bounding down the stairs. She must have gone up with them.
“Dad! Does he have to go home? Can’t he stay again?” Logan asked, adjusting his glasses. I would never get tired of how that felt, seeing him happy and having a friend, but Callum was supposed to come over. I already had a lot on my plate.
“I don’t know, buddy,” I replied.
“Please, Dad!” Charlie added. “They let me play with them too. Or can they come back and have dinner with us tonight? We’re having pizza!”
The tightness in my gut intensified.
“Yeah, Dad! That’d be fun. Can Dale come have dinner with us and Callum?”
“You can come too, Ms. Amanda,” Charlie added. “We’re going to make a fire in the pit in the backyard. You always say the more the merrier, Dad.”
“I would hate to intrude,” Amanda said.
“That’d be so much fun, Dad. Please?” Logan asked.
Dale added, “Mom, you say it’s important to have friends and to do more than play games, but you never do anything fun or hang out with friends either.”
Fuck. I was so screwed. How in the hell did I get out of this without looking like an asshole? Amanda was new in town. It made sense that she didn’t know many people yet. She’d told me as much the first night we met.
“The two of you are welcome to come back for pizza and s’mores tonight,” I told Amanda.
“Yesssss!” both boys cheered.
“Sounds fun,” she replied. “Are you sure it wouldn’t be a bother?”
“Of course. Callum will be here too.” Even though she didn’t know who he was to me, it felt wrong not to mention him. For all I knew, she caught on that morning when his car was here, so maybe she did know. “The more the merrier,” I added.
We discussed details and when they should come back. As soon as they were gone, I turned to Charlie. “That wasn’t okay. You know better than to invite people over without asking me in private first.”
“I was trying to be nice!” she shouted, then turned and ran for the stairs.