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“How about we have a snuggle fest?” I suggest as we kick off our shoes.
“We haven’t done that in ages.” Chance smiles sleepily. “I’ll get the blankets.”
“I’ll pull out the couch.”
I head to the living room and move the coffee table out of the way before pulling out the sofa bed. When Chance reappears with the blankets, we both drag chairs in from the dining room and place them around the bed before laying blankets on top to create a makeshift cover.
“Okay, five minutes to change into your pajamas, then meet back here.” Chance laughs, and I nod.
“You got it.”
“Three…two…one…” he counts down, and we race up the stairs, but he beats me by just a bit. When I’m in my room, I shut the door and sit on my bed for a moment, reminding myself to breathe. Everything will be okay. I’m going to take care of business. My café, my son, myself. Those are my priorities right now. I can’t let my mess affect Isaac and his family too.
I strip off my clothes, and my phone hits the floor. I pick it up with shaking hands and see I have a text from Isaac.
Isaac:Let me know you’re home safe.
Phoebe:We’re home. I’m so sorry about everything.
Issac:No need to be sorry. You haven’t done anything wrong, sweetheart.
My heart aches at his calmness, his endearment. He should be mad. He should hate that we were exposed—his family was exposed.
I’m mad. Not at him, of course.
Isaac:I’m sensing you need some space, and I respect that. If I can do anything or help at all, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.
I don’t reply, a relief lifted from my chest at his words.
I can’t believe he knows what I need. What I wanted to say but didn’t know how.
“Mom, you’re losing,” Chance calls from outside my door, and I hurry to grab my pj’s and pull them on. I throw open the door, reaching out to ruffle his hair before I scoot by him.
“That’s what you think.” I hurry down the stairs, leaving my phone forgotten for the night while I soak up this time with my son.
TWENTY-THREE
I MISS THE POSSIBILITY
“Frank, you know we can’t set off fireworks here at the café,” I tell him as he scribbles the words on his list of things we should do for Chance’s birthday.
“Sure we can,” he insists. “Plenty of room out back.”
“No, sir. One, it’s illegal to shoot them off in the city. Two, we do not need to catch the place on fire. That’d literally be our livelihood going up in smoke.”
“She’s no fun, is she?” he mutters to Chance, who’s sitting beside him at the counter while I finish closing up the café. We have thirty minutes left, but I doubt we’ll have many customers.
“She’s the most fun,” Chance defends my honor, and I give him a grateful smile. “Isaac is a lot of fun too.”
“Is he now?” Frank peers up at me over his glasses, and I hold in a sigh.
It’s been a few weeks of Chance asking about Isaac, but I haven’t been ready to reach out yet. Maybe once we go to court and get through Chance’s birthday, I will, but for now, I don’t want my mess scattered across his life.
I do miss him, though. It’s hard to explain what I miss because we weren’t together long enough to really get started, but I miss just knowing he might pop by to see me, or the anticipation of having another date planned. I miss the possibility of what we could have been.
I tune back into the conversation, and Chance is telling Frank all about Isaac teaching him how to do flips underwater in the pool.
I can’t stand listening to it anymore, but I don’t want to upset Chance, so I clear my throat. “I’m running outside to check the signs. I’ll be right back.” I’m out the door before either of them can answer. The night air rushes into my lungs, and I can finally breathe again, inhaling and exhaling slowly.
