Page 76 of The Second Dance
“I might have had an ulterior motive.”
A dry laugh rolls off my tongue. I look away, gauging the progress we’ve already made. “You guys keep on telling me that I broke his heart. But I’m not obligated to be with him because he chose me.”
“No. You’re right.”
“I’ve noticed a trend out here. Men out this way see something they want and think they’re entitled to it.” I meet his gaze. “But I’ll admit this much, I didn’t realize he was having a hard time back then.”
“I’ve already pushed the limits talking about him, so I might as well say one more thing.” He pauses, grinning. “You hear me out and I’ll treat you to lunch after we’re done with this. How’s that sound?”
I tilt my head, squinting at him. “Who says I want to spend that much time with you?”
He laughs. “Fair enough.”
“Just spit it out, Skyler. I’m listening.”
“I know things get messy when we’ve all got so much history between us. And some of the shit we did to each other in high school… it takes a lot of grace to move on from it. But that’s what we do out this way. We take the good with the bad because we’re family.” He pauses. “I’m rambling. What I wanted to say is that even though you two have had some false starts, I just wish you’d ride it out. Give him a fair chance. He’s a good man. And that poor son of a bitch has carried a torch for you since second grade.”
“I can’t make you any promises, Skyler.”
He shrugs. “You listened. That’s good enough for me… Now, where should we go for lunch?”
43.
Bo
Maybe I need to start listening to podcasts while I’m working.
Books on tape.
Something to keep that woman out of my head.
Because, apparently, when she’s on my mind, bad things happen.
I’ve got an old rag wrapped tight around my hand and a fingernail that’s throbbing so hard I can hear it.
I navigate the clinic door, holding it open for a mother and her squalling preschooler. She looks up, giving me an exhausted nod.
“Kindergarten shots.” She says.
“The worst is over, bud.” I say, smiling at both of them as they pass.
That’s a bald-faced lie. He’s in for a thirteen-year sentence. But at least he got the shots out of the way.
I didn’t love school. But it was better than being home, so I preferred it.
Moving out of that damn house, getting out from under my parents’ control, was life-giving. We’ve found an uneasy balance, my dad and me. As much as I hate to say it, mom moving out helped. I don’t have to play the middleman anymore.
I’m busy thinking about silver linings, I almost don’t notice her. She sits behind the front desk with her hair in a loose bun.
“Whitney.”
“Bo.” She’s got a wide-eyed expression. Her gaze drops down to my hand. “What’d you to your hand?”
“Smashed it.”
“I see that.”
Ed Hauser totters up to the desk, bracing a weathered hand on the counter. “All done, darlin’. Fit as a fiddle. I told you as much, didn’t I?”