Page 37 of Soup Sandwich
“I don’t even want to know if you’re kidding or not.”
“Then I won’t tell you. I’m going to assume you do not feel that is in Katy’s best interest.”
“No. I don’t. And I don’t think I’m being selfish or emotionally irrational on that either.”
“Right. Okay.” He pauses. “But as long as you get Katy, the rest can be handled with court and money.”
“True,” I concede and start to meander up the sidewalk again. Maybe I’m making too big of a deal out of the money side. I have plenty for Katy and I can hold them up in court if I choose. “My attorney doesn’t think they’ll petition for legal guardianship, but you never know. He said it doesn’t look good that I’m single and work long hours, but he also doesn’t think they’ll pull Katy from my care.”
“If you’re about to propose to me, I accept. As long as I can still sleep with women on the side.”
I snicker. “You’re not exactly my type, but you think Lenox would be in for that?”
He laughs and so do I. “Maybe. It’s always the silent ones who surprise you the most. Or you could just get together with your hot med student again.”
I freeze midstep in the middle of the sidewalk. “Uh.”
“Uh what, Cal?” he asks, his voice leading.
“Something might have happened this morning.” I hedge, kicking at a pebble on the sidewalk and watching it skip into a bed of patchy grass.
He barks out a laugh. “Alright, now we’re talking. Tell me about it. Give me all the sexy details.”
I roll my eyes and lean against the wrought iron fence in front of Katy’s camp. “What are we, in high school? I’m not going to give you details.”
“Boo. Boring. Just tell me where you fucked her. Was it at school since I know you’re not at the hospital today?”
“I didn’t fuck her.” Technically.
“Then what?”
“Shut up, asshole. Whatever happened won’t happen again. It was… a stress reliever.”
He snorts sarcastically. “Uh-huh. You know you already told us it wouldn’t happen again and then bam, looks like it did.”
“It’s different. And it really won’t this time. It can’t.”
“Fine. Whatever,” he remarks dubiously. “But I don’t see any harm in you and her having an occasionalstress relieverwith each other as long as you both know what it is and where it can’t go.”
“Other than it being ethically wrong, I can’t do that with her.”
He pauses, and when he realizes I’m inferring she could never just be an occasional stress reliever, he says, “If that’s how it is, then put her out of your head. You have enough to focus on right now.”
I tap the metal bar. “Yep, I do. In fact, I’m going to go take Katy out for ice cream. I’ll catch you later, man.”
“Give my girl a hug for me.”
We disconnect the call and then I head toward the front door of the camp. I tell the admin person behind the desk that I’m here to pick up Katy early, and then my little Ladybug is there with her green backpack on her shoulders and her hair wet from the pool as she gives me a wary look.
“Hey, Katy my lady.” I crouch down and lift her up into my arms, hugging her to my chest. She hugs me back and then I set her down, taking her small hand in mine.
“How come you’re picking me up early?” she asks.
“I finished with my meeting and thought it might be fun to get some ice cream together.”
Her blue eyes, the same color as mine and Declan’s light up. “Really? Mommy never gave me treats during the day.”
“Oh,” slips out and once again I wonder if I’m doing everything wrong.