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I’m about done with people calling me mean today. I’m not looking forward to Isla becoming a teenager.
“I’m a single mom trying to raise a daughter,” I remind him.
“Sorry,” Jett says. “I shouldn’t have interfered.”
I nod to indicate I accept his apology.
“Isla.” I hold my hand out to her. “Why don’t we go home and stop bothering the neighbors?”
“I’m not bothering Fender,” she claims.
Fender smiles at me and those dimples come out. I glare at him. He knows exactly how I feel about those dimples. He shrugs. He obviously isn’t feeling the least bit guilty.
“I can’t jam around the firepit anyway,” he says. “There’s a town ordinance about using an amp outside.”
I snort. He has no idea what he’s done. Isla will never stop bothering him now that he’s practically given her permission.
“Come on, Isla. We can make some cookies and watch a movie at home.”
“I don’t want to watch a movie with you! I want to watch a movie with my friends!”
She’s a pre-teen. She doesn’t mean those words, I remind myself.
“You’re not watching a PG-13 movie when you’re eleven.”
“Fender would let me.” She bats her eyelashes at him. “Wouldn’t you?”
He tweaks her nose. “Sorry, cutie pie. If your mom says no, the answer’s no.”
My heart pounds in my chest. Fender is supporting me? He’s not using the situation to his advantage? Was I wrong about him?
“B-b-but…” A tear leaks from Isla’s eye and he wipes it away.
“But I will come over and watch a movie with you at your house. Assuming your mom says it’s okay.”
“Mom!” Isla hollers. “Fender’s coming over to watch a movie.”
I cross my arms over my chest. “Those words did not resemble a question.”
She scrunches up her eyes and does her best to glare at me. I don’t give in. I learned my lesson about giving in more than six years ago. Spoiler alert – it’s never just one candy with a five-year-old.
“Can Fender come over and watch a movie with us?”
I raise my eyebrows and she huffs.
“Can Fender come over and watch a movie with us, please?”
I nod. “Yes, Fender can come over.”
“Yeah!” She jumps off his lap and holds out her hand to him. He doesn’t hesitate to take it.
“What movie are we watching?” he asks as they walk across the yard hand in hand.
I worry my lip as I observe them. Fender supported me, he didn’t pressure me to do what Isla wanted, and he comforted my daughter.
Maybe I can give him a chance.
After all, how much harm can one date do?
