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“Nice to meet you both.”
Gloria launched into her spiel about the house. The interior was all new, bright, white, with a sea blue backsplash in the kitchen.
“Wow, when Dan lived here, it sure didn’t look like this,” Ryan said.
“Dan?” Gloria asked.
“My fiancé used to live here,” Pam said. “He moved into my place across the street. I always liked this house and think it would be a great family house for Ryan.”
“I see,” Gloria said, continuing with the tour.
“Give us a minute,” Pam asked, steering Ryan out into the backyard. “What do you think?”
“It’s great, but this feels like overkill.”
“I want it,” she said. “If you don’t move in, I’ll rent it out.”
So that was that. Ryan returned to his grubby apartment, and after Pam told the agent she wanted to make an offer, she called Dan and told him she was going to buy his old house.
“Trying to get rid of me?” he asked, snickering.
“Of course not. I want it for Ryan.”
“Oh, Lord. You need to stay out of that mess.”
“I know. But today he said he’s going to commute, and this way he’ll be right across from his kids.”
“Next door to one of them,” Dan reminded her.
“I always forget about poor Morgan.”
“So does Ryan,” Dan said. “Let’s dance tonight. You up for barbecue and rock ’n’ roll?”
“I’m up for it. The question is, is the Roadhouse ready for us? The last night we were there, the manager asked us to tone it down.”
Barking out a laugh, Dan agreed they’d try not to get a morals citation for their dancing. The conversation was just what Pam needed for her ego. Local social media chatter had said Dan and Pam killing it on the dance floor made it worth going out.
After all his calls and Zoom meetings, Ryan sent Lisa a text.
You never answered my earlier text. I’m working from home today. I went hog wild at Organic Bonanza this morning, hoping you’d let me pick up the kids for dinner here.
Lisa answered him.I thought you gave up that apartment?
He answered her right back.No. I’m going to commute. I don’t like living in the city after all. And after Laura sharing all my business with Jolene, there was definitely some animosity.
Okay, the earlier the better for dinner, though. Are you taking everyone?
Answering that he’d take them all, and Morgan if Alison would agree, he hoped Lisa wouldn’t mind if he asked for a nanny. And she agreed it was the only way.
You can take the Expedition with the car seats already in place. You just need to ask Alison about Morgan yourself.
He did so, and Alison said she’d bring Morgan to his place so they didn’t have to juggle car seats.
Looking at her phone, Lisa contemplated the conversation. The whole scenario of Ryan commuting just didn’t ring true. But she would not question him. Her days of psychoanalyzing everything Ryan did were over. It would be a pain in the ass, but him having a relationship with his kids was probably important. She thought of Alison confiding that Max wanted to adopt Morgan and how Ryan trying to have a relationship with her would throw a wrench into it. But that wasn’t Lisa’s problem.
Then Alison called. “I’m so upset!”
“About Ryan wanting to see Morgan?”
