AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I hold my arms out. Molly rushes toward me and hugs me tight around my waist. I nod toward Jesse to come over, and he does, too, slower, but he settles himself against my chest, and I lay my chin over his head, wondering when my kids got so big.
When did they get so smart and strong? When did I stop realizing how amazing they were?
About the time I lost myself.
Molly looks up at me with her bright eyes wide. “All right, Dad, so what’s your favorite part?”
“I’d have to say the fishpond. That’s really cool. Will they die in the winter?”
“I hope not. They were a lot of work to get in here.” Jesse steps away and slides his hands into his pockets. “I like the downstairs room. It’s pretty cool. Molly and I were playing gin rummy before.”
“I like your art studio, Dad. Think it’s really nice here.”
I hug Molly tighter. “Yeah. It’s great up here. Maybe I’ll teach you how to paint.”
Jesse takes a hesitant step forward. “I’d like to learn, too, if you don’t mind.”
“How about now?” I offer and walk over to the table of paints. “We have plenty to get started.”
The kids keep their grins on their faces as they walk over to the paint supplies Tara stocked up here, and I stare at them in admiration.
We’re gonna start right now.
Not just with painting. I think it’s time to begin something new in many ways.
CHAPTERTWENTY-EIGHT
Tara
Tonight’s supposed to be my night. When a woman gets an award as prestigious as the Valor County Recognition of Excellence in Accounting and Finance, she goes all out. She wears her friend’s dress—a sparkling, hugging ensemble that makes her boobs like those of a twenty-five-year-old and her ass so firm that a quarter could bounce off of it.
My hair is blown out and shiny, looking sleek against the dramatic eye makeup I’m sporting. My shoes are new because I needed some retail therapy to get my spirits up.
I look dynamite, and I mean, if they were casting for a new Bond girl, I could easily get the part. While I look extraordinary on the outside, I’m not quite feeling like myself on the inside.
There’s a Michael Bublé impersonator singing tonight. He’s singing about having someone under his skin, and it’s an annoying reminder of the one who’s currently under my skin and taking over every morsel of thought I have.
Nope, I am not going to think of Rob tonight.
Instead, I walk through the room, sway my hips, lift my chin, giggle even, and then look down at the glass in my hand. I ordered myself a bourbon. Of course I did. And so I drink it.
As it burns my throat on the way down, I think to myself,Hello, reality. You kinda suck sometimes.
“Tara,” Patrick calls as he sees me standing by the bar.
I let out a deep sigh as I turn to him and put on my airs as he and Victoria stroll up.
“Congratulations on your award tonight.”
“Thank you. Congratulations on spending fifteen hundred dollars on a table to impress your friends.” I turn to Victoria, who looks stunned. “Sorry, did that come out rude?”
She nods with an uneasy shift of her head, to which I wink at her.
“Good. I meant for it to sound that way.”
It’s funny how, a month ago, I cared what Patrick thought of me. My looming single status and his pity eyes did something to my psyche that was unhealthy. Now, I think I’ve completely lost my ability to give a shit what he thinks of me.
Still, Patrick lets out one of those polite laughs meant to defuse the situation. “You’re funny. Did you come here alone?”
