The waffles are…awful. When I give up on mine, I glance at Matt to see that he’s abandoned his, too. “Gluten free,” he mouths at me over his coffee cup, then scowls.
His daughters don’t seem to mind, though. They scarf theirs down. When they’re done, Matt’s ready with a wet washcloth to get the syrup off their sticky fingers. Then they beg him to read him a chapter of Ramona the Brave. “Before Mommy comes to get us,” June adds, looking sad.
He checks his watch. “After I finish my coffee,” he promises, parking his feet under the table beside mine.
Surreptitiously, I offer a bite of waffle to Rufus.
After a single sniff, he turns his nose away. But then, since he has my attention, he picks up his leash again and eyes me pityingly. “Can’t you see me?” his eyes say. “I’m right here!”
“I’m going to take Rufus out for a little walk,” I announce.
“You don’t have to…”
“I know!” I say, snapping the leash onto his collar. “Read to your girls.”
“Thank you, honey,” he says, his gray gaze warming me.
“You’re welcome. Go.”
I put on my jacket and take out the dog. When we pass the coffee shop, I have an idea. A barista I know is behind the counter, and I wave frantically until he spots me. “Can I get two chocolate croissants to go? Sorry for making you come over here.”
“No prob, Hailey. One sec.” He takes my money and brings back my pastries in a bag, and change. “That your dog? He’s cute.”
“He’s a friend’s,” I say. “See you tomorrow.”
We’re not gone for very long, because I plan to leave the croissant for Matt and get gone before his ex comes to fetch the girls at ten. I re-enter the lobby at 9:30 and scamper for the elevator doors, which are closing.
“Thanks,” I gasp when a hand holds them open.
But when I step inside the elevator, I realize my mistake. It’s Kara, Matt’s ex. And now she’s eyeing me as if I were the carrier of a nasty disease.
“Good morning,” I say, wishing I’d taken Rufus out for a very long walk.
“Morning,” she says tightly.
Rufus tries to greet her, too, but she pushes his feet off her camel-colored coat. So I tug him back, clicking my tongue.
Neither one of us pleases her, apparently.
It’s the longest elevator ride ever. I try to think of something nice to say, but the doors part before I’ve worked out what that might be.
I let her get off first, and she walks ahead of me to Matt’s door with a posture so regal the queen could take lessons. When she knocks, he opens right away. “Hail— You’re early, Kara,” he says quickly. Then his eyes lift to find me bringing up the rear.
I make an apologetic face, but his only looks amused.
“Are those waffles?” she asks by way of a greeting.
“Gluten free,” he assures her.
She sniffs anyway. “Let’s go, girls.”
“We were going to read another chapter!” Libby whines.
“Go get your clothes on,” she barks. The girls are still in their PJs.
“Isn’t my braid pretty?” Libby asks, twirling around in front of her mother. “Hailey did it.”
Kara’s lip curls, and I don’t really blame her. She doesn’t know me, and it looks as if I’ve tried to remake her daughters into my two little clones. “Please put on your clothes. Leave your PJ’s on the bed. They stay here. Matt,” she snaps. “Help them.”
He opens his mouth and then closes it again, trying to decide what to do. I lift my chin slightly. Go on. It’s okay. He trots off toward the girls’ room while I drop to a knee and unclip Rufus. Then I rub his belly. Last time Kara showed up, I ran away like a frightened bunny. I could do that now, but why? The damage is already done. And I’m not afraid of her anymore.
It is what it is.
Matt reappears, holding a little pink duffel bag. “All set,” he says, handing the bag to Kara. When I stand up, he steps closer and rubs my back.
Kara actually rolls her eyes. “We didn’t discuss the girls spending time with your hookups.”
Matt practically growls. “Hailey is not a hookup,” he spits. “We’re dating.”
“Uh-huh.” Her irritated gaze swivels to me. “It won’t last, you know. He’s never around. The women hurl themselves at him on the road.”
“Which doesn’t matter,” he says through clenched teeth. “And never did.”
Whoa. Nothing like a little post-marital spat on Sunday morning.
Luckily, June and Libby have made it back into the room, calming everyone down. I drift out of sight, taking myself into Matt’s bathroom to wash my hands while he says goodbye to his children and sees his ex out the door.
A couple of minutes later I hear him enter the bedroom. “What’s in the bag?” he asks.
“Chocolate croissants,” I say, handing them over. “One for each of us.”
“Fuck yeah.” He sets the bag on his dresser. “I’m topping up our coffees. Let’s eat ’em in bed.”
My first impulse is to worry about crumbs. Then I check myself. “Yeah, let’s.”
Matt
“You look hot in my shirt,” I tell Hailey. I’ve just fucked her in the middle of my bed. I’m naked and she’s wearing only the shirt.
“Mmh,” is all she can manage, since she’s still breathing hard.
We cuddle for a few lovely minutes. “Thanks for not freaking out when my ex-wife was a bitch.”
She chuckles. “I get it. I really do.”
“I’m always the bad guy,” I tell her. Telling Hailey my troubles isn’t my MO, but sex has loosened my tongue. “She has a boyfriend. I’m sure he spends the night more often than not.”
“The dentist, right?”
“Good memory. I didn’t say a word when he entered the picture. I thought—Kara is so fucking picky about every goddamn thing. But she knew him in high school, and if she’s brought him into my children’s lives, he must be a good guy. I gave her the benefit of the doubt. But I don’t ever get that with her. Everything I feed them is questioned. I don’t get a say on what school they go to next year, or where they should spend Christmas.”
“I’m sorry,” Hailey says, stroking my chest. “You’re such a good dad. They’re lucky to have you.”
“I do okay,” I mumble. I’ve whined enough already.
She raises herself on one elbow. “I’m not kidding. You’re the best kind of parent. You listen when they talk. You don’t correct every little thing that comes out of their mouths. You just appreciate them.”
“That’s what anyone would do.”
“Not true.”
There’s something vehement in her tone that gives me pause. “Sore spot?”
She snorts. “Maybe. My mother spent every day of my childhood making sure I knew I’d already let her down. My dad left when I was five, and she told me it was my fault.”
I sit up fast. “What the fuck, Hailey? Who says that to a child?”
“I know.” Her smile is wan. “Maybe I don’t have the parenting bar set very high. But you’re good with them, Matt. Don’t ever let her convince you otherwise.”
Flopping back on the bed, I let out a grunt. “The co-parenting thing is hard.”