Page 55 of Game On

“Firetruck.”

“You mean firefighter?”

He shook his head, furrowing his little brow like I was the one who wasn’t getting it. “Firetruck!”

So much about parenting was not wanting to laugh in your kid’s face. What did he mean he wanted to be a firetruck? What did that even mean? Maybe I let him watch too many cartoons.

I ruffled his hair instead of laughing. “Okay, bud, time for you to get back to bed.”

“Story!”

I tickled his belly. “You’re lucky you’re cute, little man. Okay, one story, then bedtime.”

He simmered down and fell asleep when I got to page two of his book. I left his room, leaving the night light on, and went into my bedroom.

Mari stayed over when I traveled, but she felt weird about sleeping in my room, so she made the couch her bed. I felt bad about that, especially since she took it upon herself to do my housework.

I peeled my suit off and changed into a pair of pajama pants. I took off my shirt before slumping down on my bed. I checked my schedule and shot a text off to Lily.

ME: How about Wednesday?

LILY: Ooh! Seth has Rosie again then. It’s perfect!

Me: It’s a date!

It was supposed to be Mari’s off day then, so I didn’t feel comfortable asking her for more childcare. She’d do it, but she needed a break every once in a while too. Veronica had no issues doing it, so I texted her next.

ME: Can you do me a favor and watch Liam at your place next Wednesday? I have a date.

V: YES!!

I shouldn’t be giddy like a virgin before prom, but I was. I should have known then how utterly fucked I was when it came to Lily. I was kidding myself about it only being casual with my dream girl.

Chapter Eighteen

LILY

“What do you mean you can’t take her?” I asked Seth.

I put my head in my hands as he rattled off some excuse about a work convention he had this week that I didn’t believe for a second. The last time he had one of those, I found out he had been cheating on me months later.

“Are you done?” I asked into the phone.

“Come on, Lily Pad, gimme a break.”

I sighed. “This isn’t about me. It’s about your daughter.”

“It’s for work!”

Yeah, I didn’t believe that for a single second. I understood how Seth lied now. The way his voice went up an octave and how defensive he got. It wasn’t about me or how he did me wrong, though; it was about Rosie. I didn’t want her to grow up and figure out her dad was a deadbeat.

I didn’t bother responding. I clicked end on my phone and tossed it onto my bed. I sighed as I stared at the date outfits I had laid on the bed and resigned myself to putting them back in my closet. Logan would understand, but this sucked.

I put the outfits away and shot off a text to him.

ME: Sorry. I have to cancel.

LOGAN: Why?