AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Of course I am. Every time she spends the night, Edward sleeps in my bed. She says he’ll keep me company if I wake up in the night to use the bathroom.”
“So what you’re saying is Edward gets around.”
“He does,” she says with a laugh. “Speaking of getting around, are you going to tell me why you came home last week smelling like perfume?”
My heart stops beating; like literally stops beating in my chest. I know exactly what she’s talking about. The last time I came home late from work was the night I christened my desk with Payton. It was hard to miss the knowing looks Mom gave me, but I didn’t think she’d bring it up now, a week later.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” It’s a weak defense, but once you’ve committed to it, you have to stick with your story. And it’s either that or deny, deny, deny.
“Listen, Dean, I’m not asking for details or anything. I just like listening to you squirm.”
“That’s not nice,” I tell her as I start the dishwasher.
“Yeah, well, parents aren’t supposed to be nice. Really, I don’t care what you were doing or who you were doing it with, but I want you to know that you don’t have to hide anything from me. If you have a date or something, that’s okay. In fact, I’m pretty sure you’ve been on exactly three dates since Bri was born,” she says, the remorse evident in her voice.
“I don’t need to date, Mom. I have Bri and she takes up all of my time.”
“Oh, honey, you don’t have to try to convince me of anything. I was a single parent too, remember?”
“How could I forget?”
“My point is that Bri is getting older. It would be perfectly acceptable to go out every now and again with a woman. Who knows, you might actually meet someone that you want to spend the rest of your life with.”
Is it bad that Payton flashes through my mind at her statement? It is when a relationship with her isn’t an option. But for some reason, images of Payton sitting beside me on the couch with her feet in my lap parades through my mind. It’s a cozy image until she moves and straddles me. Then the picture turns dirty. Very dirty.
“Thank you for the offer to watch my kid while I date, but I’m okay.”
“That’s subjective,” she says with a laugh. “All I’m saying is that I’m available to help so you can go out and live your life every once in a while. Your life can have a personal side to it too, Dean. It doesn’t have to be all about Brielle.”
I know she’s right, but for someone who’s spent the last five years of his life with his daughter as his sole focus, it’s hard to picture a point where I share myself with another woman. Even if that woman were Payton. As much as my body craves her, I just don’t know if I’m capable of splitting myself between my daughter and a woman. It’s a challenge I’m not really ready to undertake.
“Okay. How about this? I’ll agree that if I find someone I’m interested in going out with, I’ll get your help with Payton.”
There’s silence for a few seconds before she finally speaks again. “Payton? Who’s Payton?” I can hear the smile in her voice.
Shit. Did I say Payton? How in the hell am I going to backtrack out of this one? This is one of those times I should deny, deny, deny. “I didn’t say Payton.”
“No? I must have made it up. I’m sure you don’t even know anyone named Payton, do you?”
Shit. A. Brick. She’s going to make me lie to her face, or at least over the phone. But I can’t lie to her outright like that; I’ve never been able to do that. And let’s not forget the fact that she’ll know the instant I lie to begin with. She’s baiting me like always. She’s giving me just enough rope to hang myself with. So I’ll give her just enough info to appease her.
“The only Payton I know is a client of the firm.”
“Is she pretty?”
Damn her.
“She’s not ugly,” I say, mumbling the words. Jesus, what am I? Fourteen? Why can’t I just tell my mom that I think she’s hot?
“Hmmmm.” That’s all she says. Hmmmm. I’m pretty sure she has everything figured out just like she did when I was seventeen and I told her the pack of cigarettes in my room where my buddy Wes’s.
“Anyway, I need to get another load of laundry done so I can finish packing. I’ll meet you here after you get off work, right?”
“Mmmhmmm.” It’s more of a noise than a word. Shit, she doesn’t believe a word I’ve said. Why the hell did I have to say Payton’s name?
“Okay, see you tomorrow, Mom. Love you.”
“Love you, too, Dean. See you tomorrow.” There’s wittiness in her words. She’s definitely humoring me and knows that I’m completely full of shit. Great.
