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“You’ve got plenty of time,” he says soothingly. “Just let me get home and I’ll talk to you properly, okay? Don’t go anywhere, baby. Just… I’ll be like ten minutes, okay?”
He sighs and drops his hand. “She hung up, but I think she’ll wait for me. For us,” he says, smiling and heaving a wide-eyed sigh that says ‘Kids! What can ya do?’
It’s funny, but Michael’s never looked or spoken to me like I’m anywhere near Zoe’s age.
It’s like I’m his equal.
I just hope he doesn’t want me to choose sides if he decides not to let Zoe travel to her audition at such short notice.
Sliding over to me, holding me close like nothing just happened, he whispers to me, “You’ll come home with me? I told Zoe I’d look for you… She needs you right now too, I think.”
My mood, all my emotions as well as heart feel like they’re swinging on a pendulum right now.
“We have to tell her,” I say quietly, looking up into his eyes, watching them turn away from mine.
“Not tonight. But yes, we do need to tell her,” he says absently, almost to himself.
As if he’s told himself a thousand times already.
“Can we just get home?” he asks again, looking as close to pleading as the man gets.
I don’t say anything. I’ll support my man in whatever decision he makes.
Zoe and me? We have always remained strong together, but can we weather this storm?
I hope so.
I may have gained a lover. A man and a knight in shining armor, all in one day. But will it cost me my best friend?
Only time will tell, and right now. Tonight?
Michael Grayson doesn’t feel like telling her about us and you know what?
Neither do I.
“Not just yet,” I agree with him as we both get into his car.
He looks confused when I choose the back seat, but with a nod of his head and a crease in his brow, he silently agrees to all of it.
We’ll act like there’s nothing between us.
Once we’re alone, it’ll be on like Donkey Kong. We’ll be on each other like white on rice.
But for now?
Just for now, we need to keep our secret.
Just a little bit longer, for Zoe’s sake.
Sounds like a plan, huh?
Well. Plans, just like rules.
They were made to be broken.
Chapter Eighteen
Michael
If it was any other day of the week, even on such short notice, would I say no?
Probably not.
College is finished for the term, my contract is up. Zoe is old enough and she’s certainly talented enough.
Jesus, an audition for a pilot TV episode, and all the day after landing her first real little theater thing?
I’m so proud of her. But after what Sheree and I just shared, knowing I can’t lay that on Zoe just yet…
Hell. I don’t know what to think or say, let alone do, only hope that keeping it from her, for now, is the ‘right’ thing?
And what is the ‘right’ thing? Boning your daughter’s best friend and then telling said daughter she can’t fly interstate for an audition?
All I know is that my feelings for Sheree are right, I know that much.
But I also need more information, the facts before I let my only daughter just disappear into the night with a severe weather storm warning and the airports closing. If it's the right thing for her.
I know, I know, she’s going in the opposite direction. Clear skies, a brighter future too.
She told me herself and she booked the last flight out tonight. Paid for it with her own money even.
You need to tell her.
I can’t tell her. I will tell her.
I have to tell her.
Just not tonight.
Not so soon after Sheree and I just...
Ah, shit.
Why the hell did I ever grow up? And when did I turn into such an old fuddy-duddy?
The whole thing turns in my mind all the way home, and having Sheree wanting to keep her distance isn’t helping either.
I promised Zoe I’m calm. That I just want to talk and get some more information before I let her go off like this.
Glancing at myself in the rearview mirror as I pull into our driveway, I look like a man on the edge.
Like I’ve aged ten years in ten minutes. That’s what it feels like anyway.
Long before Sheree and I can go over our game plan, something we should have spent the drive doing, Zoe bursts out of the front door.
She’s packed alright and making sure we can all see, she sets her cases on the porch by the door before she closes it again.
“Subtle, huh?” I try to joke, but neither Sheree nor I are in much of a laughing mood.
How could we go from feeling so good together to feeling like the worst people alive?
All because we love each other? No, fuck that.
I love Zoe but I love Sheree too, but in two very different ways.
