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I let myself out and watched as the door closed behind me, a million things left unsaid.
“You made the right call,”Stephanie told me.
“Huh?”
“The dark brown suede,” she said. She raised an eyebrow. “For the sofa. It looks nice. Like an actual adult picked it out.”
“Thanks.”
“I especially like the lack of beer stains,” Maya added.
“Well, you know me. Hashtag adult,” I said, dryly, distracted by something going on outside.
“Did you really just sayhashtag adult?” Steph wondered.
I muttered something indecipherable. I really didn’t care to discuss adulting or my sofa. Something was going on in front of Zoe’s condo. A car pulled up in front of the house and Holly got out. Behind them, an SUV parked and two more people got out. I recognized Desmond immediately and assumed the woman with him was a lawyer.
But then, the back door opened and Rex got out.
“Fuck,” I whispered.
“What’s going on?” Steph joined me at the window and looked out at the scene unfolding. “I didn’t think you were the type to spy on your neighbors.”
I didn’t respond. I just watched as Desmond led his son to the house.
“He shouldn’t be in there,” I said aloud, to no one in particular.
“Who? What’s going on?”
“Rex. The kid there. He’s not supposed to be here today. Why did that fucker bring him here?” I said, getting angrier by the second.
“Carter—”
I was out the door before I even bothered to explain what was going on.
Rex ran over to me waving happily. He clearly had no idea what was happening today. That his mom was about to fight like hell for him.
“Hi, Carter,” he said. He smiled wide and I noticed that he was missing a front tooth.
“Looks like that loosie finally fell out, huh?”
“Yeah. I can dothisnow.” Rex poked his tongue out through the hole.
“Don’t do that, it’s unseemly,” Desmond said. He met my eyes, looking at me like I smelled. “Who are you?”
“Dad, this is Carter. He lives next door,” Rex explained. “I told you about him. He taught me how to play pinball.”
“Oh. Thanks for that,” he said in a tone that wasn’t at all grateful.
I didn’t waste time with pleasantries. “What is Rex doing here?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean that I know this is a big meeting about you and Zoe and your… arrangements. And a kid shouldn’t be there for it,” I said. “I know Zoe wasn’t expecting him to be here today.”
“This doesn’t concern you, Mr. Kane.”
Zoe came out onto the front steps, joining us.
