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We near the school, but the carpool line at this late hour stretches around the block. “Holy shit,” he says. “Do you go through this every morning?”
“You said shit,” says Sophie. “You said it twice.”
“Now you said shit,” Henry tells her.
“Shit. Now everyone in the car has said it,” I announce. “Guys, hop out and I’ll run you up to the front.”
“You don’t have to do that,” says Caleb. “We’ve got time.”
“It’s okay.” We definitelydon’thave time, and the last thing I need is someone seeing the twins in here without booster seats, or me pulling up to the school with a strange man. I’m sure the rumor mill is running at full speed about me and Jeremy as it is.
I climb from the car and walk the twins to the front as fast as I can in heels and a pencil skirt, giving them each a quick hug.
“You saidshit, Mommy,” Sophie says with wide eyes. “You never say bad words.”
“I’m full of surprises, sweets,” I reply, brushing my mouth over the top of her head.
They walk away just as my name is called by someone behind me.
“Lucie Boudreau,” says the voice. “Looking good.”
I turn, forcing a weak smile.
Tom DuPlantis is one of the gross dads I attempt to avoidmost of the time, a big-time lawyer with an ego to match, somehow under the impression that I’d be interested in him. “Hi, Tom.” I start to step past him and his hand wraps around my elbow.
“Hey, don’t rush off,” he says. “We need to talk. I heard a rumor that a certain mom I know is back on the market.”
I pull away, a small, stumbling step. “Sorry, I’m late for work.”
He moves toward me. “I’ll call you, yeah?”
Heads are turning. The other moms’ eyes go sharp, and I can imagine exactly what they’re thinking: that I’m single and desperate and making a play for someone else’s spouse. Now that I’m a divorcee, running around in this utterly seductive knee-length skirt and low heels, everyone will say I was encouraging him.
Did you see Lucie hitting on Tom, with her kids right there? And the outfit—who wears heels to drop-off?
“Things are pretty hectic,” I call over my shoulder. “I’m sure I’ll see you around.”
Caleb is only two cars back now, for better or worse. I swing the door open and slide in before Tom catches up. “Sorry,” I say breathlessly.
His jaw flexes as he steers past the parked cars and onto the road. “Who was that guy?”
I raise a shoulder. “One of the dads in the twins’ class.”
“One of the dads who’s hitting on you, you mean.”
“He hits on everyone,” I say, opening up my notes for the meeting. “So, I think today if you could thank everyone for their hard work, it would go a long way. You intimidate people.”
Caleb doesn’t appear to have even heard me. “That guy? Tell him to fuck off the next time he does it.”
I raise a brow. I’m not sure why he’s so fixated on Tom, of all people. Dealing with the Toms of the world is just a part of being female. Tom can do what he’s always done—makecomments, let his hand brush my ass ‘accidentally,’ hug me at parties for a little too long, and sidle up to me during every school event—but if I say a single word, I’ll be seen as dramatic and attention-seeking.
“It really wasn’t a big deal.”
“He can’t go around grabbing you like that,” Caleb insists. “If you punched him once, like a square hit right in the face, I bet he’d never do it again. But remember not to tuck your thumb. Chicks always make a fist the wrong way. And speaking of people who need a fist to the face, you need to call your lawyer about the car. This is complete bullshit.”
My laugh is short and miserable. “He’s not going to do anything. He pawned me off on some junior associate once he heard that Jeremy’s uncle is the DA, and she’s the worst.” During my one and only phone call with Sharon, she told me that she and Jeremy’s attorney had found some apartments I could move into because Jeremy thought I was too far from the school. I’m not sure whose interest she’s trying to serve, but it doesn’t seem to be mine.
“Then you need a new attorney.”
