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It’s pasta night at his house again. He’s ordered family-sized pans of spaghetti bolognese and chicken alfredo, garlic bread, and salad. I purchase an apple galette from the bakery and, on a whim, pick up white and red wine.
I park on the street behind a familiar minivan. Skyler and her mom are talking to Tom outside. Skyler is jumping up and down excitedly. When I get out of my car, she dashes toward me.
“Guess what, Charlie? Mom’s friend gave her four tickets to the Vibe concert tonight in Pueblo. We came to see if Maya and Tom want to go.” She’s bouncing on the balls of her feet. Her red hair is caught in a side braid, and she’s wearing a black shirt with The Vibe in fluorescent pink letters. Horizontal slits in the shirt reveal a painfully bright pink tank top underneath.
“That sounds fun. You’ll have a great time.” I hope my voice doesn’t sound as deflated as I feel. I’d been looking forward to an evening with Tom and Maya, but the girls will enjoy the concert. Tom? Not so much. He groans every time the girls play their music, which in his opinion, is entirely too often.
Skyler’s mom turns and waves, her mouth forming a slight “o” when she sees the bakery box and wine. I struggle to remember her name. It’s something hip. Paxton? Peyton? I know it starts with a P. Whatever it is, she’s dressed in black leather pants and a plunging hot pink shirt that clashes against her strawberry blond tresses.
“I should have called. I didn’t realize you had plans,” she’s telling Tom as I approach.
“Hey,” I greet Tom. “Skyler told me. We can reschedule. I understand.”
“I’ve already ordered dinner,” he says smoothly, taking the bakery box from me. I start to tell him I’ll stay and accept the delivery so he can go, but his expression stops me. He turns to Skyler’s mom. “I’m sorry, Parker. But perhaps you wouldn’t mind if Maya went along? I know she’d be thrilled.”
Parker. I knew it was something like that.
She tries and fails to hide her disappointment. “Of course.” She plasters on a smile and turns to Skyler. “Run upstairs and get Maya. I’ll be in the car.” Skyler sprints inside, and I hear her sneakers pounding up the stairs as she calls Maya’s name.
“You’re welcome to wait inside,” Tom offers.
She shakes her head, still smiling. “It’s okay. I need to make a call.” She tosses her hand up again in a small wave. “You guys have a good time,” she says wistfully.
Tom holds the door, and I carry the wine into the kitchen. He follows, putting the apple galette on the counter. “Seriously, Tom, if you want to go, you should go. She’s clearly into you. We can do this anytime.”
He shakes his head. “That’s a horrible idea.”
“Why?”
He looks at me like I’ve lost my mind. “She’s not my type.”
I gesture vaguely in her direction. “You saw her, right? Strawberry blond hair, flawless skin, big blue eyes, curves in all the right places. How is she not your type?”
He chuckles. “I didn’t say she wasn’t attractive. She is. She’s also very –” he pauses, searching for the right word. “She’s the female equivalent of a barnacle.”
I raise an eyebrow. “A barnacle?”
“She attaches quickly,” he explains. “She inserts her own subtext into situations and reads things that aren’t there. Plus, she’s Skyler’s mom. Our daughters are best friends. If we went out even once, the girls would get overly excited, and Parker would feed into that excitement instead of tempering it. When things didn’t work out, it would be awkward for Skyler and Maya. It’s not worth it.”
I smile. “You’ve given this a lot of thought.”
He sighs. “She’s been dropping hints for a while.”
“So that’s why you insisted on staying with me. Dinner, dessert, wine. To imply your interests lie elsewhere.”
“I’d have stayed anyway. You’re much more fun.”
I sniff in mock annoyance. “I feel used. If there weren’t pasta, you’d be in a lot of trouble.”
He grins his boyish grin, eyes twinkling. “I’m sorry.”
I snort. “Nice try. You’re just lucky I’m a sucker for Italian food.”
Feet thunder down the stairs, and Maya runs in and grabs me around the waist. “Charlie!” she squeals. I plant a noisy kiss on her cheek as Skyler comes in.
“Sounds like you’re gonna have fun.”
“I wish you guys could come,” she complains. Her black shirt has The Vibe emblazoned across it, too.
