Total pages in book: 143
Estimated words: 136743 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 684(@200wpm)___ 547(@250wpm)___ 456(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 136743 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 684(@200wpm)___ 547(@250wpm)___ 456(@300wpm)
“Nice to finally meet you,” Soledad says, offering a tentative smile to my ex.
“‘Finally’?” Tremaine pounces on the slip. “You two know each other that well, huh?”
“Um… not really.” Soledad shifts her attention back to Diane. “I’m here for the bring your parent to school thing.”
“Oh, we know. The kids are excited.” Diane walks swiftly from behind the desk and crosses over to Soledad and her wobbly cart. “They’re already in the auditorium.”
“Auditorium?” Tremaine asks.
“There was so much interest in what Soledad does,” Diane preens, “she’s doing a special presentation for her daughter Inez’s entire grade.”
“It’s not a big deal,” Soledad demurs. “I think they just want to eat.”
Diane laughs and opens the door so Soledad can maneuver the cart back out into the hall.
“I didn’t get to fill out my guest badge,” Soledad says from just beyond the door.
“It’s fine,” Diane practically purrs. “We all know you here, Ms. Charles.”
There’s some clanking as Diane helps Soledad adjust a few things on her cart out in the hall.
“Wanna tell me about Ms. Charles?” Tremaine asks with low-voiced curiosity.
“Not particularly, no,” I say, looking straight ahead and not meeting the rabid questions I know are in those eyes.
“Well, you will,” she says. “As soon as we’re done.”
We’re not “done” for another hour because Adam’s class has a lot more questions about my job than I anticipated. I let it slip that I’ve worked with the FBI on several cases, and all of a sudden, I was fascinating. It’s worth the hour or two away from the office to see Adam beaming and laughing with his classmates, relishing the new respect in their eyes when they hear I’ve helped put criminals behind bars. Socialization is still really challenging for him, but he tries hard. Social stories and groups have helped him a lot, but he’d still prefer home with Aaron and me over any social setting outside our home. But hell, so would I.
“Thank you so much for doing this, Mr. Cross,” Adam’s teacher Ms. Bettes says when we’re done. “I didn’t know how fascinating accounting could be.”
Her light touch on my sweater sleeve draws Tremaine’s eyes and lifted brows. Is this teacher… flirting with me? Couldn’t be, but I’m usually oblivious to stuff like that. Tremaine jokes that she had to knock me over the head with a statistics textbook to get my attention.
“Ms. Bettes,” Tremaine says, “while we’re here, I just wanted to remind you that we’re trying a new seizure medication for Adam. We’re being really vigilant watching for any adverse reactions. Please let us know if you spot unusual behaviors or responses.”
“Will do.” Ms. Bettes slowly withdraws her hand from my sweater. “Thanks again for coming, Mr. Cross.”
As soon as we’ve told Adam goodbye and are in the hall, I ask Tremaine, “So was it my imagination, or was she—”
“Pushing up on you?” Tremaine chuckles, looping an infinity scarf around her neck as we head back to the front desk to check out. “Yeah. Definitely, but apparently she’s wasting her time since you’re head over heels for Soledad.”
“You’re imagining things,” I lie. I don’t even know why I lie, except I’m not sure we’re ready to share what’s going on with the world. I know she’s not. If her daughters found out, it might make things complicated. Even more complicated.
“You’re a bad liar,” Tremaine reminds me. “And the way you were salivating over that woman was frankly hard to watch. I was kinda cringing on your behalf.”
“I was not salivating.” I frown, wondering if I’m that obvious. “Was I?”
Tremaine stops in the hall to face me, setting her hands on her slim hips. She’s lean and almost as tall as I am. When she wears heels, we’re practically eye to eye.
“Should I be insulted that she’s my opposite in every way?” Tremaine asks. Despite the amused glint in her eye, I rush to disagree.
“What? No,” I say. “She’s actually a lot like you.”
“Light-skinned, hair all down her back, and not big as a minute?” Tremaine asks, but her eyes tell me she’s teasing. “Seems pretty much opposite to me.”
“You’re both fantastic mothers. You’re both smarter than me in the ways that actually count. She’s diligent and innovative and resilient and determined and compassionate.” I touch her shoulder, looking into her eyes to show my sincerity. “You’re both such good people.”
“I’m happy for you. Honestly, Kent and I had almost given up hope that you’d find anyone.”
“Thanks,” I say dryly.
“So how long has this been going on? Since all that shit went down with her husband?”
“Ex-husband, and no. We only recently started…”
I don’t know what to say. There’s no way I’m discussing sex with Tremaine. She’ll make fun of me for years to come if she finds out about the industrial-sized box of condoms in my nightstand.
“We only recently started seeing each other,” I settle on. “And it’s not public. Her girls don’t know. It’s awkward.”