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Covering my face with my hands, I fall to the floor and silently scream in joy. Oh my God! This is so unreal. I kissed Scott and now I’m going on a date with him. I shimmy my shoulders and wave my arms around in the air, doing a happy dance.
I’m feeling so good, so elated that I don’t hear the snickers around me until it’s too late. My eyes shoot open to spot four people in the doorway, all with different looks of humor on their faces from my private happy dance.
“Well, ladies and gentlemen, it looks like our girl has finally met her match,” Bayramov cheers.
Knowing I’ll never hear the end of this, I laugh with them, giving a bow for my performance.
And for the first time in a long time, I feel in my gut that Thursday’s date will be the beginning of something extraordinary.
Chapter Six
Scott
Sighing, I pick up my phone. There’s no point in delaying the inevitable. I have to cancel my date with Elyssa.
Not because I want to. Fuck no. I have really been looking forward to spending more time with her, maybe stealing a few more kisses from her too-tempting lips. Yet I have to.
Logan’s ear infection has gone from bad to worse over the last three days. He is now running a fever and has an upset stomach. My mom came over yesterday to help me, but it looks like whatever virus Logan has, Mom and Dad now have it too. Which leaves me with no option but to cancel.
I know from our text conversation that Elyssa is off duty by now and probably at home. I need to call her before it gets too late into the evening and she starts getting ready. Running my free hand over my jaw, I shake my head.
I’d gotten Logan down for a nap thirty minutes ago and am running out of time to call her. I know she’ll understand, but that still doesn’t take away from my disappointment.
Tapping her contact, I listen as the call connects.
“Hey, you,” she chirps into the phone. I could see her smile in my mind’s eye.
“Hey,” I sigh, exhaustion weighing down my words. “I’m really sorry to have to do this, but I need to postpone our date. Logan’s caught a stomach bug and he’s running a fever.”
Out of all the things she could have said, I never expected her to jump right into action.
“Is he okay? Do you need me to watch Bridget while you take him to emergency or the doctor?”
So caught off guard, it takes me a moment to get my brain working again.
“No. No, but thank you. He went to the doctor yesterday and we just need to wait out the worst of it. His fever broke this morning but—”
“But you still don’t want to leave him. I completely understand.”
“I’m really sorry, Elyssa. I was looking forward to tonight.”
“Me too. But we’ll reschedule.” There’s an edge to her voice, like she’s unsure.
“Yes, definitely.” I pause, feeling off all of a sudden. “Again, I’m really sorry.”
“Nothing to be sorry about. Go take care Logan and we’ll talk soon.”
Before I can say anything else, the line drops. She’s hung up.
I slump into the couch cushions, toss my phone to the side and run both hands over my hair, taking my frustration out on the strands. I guess that went as well as it could have but it felt like Elyssa was already pulling away.
It’s no one’s fault. This is part of parenthood. My life is a full and happy one, but it is also a bit complicated. The kids will always come first for me. And as much as I am drawn to Elyssa, and the pull between us gets stronger each time we meet, I can’t push away my duties as a parent now.
She understands this, but I wonder if it will truly stand the test of time.
Reluctantly pushing myself off the couch, I make my way to the kitchen to start a pot of soup. Logan hasn’t kept down much today, and I was hoping soup would help soothe him enough for the night.
The liquid is just starting to simmer when there’s a soft knock on the door. I feel my whole body go tense at the noise, afraid it would wake up one of the kids, but no sounds of distress come from their rooms. Quickly, I head to the door and freeze again when I see who’s on the other side.
