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“Never say I love you for the first time during sex.”
“Yeah, right.” The trio laughed. “So seriously, any advice? I appreciate the shoulda coulda woulda, but I need something I can do right now.”
“Just tell her that you’re concerned about her judgmentalism because we are an unconventional family, and if she takes a disliking to it, it could be detrimental to your relationship with her.”
“Wow, Ry, very good,” Lisa said, nodding her head. “I’m impressed.”
“I am, too,” Dan replied.
“Hey, it’s just common sense. You get involved with a man with multiple baby mommas, you’re going to cross a stumbling block or two.”
“Jesus, are you guys my friends or not?” Dan said, grimacing.
“Dan, you have three baby mommas that we know of.”
“That’s all there is!” he cried. “Let me see my sons, please, and then I’ll leave. I want to enjoy the party this year. I plan on sticking it out until the end.”
“You’ll see them at Pam’s. When’s the last time you stayed at a party? I don’t recall,” Lisa said, smirking.
“I haven’t. The first one, I was kicked out by Pam because of my big mouth.”
“Oh yes, I remember that,” Lisa said, chuckling.
“The next one, I think I was married to you,” he said, grinning. “Sorry, Ryan.”
“No apologies necessary,” he said, winking at Lisa.
“Then it was Sandra, and no one wanted her around. I lost track after that.”
“It was Julie, and you guys always came as a family, but I think the family scene was too much for you,” Lisa said. “At least at my mother’s party.”
“I don’t like crowds,” he said defensively. “Anyway, thank you both again. I’m outta here. Tell my boys I’ll see them later, please.”
“We will,” Lisa said, holding the door for him.
They watched him trudge up the sandy walkway to the sidewalk.
“I wish I was a fly on the wall when he breaks loose on her.”
“That’s not Dan’s style. I have never seen him decompensate. He stays as cool as can be right before he strikes. And when he strikes, he just walks out of your life.”
“I’m sorry, baby,” Ryan said, reaching for her.
“Hey, it’s fine. By the way, thank you for last night. That was intense.”
“It was intense all right. And thank you.”
While they kissed, Dan got into his car to return to town to pick up Lily from her apartment. He decided at that time not to do or say anything to end the relationship unless it happened organically. He’d use the time to fact gather, to try to get to know her better. Right after he pulled in front of the drugstore, he sent her a text. She lived in an apartment above the store, and parking was a problem on Saturday afternoon.
I’m downstairs at the curb. No parking out front.
In a minute, she was at the passenger door, looking through the open window. “Knock, knock.”
“Hey.” He pushed the door open for her. She got in, and he smiled at her, finally giving in and leaning over to kiss her lips.
Doing a U-turn in the middle of Main Street, he was headed in the opposite direction from Pam’s house.
“Where are we going?”
