Page 71 of Old Habits
Chapter 20
Jovie
I pretend to wipe down the windows as I stare out at the birthday party in the town square.
The streamers and balloons were already hanging around by the time I got to work. Presents and cupcakes all stacked up on a table with a cooler full of tiny, individual cups of ice cream. Loud music, fun games, free prizes for all.
And I wasn’t invited.
Not that I ever expected to be invited to a birthday party for Sara Myers’ spawn but I’m fairly sure everyone else has passed by the toy store windows at least once with smiles and sprinkles on their mouths.
My eyes land on Will and mine aren’t the only ones.
He races across the grass at half speed with Andy and a dozen other children trailing behind him. He fakes a trip to his knees and they all dogpile on him, laughing and shrieking, while other women all over the place stare and swoon over him. A hard-working, educated man with that body and a fondness for children? I can practically hear their ovaries bursting from behind this glass.
I’d feel jealous but he ate me out this morning and I performed some of my best work on him, so...
Sorry, ladies. He’s a little taken at the moment.
I abandon the window and wander back over to the cash register to sit down for a little bit. The entrance bell chimes behind me and a woman emerges with a cupcake sitting on a napkin in her palm and a warm smile on her motherly face.
“Hello, Jovie.”
I smile back. “Hey, Dr. Myers.”
“Rachel,” she corrects me.
I shrug. “It’s been a while. Just making sure…”
“It’s always Rachel to the significant others of my children.”
“Oh, we’re not—”
“Jovie, I know my son. If you two really did part ways for good after your little town square spat last night then he wouldn’t be smiling like that today.”
She points out the window behind her and my cheeks burn.
“Okay…” I chuckle. “You got us.”
“Don’t worry. I won’t say a word.” She halts across the counter from me. “How are your teeth?”
I press my lips together. Somehow, I’d forgotten all about Rachel and Dave’s patented awkward greetings. “They’re fine,” I answer.
“When was your last x-ray?” she asks.
I try to think back far enough. “Uh…”
“Oh, that’s not good.” She shakes her head. “Come and see me soon.”
“I’ll have to check my schedule.”
“So, you’re missing quite the party out there,” she says, pointing through the windows.
“Well, someone has to hold down the fort in here in case all those wacky party-goers feel the sudden urge to buy oodles of toys all of a sudden.” I gesture around. “Also, I wasn’t invited, so…”
She sets the cupcake down in front of me. “And that someone deserves a secret, stolen pastry for putting up with that bullshit.”
“Thank you,” I say, admiring the perfect spiral of blue frosting on top. “Tell your grandson happy birthday for me.”