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“Don’t blame me, it’s the folk around here that talk too much.”
“They still don’t believe it’s real how well we co-parent and actually like each other even though we’re divorced.”
“I think we deserve gold stars.” He chuckles.
That’s one thing we agreed on long ago, to not have a shit fight if we ever broke up.
Blake’s upbringing was too important to us for that, and we wanted to maintain a healthy relationship between the two of us and both our families. We’ve known each other for too long and been through too much to turn on each other and make things hard.
“I think so too. Speaking of gold stars, Blake asked for a gold themed party, you know like the glittery kind. She also asked for some gold cowgirl boots for boot scooting.”
Brooklyn laughs heartily. I have to admit, it is pretty cute of her. She and Brook go together sometimes on Tuesdays when Blake doesn’t have anything on after school. “That’s my daughter,” he says. “What else is on that list, by the way? She hasn’t given me much to go on.”
“She told me the other night she wants to donate what we would usually spend on presents to Stoney Creek Paws animal rescue. I think your influence is really rubbing off on her,” I say, just as Aunt May delivers our coffee and muffins on a tray.
“Enjoy, sweethearts.” She gives us a knowing little smile before she totters off back to the counter.
Brook and I both laugh. Could she make it any more obvious?
“That doesn’t surprise me,” Brooks goes on thoughtfully, resting his head on his hand. “She’s completely obsessed with Sawyer, the new donkey.”
“How’s Sawyer doing by the way?” Blake told me she was rescued a few months back from a bad case of neglect.
“She’s doing much better than when she came in,” Brook sighs. “She’s absolutely beautiful, Edes. You should come over for a visit. It’s like a zoo at my place.”
“I’ve been meaning to do that. Blake is always talking about all the animals and how much she loves helping you.”
Brook taught me to ride horses when we were kids. I’ve been riding with him and Blake many times over the Bassett property and beyond. It’s one of the things we loved to do way back when.
“She’s so good with all of them. She’s been bugging me about getting a dog.” He swipes a hand over his face with a chuckle.
“She loves Noodle to death.”
That’s my other baby; my white Maltese shih tzu I adopted as a puppy from Stoney Creek Paws, the same pet rescue Blake wants to donate her birthday money to.
“Where is the little tyke?” Brooklyn asks. Noodle goes everywhere I do and loves my lap more than anything, so it’s unusual for her not to be with me.
“Would you believe me if I said she’s having a play date with Daisy over at Gabe and Skye’s?”
He almost sputters his coffee. “You’re kidding?”
Gabe recently adopted a Toy Poodle from the rescue for his daughter, and his new girlfriend Skye has been taking Daisy to puppy classes. I met Skye at the recent Bake’ n’ Shake briefly and we hit it off from then. When they adopted the pup, Skye asked if we could get them together so Daisy could socialize and get used to other dogs early on.
Since I’d already arranged to meet Brook today, I asked if it would be okay to drop Noodle off for a couple of hours so we could plan Blake’s party.
“Yeah, Gabe and Skye are trying to socialize Daisy while she’s still young, and Noodle is such a softie. It’ll be perfect for them.”
“That’s a good idea.” His eyes flick up to meet mine.
“Gabe seems really happy,” I say.
“He is. It's been a long time coming for him.”
“They really seem like they suit each other.”
Skye started off as Gabe’s nanny when his former nanny, Geraldine, retired. But one thing seemed to quickly lead to another with them both, and now they’re a couple.
She seems very sweet, even if I’ve only met her briefly a couple times.
