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Lenny was happy as long as I attended his sporting events. He didn’t care if I made friends with the other parents. Something I’d always found hard since I was usually the youngest person in the room. I was either labeled as a teen mom out to seduce their husbands or, once they found out Lenny was my brother, dismissed as not a real parent.
“Ariel, I’m sure you won’t mind manning the ticket stand at the fair this year.”
I was sucked back into the meeting when I heard my name. I didn’t even know there was a fair at the school. I’d thought the bake sale was a separate thing. Or maybe they were talking about two separate events?
Not even bothering to change my bored expression, I shook my head. “I’m out of town when the fair is on.”
My first task as soon as I got out of this meeting was to find out the date of the fair and then make plans to be out of town.
She zeroed in on me, leaning forward in her chair, giving me and everyone else a perfect view of her cleavage. “We set the date months ago.”
I stared at her, not answering like she expected.
We blinked at each other, neither willing to back down.
Jude cleared his throat. “I’ll help at the ticket booth with Ariel.” He lightly elbowed me in the side. “I’m sure she can change her plans.”
Chantal pouted. “But, Jude, you were supposed to help me with the dunk tank.”
Despite how hard I fought the eye roll, it happened anyway.
Usually, I took care of my problems with my favorite rifle. I wasn’t used to navigating the intricacies of PTA meetings.
And I suddenly found myself irrationally jealous. And very interested in manning the ticket booth.
I stopped the eye roll, forced a smile to my face, and put my hand on Jude’s arm, leaning closer. “I’m sure I can change my plans. And as long as Jude is there to help me, I should be fine.”
He bent down, whispering once again in my ear, causing goose bumps to break out on my skin. “Stop being mean to the other moms.”
Sitting up, he addressed the room. “It’s settled, then.”
Unless she wanted to argue the point in front of everyone, Chantal had to let it go. Which she did, albeit reluctantly. But her narrow-eyed stare in my direction told me this wasn’t over.
And I’d be damned if she got her claws into Jude. Only because I didn’t want my friend to get sucked into her drama, of course. Because that’s what he was to me. My friend.
When the meeting finally ended, I groaned in relief. A few of the parents threw me chastising glares I ignored.
Collecting Lenny, we left the gym, Jude calling out goodbyes and waving to people.
“So how didyouget an invitation to the PTA meeting?” I asked him.
Jude put his arm around me, drawing me into his side. “The first time I dropped Lenny off, I ran into Chantal. And she suggested I join the meetings.”
“And since you never let an opportunity for free food pass you by, you agreed,” I finished for him.
“I don’t know how to cook. And they have these mini cupcakes with rainbow sprinkles that taste amazing.”
We’d almost made it to the truck when the clacking of heels sounded behind us.
“Jude,” Chantal called out. “Jude. Do you have a minute?”
Not taking his arm from around my shoulders, Jude turned us both so we were facing a smiling Chantal.
She put her hand on his arm. “Can I talk to you for a second?”
He didn’t move. “Of course. What’s up?”
“Alone?”
