AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Yeah, that sounded about right. Riley learned to throw tantrums from the best. At least Afton had mellowed since the move. I was around more and she wasn’t being shuttled to day care by nannies who changed as often as the toilet paper roll. She’d get used to her grandma’s presence.
“You guys get some rest. We’ll do some unpacking in the morning.” I slipped out of the room as Avery grunted her disapproval of tomorrow’s activities.
By the time I got downstairs, Mom had curled up on the couch and turned the living room light off. I kept the hallway light on until I reached one of the two bedroom doors at the end. I opened it. The light cut through to the twin bed tucked into the corner. Landon flipped over and sat up. His wiry nine-year-old body was clad in Nintendo pajamas. “Mom? I thought you were staying out late?”
“Eh, wasn’t that exciting.” Liar.
Landon nodded. “Guess what?”
The corner of my mouth ticked up. “What?”
“Football starts in two days.”
Another reason we’d moved. I’d never be able to get my kids to anything after school if I wasn’t lucky enough to find a nursing position that was Monday through Friday, no weekends, and no holidays. Which I’d found at the small clinic in Coal Haven. The kids were a few blocks from everywhere else in town, and I wasn’t working far away from home, school, or after-school activities.
“We’ll go over the route tomorrow so you can walk to practice,” I said. And I’d choke back stifling mom emotions about how he was old enough to be in footballandget himself home after. They were growing up, but I hoped they could be kids longer in Coal Haven.
“You’ll be at my first game, right?”
“Of course.” It was nice to say that and know for certain I’d be there. I’d missed so much, working shifts the last year and hiring a seventeen-year-old nanny to help with school and sports.
“Good. Will Dad be there?”
Too bad Henry wasn’t around to answer for himself. Not that I wanted him to be here. I was over my ex-husband. But I would’ve liked him to be more present in his kids’ lives. It hadn’t been promising so far.
“I’ll let him know the schedule.” I wouldn’t shit-talk their dad, but I wasn’t covering for his absentee ass either. He’d settled for every-other-weekend custody without a fight, and his lawyer had been better than mine regarding child support.
It was over. I’d moved on, and we were doing fine.
I went in to kiss Landon good night and then went to my room. I tossed my hair band onto my dresser and sank into my bed. My bedroom didn’t have any more room than the other bedrooms had. I’d had to downsize to a queen bed. The king-size bed was in the garage, and since I thought Henry had had sex in it with Jenni, I would have to burn it later.
I flopped backward and eked out a sigh as I stared at the white ceiling fan. Glow-in-the-dark stars were stuck to it. I had a little show every time I shut the lights off.
What a fucking night.
I wasn’t jaded enough to think I couldn’t date again. I hoped society had come far enough that a thirty-two-year-old single mom wouldn’t repel men. But I was realistic enough to know that a thirtysomething divorced mom of four would be like pepper spray after tasing to single men. It was best I didn’t start my life in a new town with my kids with the false hope that I’d find someone willing to join the chaos.
