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Me: See you soon.
When I look up, there are three sets of eyes staring at me. Not Otto’s, though. He’s mesmerized by Boomer’s flashy watch.
“What?”
Boomer looks to Bowie. “Here, hold this.”
I rub a hand over my mouth. “Otto is ahim. Not athis.”
After passing off my son, Boomer moves in front of me, pushing the pizza out of the way so he can sit on the coffee table.
“Hey man,” he starts, using yet another weird voice. This one overly soothing and gentle. “So, what’s going on with you and Fun Wrecker?”
I’ve given up trying to get him to stop calling her that. He holds up a staying hand before I answer.
“I mean, aside from…” He makes a graphic gesture with his index finger and—
“Jesus, Boomer.”
“Settle, settle. All I’m saying is that things seem to be going good since you started…” Again with the gesture, and I slap his hand away.
“They are good.” Really good. Good like I didn’t think it could be for me.
Good like I don’t want to lose.
Fuck, I don’t want to lose her.
Boomer snaps his fingers in front of my face, then again, even though I’m already looking at him.
“Yeah, see, that’s what I’m talking about right there. Axe, man, you went from looking like you had a breakaway with an open net in double overtime of the last playoff game of your career before you retire— still playing for the Slayers, of course —to looking like Bowie just took a dump in your cookie-dipping milk.”
Piper mutters, “Bro, you are so extra,” then pulls a face, looking back to me. “But yeah. He’s kind of right. You seem a little like a pressure keg ready to blow. You and Nora talk much about what’s going to happen in March?”
I sink back into the sheet-covered couch, my eyes locked on my son. “Truth? Not much. I guess I’m thinking I’m going to have plenty of time to dwell on her leaving once she’s gone. And I don’t really want to waste time thinking about it now.”
Maybe neither of us do, because for a woman who’s leaving for her dream job in five weeks, she’s not really saying a lot about it, either.
Piper pushes her straight blond hair back from her face. “She’s still going then, huh?”
“Still going.” And then I tell her what I’ve been telling myself every damn time I think about asking Nora to stay. “It’s France. This is the opportunity she’s been waiting for her whole life.”
She’s going to have all the life she deserves. With all the options. It’s what I want for her. But damn if it isn’t getting harder and harder to swallow that pill.
Chapter 19
Nora
I’ve never given Valentine’s Day much thought before this year. Sure, I noticed when the aisles of every store turned red, and I made Valentines for all my siblings. Helped them make theirs for school. But as far as the romantic aspects and expectations of the holiday? I didn’t have time to date, so not surprisingly, they didn’t really make my radar.
This year is different.
This year, I have a man in my life, making me laugh and smile and feel like I’m the sexiest, most beautiful woman alive. This year, my heart is close to bursting with emotions I’ve never experienced before.
It’s been three days since I’ve been able to wrap my arms around Axel, and I’m dying for him to come home.
I struggled with what to do for the holiday but ended up making a berry tart in the shape of a heart and taking Natalie Vassar’s advice on a few underthings she swore would drive him wild.
Those will have to wait until tonight when Otto, who’s currently strapped to my chest in his little front-loader, as Axel calls it, goes down for the night.
