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“The best,” Trent said.
“Mom, can we get pizza for dinner tonight?” She didn’t get takeout during the week, but Eli didn’t ask for a lot. “I got a hundred on my math test and a ninety-four on my spelling test that you helped me with too.”
“That’s wonderful,” she said. “I guess that is worthy of pizza.”
“Can Trent have it too?” Eli asked. “You know, like eat at the place and go with us?”
She hadn’t expected this. “Trent might be busy,” she said.
“I’m not,” he said.
He was grinning at her. She wanted to say no, but the truth was, maybe this was the opening she needed for her son to spend a little time with her boyfriend without Eli even knowing.
“I planned on leaving here around four. It will be an early dinner. You could have plans.”
“No plans,” he said. “I’ll just go up and do a few things. I’ll be down here at four and I can follow you to any place you want to go.”
“Sweet,” Eli said.
Eli went back into her office leaving her standing there with Trent. She shut the door. “I can make an excuse to not come if you want.”
“No,” she said, her hand landing on his arm for a quick caress before she dropped it away. “This is a good start.”
“I’m glad you feel that way,” he said. “I thought the same, but then, you know, that ‘oh, shit’ moment again.”
“Like the last time you saw him here and he took off running,” she said, smiling at him. For someone that wanted to keep this a secret from her kid, she was itching to lean in and kiss her boyfriend.
She wouldn’t though.
“Exactly like that,” he said.
“And that is when you found out you loved me,” she whispered.
“That’s right. Go get your work done and I’ll do the same. If you decide you want to change your mind, just text me. It’s fine.”
“It’s not fine,” she said. “I won’t change my mind. I promise.”
His fingers reached for hers, touched her briefly and then said, “Good.”
She went back to her office. “I’m sorry,” Eli said.
“For what?” she asked.
She noticed the cookie had maybe three bites left of it. He always ate fast when he thought he was getting away with something.
“For asking Trent to go with us. I know you said never to do that with my friends with them there. That I have to ask you first.”
“I have said that,” she said. She wouldn’t get mad at him over the push that she needed. Eli would have no clue, but that was fine too.
“Dad gets really mad when I ask for things in front of other people.”
Not what she wanted to hear. It felt like once the holidays had passed things were quiet again with Jeff.
“Define mad? What are you asking and what is happening?”
“He just gets annoyed when I ask him to do things with Jenna and Carly around. He told me never to do that.”
“Why?” she asked.
