“I know, but Scotty is different, and if he starts to melt down, I want to know about it right away.”
“Fine. Now tell me about the girl.” Her eyes lit up.
I took a sip of my beer before answering. “Her name’s Jillian. She’s a pediatrician.”
“Really? How old is she?”
“Thirty. I actually met her years ago.” I filled her in on my first meeting with Jillian, leaving out the closet fuck.
Monica loved it. “How cool to run into her after all this time! And she’s never been married?”
“No.”
“Does she know about Scotty?”
I frowned. “Of course she does. And she wants to meet him, but…I need to get to know her better. And that’s hard when I can only see her for a couple hours on Friday nights.”
“I think this is great, Levi.” She patted my leg. “And you don’t have to feel guilty about it.”
“I don’t,” I lied, tipping up my beer bottle so I wouldn’t have to meet her eyes.
“Yes, you do. I can see it. And you’re a horrible liar. But we think it’s time you put yourself out there. Just because you have a son doesn’t mean you have to be alone the rest of your life. You’re still human.”
“Who’s ‘we’? You and Mom?” I was annoyed, and she knew it. They always thought they knew best. And perfect Monica, who’d done everything right in her life and never gave our parents any reason to worry, had no idea what it was like to be me.
“Dad too,” she said defensively. “You don’t have to get angry about it. We just want to see you happy.”
“I am happy.” I poured the rest of my beer down my throat. “Being a good father makes me happy.”
“But it can’t meet every need you have,” she argued. “There’s more to life than being a parent. Kyle and I love the girls with all our heart, but we’d go nuts if we couldn’t escape every once in a while. Do something just for us. It’s healthy.” She toyed with the label on her beer bottle. “Any chance this is leading somewhere big?”
I shrugged, glancing at the floor. “Too soon to tell.”
“Liar.” She grinned. “I know you. You wouldn’t be asking me to watch Scotty overnight if you didn’t think this woman was something special.”
Exhaling, I looked over at the kids. “Yes. She is special. And OK, fine—I do have a feeling about us. But my situation isn’t easy, so we agreed to go slow.”
“It’s not easy, but it’s also not as hard as you’re making it.” She nudged my leg with her foot. “So go. Have fun. And don’t feel bad about it.”
“Thanks.” Maybe I was being too defensive. I did have a tendency to turn everything they said into an attack. “What night works for you?”
She shrugged. “I don’t care. Tonight, if you want.”
My heart beat faster at the thought of spending tonight with Jillian, but I told myself to be more cautious. I’d been away from home last night at bedtime, and a second night off the routine was asking for trouble.
“No, tonight isn’t good. But maybe next weekend?”
“Sure. I need to look at the calendar when I get home, but I don’t think we have anything going on.”
“Great.” I looked at Scotty, who was telling Zoe that she didn’t have her play money set out the right way. “I’ll talk to him about it. If he has a good week at school, then we’ll plan on it.”
• • •
Later that night, after Scotty and I’d watched Jurassic Park for the tenth time this year and I’d gotten him to bed, I texted Jillian.
Hey. You awake?
Hey you. Yes. At Natalie’s house painting. Well, Natalie and Sebastian are painting. Skylar and I are drinking.
I smiled. Give me a call when you have a minute.
My phone vibrated a moment later. “That was fast. You really don’t like painting, huh?”
She laughed. “It’s Miles’s fault. He made this drink called a Penicillin and it’s too good. I’m on my third one.”
“What’s in it?”
“Scotch, lemon, honey, and ginger. It’s delicious. I’ll have to make one for you.”
“Yes, please. Sebastian is there too?”
“Yes. He’s the only one painting besides Natalie.”
I smiled, picturing the scene and wishing I could be there. “Of course he is. Did they have a nice trip?”
She hiccuped, and I laughed silently. “Yes. They did. I wish I could go to Mexico for a week.”
“Me too. Let’s fit that in after skiing and Chicago.”
“Yes! Great idea. And so easily accomplished what with all our spare time.” Another hiccup, and some laughter in the background, followed by shouting I couldn’t decipher.
“Sounds like a good time there.”
“It is. I wish you were here.”
“I was just wishing the same.”
She lowered her voice. “Last night was really fun. I’m so glad we talked.”
“Me too. Guess what?”
Hiccup. “What?”
“I asked my sister to watch Scotty overnight next Saturday.”
“You did?”
“Yes, and she said she’ll do it.”
“Oh my God, that’s awesome!”
“What’s awesome?” I heard someone yell, maybe Skylar. Then, “Everyone look at Jilly’s red face! Is that from the scotch or the conversation? Who are you talking to, Jillian?”