Page 24 of Already Callin’ You Mine

7

PRESLEY

I stare at my phone intently, reading the short conversation over and over again.

If you can call this a conversation. Because I can only think of one thing in response.

He did not just fucking say that…

Except he did. I can see the words right there on my screen.

I’ve mocked up some ideas for the stranger danger series. When are you available to go over it?

Jace

Just email them to me

We really need to discuss the whole series. Which ideas you like, which ones you don’t.

I have a couple really fun ideas for the first set of videos. I’ve been keeping an eye on some of the trends and there are a couple that I think would lend themselves well to this project.

Jace

If you keep an eye on the trends as well as you do your kid, I’m not sure I trust this

I blink, hoping that the movement of my eyelids will erase his comment. It doesn’t. Those words are still there.

And I still don’t have a response.

Because how does one respond to that? Other than telling him to fuck off, but that I can’t do. He’s an executive for this company, and I need this job. Not to mention, I pride myself on being professional, and telling a colleague to go fuck themselves is the exact opposite of professional.

I’m sure Jace would have some smart-ass response locked and loaded for that anyway. Probably one telling me that if I had done just that, I wouldn’t have ended up the world’s worst mother. Something Jace Hayes clearly believes that I am.

Someday I hope he ends up with a kid who is not only a runner, but a biter. Then we’ll see how he deals with small humans, their big personalities, and their very short attention spans. Oh, and the judgment of everyone around him on why he can’t control said small human.

Because there is nothing quite like those looks from strangers.

My thumbs hover over the screen, my brain trying to figure out what to reply. I’m not fast enough on the draw though, another text appearing right below his last. And this one is just as snarky. Maybe more so.

Jace

Or maybe that’s why he was able to escape, because you were watching videos

Oh, fuck him. It’s like he’s just purposely trying to be an ass now.

There are so many things I want to say. So, so many. All of which I’m going to keep to myself. All while repeatedly reminding myself that we don’t say the inside thoughts out loud.

Instead, I go with the most passive-aggressive thing I can think of.

I apologize for not being as perfect as you are. It must be very tough living a life where nothing ever goes wrong.

Never said I was perfect

No, just that you’re a better parent, even though you have exactly zero experience. You’re not even an uncle.

And yet, I had no problem getting your kid to hold on to me so he didn’t run away, unlike you

Steam bellows from my ears, like an old-school cartoon. I bet if I looked in the mirror, my face would be as red as a fire engine as well. There might as well be freight train noises emitting from me as I huff through my nose.