“Yes…No… I mean, yeah, Reed is Henry’s big brother. You know the program.”
“He still does that? Why?”
“I don’t know, Pete, maybe because he’s a nice human being?”
His face is laced with confusion. “Did he lose his license to practice law or something?”
“No, he’s the assistant district attorney. He’s doing it because he wants to.” I stop us because we’re nearing the school and I need to get this out before we get there.
“He’s an ADA? What a pussy. He makes dimes when he could be making dollars. What the hell is wrong with him?”
“Okay, let’s forget the whole Big Brother thing and what path he’s gone down to practice law. There’s more.”
He eases his stance, his eyes narrowing on me. “You’re not one to beat around the bush, Vic, what is it?”
Finally, a light bulb went off.
“We’re dating.” The words rush out of my mouth like the Colorado Rapids.
“You’re dating Reed Warner? Our best man?”
“According to you, he was just your best man.”
“Don’t be snide. You’re dating Reed?”
I nod.
He huffs and tosses his cigarette butt on the sidewalk.
“I thought you swore off lawyers?” He digs into his jacket for another cigarette.
I pull out my phone to check the time. We still have five minutes before Jade gets out.
“Turns out not the good ones.” I smile, hoping to ease some of the sting.
He cups his hand over the cigarette and lights it, blowing a stream of smoke out of the corner of his mouth. “Shit. You just ran me over with a dump truck. I thought you were gonna ride my ass about her routine or some shit. Not the fact that you’re dating…my best friend.”
“He’s not your best friend. When’s the last time you talked to him?”
He thinks again, his eyes staring up at the dreary gray sky. “I don’t know. Maybe six years ago? You’re happy?” he asks, looking back down at me.
I nod and smile, thinking this is going to be fine. That I worried for nothing.
“I am.”
“You look like you lost a few pounds.” He smiles, looking me over.
“Gee thanks.” I pat his flat stomach. “Cool it on the beer, yeah?”
He laughs. “You and Reed, huh?”
“Yeah.”
“Sneaky bastard.” He inhales and exhales the smoke. The cigarette hangs from his fingers. “That’s it though? Just dating? No wedding on the horizon? You’re not knocked up or anything?”
“No, I practice safe sex after I ended up stuck with you for seven years.” I give him a saccharine smile.
His eyes crinkle at the edges. “She’s the best thing we did.” He glances over to the school.
“That’s the truth.”
He swings his arm around me, flicks the cigarette into the street and walks us the rest of the way to the school. “She was worth all the fighting and screaming and losing my youth.”
I hip check him. “Um, I’m the one who lost my youth.”
He doesn’t say anything and eventually his arm falls off my shoulders, but the silence between us is content and easy.
Why did I worry so much?
The minute we break the tree-line and the courtyard opens up, all eyes are on Pete. Darcie and Georgia’s mouths hang open and a few others whisper to each other as they wait for their kids.
“Mean moms?” He nods at Darcie, able to pick the head viper out of the pack.
Back in Los Angeles, Jade went to a private school and he was familiar with their kind.
“Yep.”
“Wanna fuck with them?”
“How so?”
“Do they know you’re with Reed?”
I glance away from Pete and see Darcie approaching. Of course. She’s like the fucking police of a small town. No one enters without being questioned.
“Yes, they do.” I shrug.
“Vicki,” she says.
Pete’s hand slides into mine. I feel none of the warmth I do when Reed holds my hand.
“Darcie. Georgia,” I say each name with the annoyance I feel toward them.
“Who’s this?” she asks, her eyes rolling over Pete’s body.
“This is Jade’s father, Pete.”
He puts his hand out to shake without ever letting go of mine. “Hi. I’m in from Los Angeles.” They shake hands.
“Vicki, I thought you were with Reed?” Darcie asks with a glance at our joined hands, trying her best to stir up trouble.
Pete stares over at me for a moment, I think he’s going to act like we’re not divorced and he’s just found out I’m cheating on him. “They know about Reed?” he whispers to me, loud enough for them to hear.
I nod, still not understanding where he’s going with all this.
“Are you two still married?” Georgia asks.
Pete leans forward. “Who said we were ever married in the beginning? She’s a Clarke. I’m a Keebler. Jade’s a Keebler.”
They look at one another, trying to figure out the puzzle he’s presented them with. Are they dense enough to not realize I took back my maiden name?
“Oh, so you,” Darcie’s eyes drop to our entwined hands. “Are together?”
Pete closes the gap between us and the bell rings to say school’s out. The principal opens the doors, waiting for the kids to pack up their backpacks and get out. Jade’s expecting my mom, which will make Pete being here that much more special to her.
“We’re all together, if you know what I mean.” Pete winks.
“Oh,” Darcie’s hand covers her chest. “Like?”
Georgia’s eyes crinkle, her head flipping from Darcie to Pete then me.
“Open relationship.” He winks again, and she steps back like she could catch whatever we have.
“Open?” Georgia stares around all of us trying to figure out what the hell we’re talking about.
I bite my lip to keep from laughing.
The kids are running out of the school and racing down the stairs.
“Please though, keep it on the down low. You know how some people judge.” He cringes.
Jade runs down the stairs, spotting Pete.
“DADDY!”
He releases my hand, bends down and scoops his little girl up in his arms. They swing around, and I almost feel like I’m in a movie as I watch on. The pit of my stomach burns over the fact that I took her away from him.
“Hi, Henry,” I say, patting his head as he stares at Jade with her dad.
The entire courtyard seems enamored by the scene.
When Pete places her back down, Jade wipes tears from her eyes and Pete stares down at her with water in his own. “I missed you,” Pete says, and Jade wraps her arms tight around his neck.
“I missed you,” she murmurs into his jacket.
A horn honks and Henry looks up. “My grandpa is here. Bye, Jade, have fun this weekend.”
“Wait,” Jade says, halting Henry in his tracks. “Daddy, this is my friend, Henry.”
Pete puts out his fist and Henry bumps it. “Nice to meet you,” Pete says. “I heard you’ve never seen the ocean?”