Page 33 of Gifts

My sweet boy. He doesn’t have to fake anything and shows me how happy this makes him. “Cool.”

I pick up Saylor’s backpack and pull my phone back out of my pocket as I slowly make my way back to the house. Just because I need it to sink in and be over, I torture myself and read his text again.

Asa – Keelie, I’m sorry. I need to focus on my kids without distraction. I made a move with you I shouldn’t have. I appreciate your help today with Levi more than you know. I hope you can understand.

I’m not sure why it stings. I was the one who didn’t want any attention and we weren’t anything anyway. We went to dinner once with our kids. This shouldn’t be a disappointment.

I stop on the lane to text him back—no reason to drag it out.

Me – No problem. I’ll be in touch with you about Emma’s situation.

As I stand here staring at my phone, I see the bubbles and wait for a response, but then they disappear.

They come back, making my breath catch, only to disappear once again.

And that’s it.

Only when I hear Jasmine and the goats greeting the kids am I pulled out of my trance. Well, I can’t spend my life waiting on bubbles. If anyone knows that, it’s me.

Chapter 8

Wet Panties Don’t Lie

Keelie

It’s late. Instead of ending my horrid day after I put the kids to bed like I should have, I decided to torture myself and start painting the third floor bedrooms. I figured I could at least get started on the ceiling.

Once I’d made a right fine mess—it’s impossible to paint a ceiling without getting paint in my hair—I showered and made the kids lunches for tomorrow. It’s after midnight and I’m exhausted. I flip off the light in the kitchen to head to bed when my phone beeps.

Asa – You up?

What the hell? It was sweet the first time when he asked if it’s a good time to call, but after his text earlier, he’s out of his mind. I’m tired and not in the mood.

Me – No.

Asa – That was quick for you not being up.

Now he’s being infuriating. He ended whatever we were, which hadn’t even started yet, and now he wants to talk?

Me – I was almost asleep.

Of course, now I get all the bubbles when earlier I was waiting for them as desperately as a knocked-up teenager waits for her period, dammit. Like the freak I don’t want to be, I stand here and stare at them.

Asa – Then why are your lights on?

What the fuck?

With absolutely no ninja skills, I trip over Saylor’s backpack as I move to the wall beside the window so I can peek out the curtain. There he is, parked in his truck in front of my house. I didn’t even hear him pull up and all the animals are in the barn, so I don’t have Jasmine as my exterior alarm.

Asa – You should really have motion lights installed.

Dammit again, he’s right. I’ve been meaning to have Jimbo install some of those, but I keep forgetting to add them to the list. I just decided they’re going in this weekend.

Asa – I see you peeking at me.

I step back and press myself to the wall. Fuck, he saw me. Fuck-fuck-fuck!

I suck as a ninja.

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