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CHARIS
“Ihave a fantastic idea,” Bridget croons from the other side of the nurses’ station. “Why don’t we meet up for dinner tonight?”
The words are on the tip of my tongue. I won’t leave Meadow. I went out with Gibs, but as her only responsible parent, the guilt of letting her stay with my folks yet again, consumes me.
Her plan continues. “Bring Meadow. I’m bringing my family. Let’s meet at that Texas Barbeque. They have an outdoor section for the kids and live music tonight. And bring your parents. I’ve not seen them since they’ve been in town.”
“Hmm, let me think on this. My mom was asking about you, just yesterday.” This could work. And I’d have some semi-alone time with my best friend as we watch our kids play.
“What are you thinking about? Is it when you’re going out with me again?” The familiar Irish accent is Stone.
“Ah, two birds, one stone.” Bridget chuckles at her words. “Pun intended.” She takes a bow, her attention now on Stone. “Seriously, why don’t you meet us at the Texas Barbeque place up the road? They have that outdoor farm playground for the kids. Jett can run loose with the girls. And we can hang out.”
Well, it looks like I’m now going, though I’ve yet to commit.
“You going, love?” he asks in a hushed like tone.
I swing a hard glare to Bridget, then I relax when my concentration lands on Stone. “I guess I am now. I’ll text my parents and ask them to come along.”
Bridget claps her hands, happy with this little arrangement. She’s yet to find out I went out with Gibson just a couple days ago, but once she does, I’m not sure what her reaction will be. Gibson, after all, is her other best friend. She may like the idea of the two of us together, though Stone is Simon’s best mate. Who the hell knows. But the more time I spend with both men, it makes it harder and harder to choose.
Bridget flits off, pleased as apple pie and ice cream with herself.
“Hey, you were quiet yesterday. You okay?” I ask, because during his rounds, though we chatted here and there, he was somber—an emotion I’d never thought I’d see in him.
“Yeah, Monday night Jett revealed to me that he thought since his mum passed, I didn’t want him. It sort of broke me. Truth be told, I thought I was doing the right thing letting Alan have him, in the hopes that my grumpy ex-father-in-law would forgive me. But I was hurting my son. I’ve learned it’s a forgiveness I’ll never earn from Alan. And I let Jett get caught in it. A friend helped me see that I can’t let it consume me.”
My hand reflexively reaches for his. “Wow, Stone. I’m so sorry. I understand the guilt. On one hand, I want nothing more than to plan our next date, but then again, my parents will be the ones responsible for Meadow. And like Jett, Meadow only has one parent she can trust and count on. It’s easy for me, because my parents are on my side, but then again, the guilt that washes through me when I leave her, it’s real.”
He cocks his head to the side. “About that, how about we do a picnic Friday night? With Jett and Meadow meeting tonight, we can keep it casual and let them play as we talk and maybe share a bottle of wine together. I’ll pack us something to eat. I’m off on Friday. We can make it early, maybe five. That gives us three hours of sunlight before it sets.”
“Yeah, it’s a great idea.” But more so, I’m touched that he’s found a way to include our children, and neither one of us has to deal with the guilt we both carry. It shows me how much I have in common with this man.
* * *
The first personI see when we walk into the large diner style restaurant is Gibson. I don’t know why I’m surprised because after all he lives with Bridget, and she doesn’t know I’m dating both men.
Meadow runs to Elizabeth, one of Simon and Bridget’s twins, holding her hand, as Elizabeth takes her outside to the farm playground. “Don’t worry, Simon’s out there,” Bridget explains, pulling my mom and dad into a huge hug. They begin chatting as if it’s been a week and not almost a year since they’ve seen one another.
It gives me time to make my way to Gibson. His hands are in his jeans, and he’s trying to blend into the wall, as if he wants to disappear at any given chance.
“Hey there, handsome,” I whisper, and he grants me a shy smile.
“Hey. Bridget wouldn’t take no for an answer, and well…”
I wave him off because Bridge can be convincing. “But did you know—”
“Yeah, Simon mentioned Stone will be here.” It’s funny, the two times I’ve been out with Stone, Gibson’s been a part of it.
“You two don’t like one another,” I return.
“I never said that. Stone and I are after the same girl. It’s two totally different things. Plus…” He tapers off.
“Yeah, Stone won’t tell me what there is between you two either.”
He shrugs his shoulders. “Not much to tell.” But I don’t have time to delve into the question I’ve thrown his way, when Bridget’s oldest son with her late husband, appears with a bag of coins in his hands.
“Gibs, do you want to play some video games with me? Mom said you’re into stuff like that.”
