Page 39 of About That Night

Then he shakes his head and drops his hand. “Never mind. Get out of the truck and have yourself a good night, Chastity.”

Disappointed, I swallow hard. I grab my purse and open the door. “Goodnight, Hank.”

Regret is definitely a bad word.

Only now I’m not even sure what I’m regretting.

Chapter Eleven

Hank

“Well, that was a disaster,” Chastity declares to me, blowing her bangs out of her eyes as we sit outside her house watching Josiah toss a football around.

Now that we’re just friends, not even fake dating, she’s been keeping me up to speed on her dating adventures. She also had no problem with me meeting her son. She said she wants him to see healthy adult friendships.

If she had any idea the thoughts running through my head on a regular basis, she’d see there is nothing healthy about it whatsoever.

But I’m determined to be a friend to a woman who could use a few more folks in her corner, so I’m sitting on a plastic chair and listening to her lament the failure of her date with Chad. Fucking Chad.

“It was just coffee and forty-five minutes of your life. How bad could it have been?” I ask, trying to be supportive and not act like I’m thrilled the date went poorly. Which I am. I swear that motherfucker looked off in his picture, and I’d bet a grand that dog isn’t really his. It was a prop dog, designed to melt women’s hearts with its adorable-ass sweater. Chads don’t have Yorkies, I’m telling you.

“It was bad. He spent the whole time telling me how everyone he’s met on dating apps is a psycho bitch.”

My eyebrows shoot up, and I laugh a little. “To a woman he’s met on a dating app. Charming guy. Guess old Chad doesn’t realize the common denominator is actually him.”

“I guess not. Ugh, I feel like I need a shower after sitting across from him. And you were right about the dog.” Chastity pulls her hair up off of her shoulders and ties it with a band that was around her wrist. “He gleefully admitted he stole the dog from his ex when they broke up. He said it was to hit her where it hurts.”

“Damn. Now that’s just disgusting. Pets shouldn’t be breakup pawns.” I really hate Chad now. “I hope you blocked him.”

“Oh, I didn’t think about that.” Chastity pulls her phone out and starts swiping on it. “I’ll do that now.”

Josiah, who was vaguely interested in me when we were introduced, but mostly not, comes running over to us. “Did you see that?” he asks Chastity.

“Of course, baby, that was so good!”

I know she has no idea what he’s talking about, but she loves to encourage him.

“Can I play football with a team?”

Her face falls. “We’ll have to see, baby. I’ll see when it starts.”

Out of nowhere, he holds his hand up to me for a high-five, so I give him one, and he runs back into the front yard. That little hand connecting with mine does things to my insides. He’s a really cute kid, all smiles and big energy. It’s obvious he’s felt nothing but love from his mother.

Which makes me feel all kinds of things for Chastity too.

Chastity makes a strangled sound in the back of her throat.

“What?” I ask. “What’s wrong? Are you scared he’ll get hurt playing? It’s just pee wee, Chas. Sure, he might fall down a couple hundred times, but he’s doing that now anyway.”

Case in point, he’s rolling in the grass right now.

“Well, sure I’m afraid he’ll get hurt. But I know I have to get over that and let him experience sports. I don’t know if I can afford it,” she admits. “God, I hate money. It’s stupid.” Then she makes a face. “There’s that word again. Stupid.”

“You’re allowed to use stupid when it comes to bills. Money is stupid.” I want to offer to pay for Josiah’s football fees, but I don’t want to insult her either. Chastity thinks she needs to do everything herself.

But that’s exactly why I need to do this for her. Because she’s worked her ass off, and she deserves a helping hand.

“How much is it?” I ask her.

---