“I know exactly what you mean. Unless you make a boatload of money and can afford one of those fancy penthouses or the even fancier renovated houses, it’s mighty difficult to raise a family there.”
“You sound like you’re talking from experience.” I glanced at her profile while the kids squealed with laughter at something or someone up ahead. Her features were delicate, but there was something about her that told me she was a force to be reckoned with.
“Are you kidding? As soon as the doc told us there were two sets of eyes sitting in my stomach and two heartbeats, Rowan and I knew it was time to head to the suburbs.”
“That must have come as a shock,” I said.
She shrugged, her eyes crinkling again. “It did, but it’s been a blessing in many ways. One of which is that I never have to go through pregnancy again. We’ve got our pigeon pair, and that’s more than good enough for us. I always wanted to move out here anyway. I hated our tiny studio in the city.”
“I was the complete opposite. I loved my apartment. Honestly, I never thought I’d move to a place like this. It is beautiful, though.”
“Parenthood makes us all do things we never thought we would,” she mused. “I might’ve wanted to move out here, but I sure as hell didn’t want to drive a station wagon and pack coolers for baseball games. I thought I’d be one of those new-age, super-cool moms who somehow manages to fit everything into a nifty little coupe and got platters made up for games.”
“Let me guess. You couldn’t fit the car seats into the coupe?”
She nodded. “Not even one. The salesman laughed at me when I told him I’d need something that could fit two. My diaper bags wouldn’t even have gone into the car I really wanted.”
“But you wouldn’t change it for the world,” I said. “I’m willing to bet you don’t even think about that car anymore.”
“I wouldn’t change it for the world or anything else,” she agreed. “But especially not for a car. It was just an adjustment period.”
“I know what you mean.” I wondered how long her adjustment period had been. Ruth felt like someone who could become a friend, but I didn’t want to disrupt the peaceful flow of our conversation by hauling out all my baggage just yet. “You seem to have adjusted pretty darn well, though. I’m not sure I would’ve been the same in your position.”
“Well, the Lord knew he was testing us when he gave us two, but He always knows best.” She laughed. “To be honest, I’m still adjusting. Every parent I know is still adjusting. Whenever you think you’ve got one phase figured out, they enter the next one.”
“Yeah, I’ve started to realize that too.”
“What about you?” she asked. “Where’s your husband?”
“Oh, I don’t have one.” I spent the next few minutes explaining only the very basics of what had happened, still preferring not to spill my whole story to a perfect stranger on the sidewalk on what was supposed to be a fun night out. “I’m still looking for my mom-tribe. Would you be interested? I feel like I should warn you that there might be a lot of late-night phone calls about stupid stuff.”
She took my hand and squeezed it. “Late-night phone calls are exactly what mom-tribes are for. I’ll give you my number. I’d love to be a part of yours.”
Ruth told me more about the neighborhood and the numbers I absolutely had to have. Hers, of course, was one of them. The others were the contact details of the local doctor, dentist, grocery store, and an elderly handyman who could apparently fix anything.
“My parents were supposed to come out with us tonight,” I told her later, one hand in the pocket of my coat and the other clutching a cup of hot cocoa from one kind neighbor who’d thought about the older folks out as well. “They would’ve loved to meet you. They’re going to be proud of us for making friends around here. They’ve been worried.”
“You’re going to fit right in. I can tell.” She gave me a reassuring smile before doing a half-turn to face me while we walked. “Why didn’t they come out with you?”
“Work. Dad owns a garden shop and they got a big landscaping order this afternoon. Mom’s helping out. I offered, but they insisted it was more important that Katie and I come trick or treating.”
Before she could reply, we walked past a flashy Mercedes parked at the curb. I recognized it instantly. It was the very same one that had cut me off yesterday and held everyone up outside the school. The jerk’s plates were imprinted on my brain.
My eyes narrowed of their own accord. Mr. I’m Too Cool for the Rules is somewhere around here.
Ruth frowned. “Is everything okay? You suddenly seem stressed.”
Loud laughter drew my eyes to a house a few doors down, and there he was. He stole a piece of candy from a cardboard briefcase the little girl was carrying.
“Sure. I’m fine. I just got a bad taste in my mouth.” I was intent on ignoring him if we passed by them.
Sure enough, not even a minute later and while we were still waiting for our kids, the jerk and his daughter came walking in our direction. Our eyes locked at the last minute, and he broke out into a wide grin.
“It’s you,” he said.
I tried not to notice that I’d been right about his height and his build. He was at least six feet tall and his charcoal T-shirt hugged a lean abdomen but stretched a bit over toned muscles in his arms. His dark hair looked every bit as perfect as it had when we’d had the displeasure of meeting, the slightly longer top swept to one side of his annoyingly handsome face.
Those brown eyes had a reddish-orange shine from the warm colors of the lights surrounding us, and they were fixed on me like he was trying to drill a hole in my skull.
How does he do that?
Looking him up and down, my lips curled in distaste. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
An amused gleam made his intense, assessing gaze sparkle as he lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “Just that I’m afraid you’re going to yell at me for walking too close to you on the sidewalk.”
I scowled at him but he kept on walking as if he didn’t have a care in the world. I watched him go over my shoulder. So you think you’re funny, do you? You’re not, ya big old reason the middle finger was created.
“Do you know him?” Ruth asked, drawing my attention back to her. Her eyes were wider than they’d been before, almost as if she was starstruck.
“His daughter goes to school with Katie.” I shook my head. “We met yesterday. Sort of anyway.”
“He’s kind of a big deal around here,” she said. “In fact, his number would be another good one to add to your must-haves even if he doesn’t live in the neighborhood.”
“I don’t care who he is. I’d rather not even run into him again if I have my way. I think I’d have to be dying before I’d call that rude, arrogant, and entitled jerk for anything. Plain and simple.”
She gaped at me before her lips rose into a knowing grin. “You know, I recall saying something very similar about my husband once upon a time. It’s funny how life works out sometimes.”
With that ominous little tidbit, Ruth waved the children closer and directed them to the next street over. She didn’t bring it up again for the rest of the night and neither did I, but I couldn’t help wondering what she’d meant by it.