Page 48 of The Perfect Distraction

“Don’t you like it there?” It was always hard for her to believe someone not liking a library. The peace and quiet, the smell of ink and paper, and of course, the rows and rows of books!

“It’s too quiet!” Joey stated.

Beth and Colton laughed.

“What if we took the books to the park instead?”

“I guess so,” Joey said.

Setting down his soda can loud enough to get his son’s attention, Colton said, “Miss Beth is trying to help you, son. What should you be saying to her?”

“Thank you,” he muttered. “Can I be done?”

When Colton nodded, Joey raced away from the table and up the stairs.

“Sorry about that,” he said.

“It’s no big deal. I get why he’s not excited about having school in the summer.”

“I think there’s more to it than that.”

“Oh. Like what?”

“He’s been like this ever since the divorce. He seems to take great pleasure in challenging me.”

“Part of that could be his age. I see it at school all the time.”

“You don’t have to do that, Beth.”

“Do what?”

“Make excuses for him or for me. I know that children of divorce are faced with certain… struggles.”

“Just like adults are,” she said pointedly.

He abruptly stood up and began clearing the table, but Beth saw through the guise. It was obvious Joey wasn’t the only one still suffering the aftereffects of divorce.

While his back was to her, she stood up and went to him, gently placing a hand on his forearm. “Do you want to talk about it?” she said softly.

“Talk about what?”

“You and Gretchen, and whatever happened.”

“Not especially.”

“It might help.”

“Does it help you to talk about your ex-fiancé?”

She eyed him closely, wondering if he’d meant to sound so sharp. A second later, she had her answer.

“Sorry.”

Removing her hand from his arm, she shook her head. “I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have pried.” Things would probably be different if they were developing a long-term relationship, but they weren’t, and she’d have to remember that. Colton wasn’t required to share everything with her, and vice versa. Her goal should be to round the bases with him, not nose around in his past.

“Maybe I should go.”

“It’s still early.”