AllFreeNovel
Share Us
17
The dayafter the best night in recorded history, Shane’s sky was bluer, his sun was brighter, and the most frustrating students couldn’t bring him down. He walked with a spring in his step, and when approached by one of the mothers who seemed to enjoy backing him into a corner, he managed to escape with everything intact—including his mood. All of that lasted until an expensive rental car pulled up at school while he was on traffic duty, and Diana stepped out.
Immediately, his back teeth clamped together and his spine stiffened. He hadn’t seen her since dinner on Tuesday, but he’d known she wouldn’t have slunk away. She’d have made a scene. Quietly leaving wasn’t her thing. Designer sunglasses hid her eyes, but he felt them laser-beaming into him. Before she could take a step toward him, a pair of parents seemed to recognize her and rushed over, speaking excitedly. She smiled. She’d always loved being the center of attention. While she was talking to them, the bus from the middle school came around the corner. The one Dylan was on. Her head snapped up as though she was a predator that had sighted prey.
“Can we cross now?”
Shane jerked in surprise. While he’d been staring at Diana, a group of children had assembled, ready for him to help them across the street. “Oh yeah, sure thing.”
He waved for the next car to stop and stepped into the center of the road, holding the orange flag while the kids hurried over to their parents. By the time he got back to the sidewalk, Diana had parted from the couple she’d been with. Scanning the area, he spotted her beside the bus.
What’s she doing?
Whatever it was, it couldn’t be good. One of the older students came through the gate, and Shane held up a hand to stop her. “Milly, do you mind being traffic warden for five minutes? I need to take care of something.”
“Yep, I can do that.”
“Great.” He handed her the flag and high-vis vest, then hurried to the bus Dylan was disembarking from. “What are you doing?” he asked Diana.
She ran a hand through the length of her blonde hair. “What does it look like? I’m picking up Dylan. We’re going to the beach.”
Dylan joined them, and Shane turned to him. “Did you know about this?”
He shrugged, his expression sullen. “Yeah. I didn’t think it was a big deal.”
“Well, it is.”
Diana waved dismissively. “It’s a harmless visit. What’s the problem with that? He’s my son too.”
“Yes, but I have sole custody. That means you have to clear things like this with me first.”
She slipped her sunglasses off and tucked them into her purse. “For now.”
Wait—what’s that supposed to mean?
“Excuse me?”
She lifted one delicate shoulder. “You heard me. I was merely agreeing that for now, you have sole custody of the boys.”
Shane’s stomach bottomed out. Was that a hint she planned to challenge him for custody? Or was this a ploy to unsettle him and win Dylan’s favor? Speaking of, Dylan was watching their back-and-forth like it was a tennis match. Guilt weighed heavily on Shane. They shouldn’t be having this discussion in front of him.
“Away you go,” he said gently. “Just be home before eight.”
Finally, the tension seemed to ease from Dylan. “Thanks, Dad.”
“Eight,” he said to Diana, pointedly.
She rolled her eyes. “I hear you. Come along, Dylan.”
When the shopquietened for the afternoon, Faith decided to get a head start on cleaning. She was sweeping the floor when she glanced up and spotted a scene outside the window that made her freeze. There, on the pavilion, was Diana Monroe, holding court for a cluster of tourists. Off to the side, with his hands in his pockets, stood Dylan. Another pair of tourists joined the group, jostling him further away from Diana. He backed off, putting space between himself and her posse, his shoulders hunched.
Faith’s heart squeezed. Poor Dylan. It was obvious he wanted to spend time with his mother. Meanwhile, she was busy lapping up attention from everyone in a hundred-foot radius. Returning behind the counter, Faith grabbed her phone and texted him.
Faith: Want a free ice cream? Come on in.
She watched him check his phone and look in the window. Then he turned back to Diana, trying—and failing—to talk to her. Finally, head low, he shuffled over to The Shack.
“Hey there,” Faith called. “You look like you need ice cream. What flavor?”
