Page 61 of Sycamore Circle

As far as he was concerned, he wanted to be at her beck and call.

CHAPTER 20

Joy’s phone buzzed seconds before she heard a knock at the door. Both sounds were jarring enough to pull her upright in confusion. Sun was shining through the windows. It was morning and she’d fallen asleep on the couch.

She rubbed her eyes—and spied Bo sprawled out on the easy chair. “We fell asleep,” she blurted.

He stretched his arms. “Yeah, we sure did.” Obviously amused, he smiled at her.

She almost smiled back.

The knock sounded again, followed by the doorbell.

“I’ve got to get that. It’s probably Chloe.” Not bothering to look at her phone, she hurried to the door and was just about to turn the deadbolt when Bo spoke again.

“Don’t open it without seeing who it is, right?”

“Hmm? Oh. Sure.” Peering through the peephole she silently cursed. Chloe was there, looking like her normal self. Unfortunately, Tony was standing by her side—and he looked fit to be tied.

“It’s my ex and Chloe, Bo.”

He was already on his feet. “Okay then.”

Tony knocked on the door again. “Joy, come on. What’s going on?”

He did not sound happy.

At last she turned the deadbolt and tried to pull out a real smile somewhere from deep inside herself. “Hi, you two. Chloe, what’s going on?”

“She forgot a notebook,” Tony said. “And her house key.”

“It’s important, Dad,” Chloe said as she led the way inside. “Remember how I told you that it has all that stupid French vocabulary? I’ve got to have it for class today.” She looked about to add something, then stared at Bo. “Hi,” she said.

“Chloe, hurry up,” Tony said as he walked through the door behind her.

Taking in her messy hair and Bo’s sock-covered feet, Tony’s eyebrows lifted. “What’s going on?”

“I have company,” Joy said.

Bo sauntered forward. She might have been half-asleep but she couldn’t deny that he was a sight to behold, even after sleeping on a chair in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. “I’m Sam Beauman, but everyone calls me Bo. Are you Tony?”

“Yes. Tony Howard.”

“Good to meet you,” Bo said, shaking Tony’s hand as if they were at a cocktail party or PTA meeting. Looking down at Chloe, who seemed to be both sizing him up and trying not to be his instant friend, his voice gentled. “You must be Chloe.”

“I am. I didn’t know you were going to be here.” She looked over at Joy. “Sorry, Mom.”

Joy’s cheeks were heating up. “It’s okay. It’s a long story.”

“I came over to see your mother last night and we started watching a movie.” He pointed to the two sets of blankets, one on the chair and one on the couch. “We fell asleep.”

“You let him spend the night here, Joy?” Tony asked.

First, that was obvious, and second, it wasn’t any of his business.

Joy noticed Tony looked affronted and shocked. Just like he hadn’t first left because he’d found someone else and then filed for divorce because “what they had didn’t work for him anymore.” The possessive, almost comfortable way he was acting irritated her beyond belief.

“Don’t get started, Tony. Chloe, go get your notebook or you’re going to be late for school.”

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