AllFreeNovel
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When Bree asks the kids if they want to go play, they both run to the playground and straight over to the swings.
Bree, Brody, and I follow, sitting on the bench in front of them. Since she seems down, I take her hand in mine and kiss her knuckles. “You know we’re taking this at your pace, right?”
She glances at me in confusion.
“You seemed uncomfortable discussing the party in front of us. I just don’t want you to think we expect to be invited. Would we love to go? For sure. But we know you need to take things slow, and you telling them about us and that we’re your boyfriends means a lot.”
“Yeah, it does,” Brody agrees, taking her other hand in his. “You’re calling the shots.”
Bree smiles at me, but it’s strained. “You’re welcome to come to the party, but honestly, you’ll probably be bored. We’re just grilling and doing cake. I had no idea the kids wanted to do all that stuff.” She looks at them, a frown marring her face. “They’re going to be disappointed, but that’s part of parenting. Some days, I’m the best mom ever, and others… not so much.”
“You might not be able to book all that at the last minute, but you could probably book some of it,” I point out. “I can help you make some calls and see who has availability.”
Before Bree can respond, Evie yells, “Mom, come watch me on the monkey bars!” as she flies off the swing and runs toward the jungle gym equipment.
Brody and I both pull out our phones at the same time.
“What are you doing?” I ask.
“Probably the same thing as you.” He laughs. “Finding places available for the party.”
I glance at our group chat, seriously proud of Brody and me. Between the two of us, we managed to find a bounce house with water that has an obstacle course, a clown who does balloon animals, a princess who does face painting, and a company who rents blow-up screens—all of which are available for Sunday.
“Why hasn’t she replied yet?” Brody asks from next to me. It’s been almost an hour since we shared with her all the links, thinking she would call us her heroes since she seemed to think she wouldn’t be able to pull it all off.
“Maybe she’s busy.”
“Yeah, maybe, but she always responds somewhat quickly.”
That’s true. She does.
We both get back to work since we have a shit ton of stuff to do for a meeting next week with a potential new business venture.
Hours go by, and when my phone goes off, I see Bree’s responded, but her response is definitely not what I was expecting: Thanks.
“What the hell is going on with her?” Brody asks, barging into my office. “Bree doesn’t do one-word answers. Did we do something wrong?” He plops down on my couch and glares at his phone.
“She said thanks. It’s hardly a fighting word.”
He types out something on his phone, then my phone goes off with a message.
Brody: Which ones are you going to book? I like the obstacle course, especially if it means I’ll get to see you in a bathing suit again. ;)
A few seconds later, Bree texts back: I think it would be best if I do the kids’ party with just them. You guys coming might be too much too soon.
“What the fuck?” I drop my phone on the desk, confused as hell. “What’s going on with her?”
“I don’t know. Maybe she doesn’t want us getting involved.”
Brody: We didn’t mean to overstep… Just wanted to help. If you feel it’s best that we don’t go, we understand.
We both stare at our phones, waiting for her to respond, but it becomes clear after several minutes that she’s not going to.
“I’m going to see her,” Brody says, standing. “Something is going on, and I’m not going to let her hide behind her damn phone. You coming?”
“Of course.”
I shut down my computer, and then we head out. Heart’s is closed when we get there, but we can see the kids running around and laughing.
I knock, and when they see us, they smile and wave, and Miles yells for their mom, who steps out from the kitchen and doesn’t look nearly as happy to see us as her kids.
“Something’s wrong,” Brody says under his breath as Bree unlocks and opens the door.
“Hey, I wasn’t expecting you,” she says, letting us in.
“We thought we’d surprise you,” I say. “Thought we could do something this afternoon.”
“Oh! Can we go to the arcade?” Miles asks. “Shane went with his mom and said it’s so cool.”
“Not today,” Bree says, and her tone brooks no argument. “I need to finish baking for tomorrow.”
Miles groans. “It’s so boring here.”
“Why don’t you go play on your iPad?” Bree suggests, sounding like she’s ten seconds away from losing her shit.
