Andrew In the Maserati’s center console, my phone blared with an incoming call. Slowing down at a yellow light, I shot it a glance. Kyle. Instinctively, I went to pick it up, then thought better of it, and silenced the phone instead. From the passenger’s seat, Raven watched me with interest.“I’ve already left work for the day,” I explained. She just turned to look back out the window. Kyle’s call went to voice mail. Whatever the issue, it couldn’t be that pressing. The matter of the missing twenty thousand in the Houghton Graham account had been resolved. I’d gone to work earlier than usual that morning, cutting my predawn laps in the swimming pool by half, so I could get more shit done and leave the office sooner. There would be work to do later, but at that moment, I was right where I needed to be. “I should have gotten tan instead of khaki,” Raven sighed. “What? No. Khaki is a perfect base coat.”“I don’t know,” she mumbled. “Trust me.” I pulled into the edge of the drive an
Andrew Taking my phone down the hallway, I went into the little library across from my room that I never used and closed the door behind me. “Bob,” I answered. “How are you doing?”“Swell. How are you? Haven’t heard your voice in a while.”“Yeah, things have been crazy.” I went to the window and looked down at the backyard, where the covered outside swimming pool and the dilapidated tree house I’d had built for Raven when she was five sat ignored. Maybe it was time to tear that old tree house down and build something in its place. A little studio for Raven, maybe?“Crazy never stops,” Bob answered. On his end, a phone rang. It could only be assumed he was at the office. Like me, Bob lived and breathed work. We’d known each other for years, having met at a work-related—of course—event years before. Though we often went weeks without talking, he was my closest friend. The way we could connect after days of not talking was a testament to the strength of the friendship. Though he was a
Lanie Mom opened the back door of her car and frowned at the pumpkins covering it. “You don’t think this is too early, do you?”“It’s September.” The wind must have been listening, because at my words, it picked up, cutting through my sweater and making me wrap my arms around myself. “None of the neighbors have pumpkins out yet.” She pressed her fingers against her lips in concern. “You’re a maverick. Let’s get them out. It’s so cold.”Not waiting for her next protest, I pushed my way forward and hauled out the closest pumpkin. Once we’d gotten all of them out and set on the front porch, we used the kitchen to escape the chill.“One week before Halloween is a good time to carve,” Mom mused as she frothed milk using the fancy coffee machine Dad had given her on their last anniversary. The contraption was huge and bulky with two group heads for pulling shots of espresso. It could have replaced the espresso machine at the coffee shop near my apartment. Still, it only took up a minuscul
Lanie On the drive to Erica’s, my teeth wouldn’t unclench. My mom had been right about my dad’s reaction to me dating an older guy. My parents were so by-the-book, their heads would probably explode if they knew the man I was going out with was the father of one of my students. Parking at Erica’s, I found myself checking my phone, hoping there would be a text from Andrew. The screen was blank, though. We hadn’t been in touch since our conversation on the phone the day before. I found myself aching to hear his voice. I’d only seen this man twice in person, and yet I already missed him. Was that a bad sign? What if my mom was right after all? Maybe I’d gotten in over my head. Andrew probably had girls fawning over him all the time. If I continued to fall for him but didn’t meet his expectations, nothing would stop him from moving on to the next person. And there I’d be, alone. Right where I’d started. Realizing I was going down the rabbit hole of worry again, I collected my purse and
Andrew On Friday, I got what I wanted. In a sense. Waiting in the car outside of the high school for Raven, the woman who’d been on my mind nonstop exited through the front doors and walked toward the small parking lot on the side of the building. Without any thought, in the blink of an eye, I was out of my car and halfway to her. “Lanie!”She turned, brows furrowed. Recognizing me, though, the hardened expression melted. “Andrew,” she breathed. The hairs all over my body stood on end. I wanted to hear her say my name again and again. “What are you doing here?” she asked, looking all around. “Did you have a parent-teacher meeting?”“No, I came to pick Raven up from school. We’re going to a talk at the library.”“That’s nice.”Come with us sat on the tip of my tongue, but I knew that wasn’t right. The afternoon was supposed to be about Raven and me. And I still hadn’t told my daughter I had a date planned with her school counselor. Dropping the news like a bomb wouldn’t do any goo
Andrew “I’m sorry.” She lethargically turned from the window. “’Kay.” “Really. I am. But ...” Raven slightly turned her face in my direction, still avoiding my eyes but showing she listened. “I like that we’re spending more time together,” I said. “I’m sorry I haven’t been doing that enough. I made a mistake there.” Raven’s stiff shoulders loosened. Noting some promise, I went on. “And as we’ve been spending more time together, I’ve noticed some things that I looked over before.” “Like what?” she warily asked. “Where are your friends, Raven? You used to have so many.” She shook her head, looking away again and getting busy twisting a lock of hair. “That school sucks.” “It’s a big school.” “Yeah, well, there isn’t anyone there like me. Okay?” I kept back a huff. “Not okay. It’s not healthy for you to not have friends. If there isn’t anyone at school that you get along with, let’s get you somewhere you can meet more people your age. Join a club or meetup.” The suggestion sh
Lanie “Okay, here are the options.” Putting the phone on speaker, I set it on the bed next to the different sets of lingerie I’d laid out. “Black lace with pink ribbons. Red. Just, like, plain red. White cotton. Pink lace, though the bra and panties are different shades of pink. Do you think that’s okay?” “Uh, why is white cotton an option?” Erica asked. “I’m sorry. Are you going on a date tonight, or is your grandma?” “I don’t want to look desperate.” She laughed. “There’s nothing desperate about hoping the chemistry is there.” Sitting down on the edge of the bed, I tossed the white bra and panties in the general direction of my wardrobe. “I’ve never slept with a guy on a first date.” “Yeah, I know. You used to be all like, Miss Three-Dates-No-Less. What happened?” I cringed. “I think maybe that was my mother talking through me.” “There’s nothing wrong with sleeping with a guy on a first date. You’re a grown-up. Do whatever the fuck you want.” “Yeah,” I nodded. “I know.” Loo
Lanie With his hand pressed lightly against my lower back, Andrew led me into the low-lit restaurant to a square table for two. As we settled in, my foot brushed his. I opened my mouth to apologize, but the smoldering expression on his face stopped me. “Footsie, already?” he asked. I laughed as the waiter handed me the menu. “Yeah, why waste time getting to know each other?” Though I was the one who’d said it, the ballsy statement still made me blush. Burying my face in the menu, I got busy reading. With our entrees ordered and a bottle of red wine on the table, Andrew raised his glass in cheers. “To tonight.” “To tonight,” I whispered, clinking my glass against his. I took a long sip, hoping the wine wouldn’t stain my teeth, and cleared my throat. “How is Raven?” “She’s good.” Andrew’s dark eyes sparkled in the complimentary lighting. “Thank you.” I nodded, and an unspoken agreement seemed to surface between us. There would be no more talk about work or his daughter that nigh