Page 83 of Fierce-Dane

“She did,” his mother said. “Because she wasn’t happy, but she wasn’t willing to work anything out. She knew what things were going to be like and thought it’d be fine. Sometimes that happens to people in life. They think they can handle it and they can’t.”

He knew that might be a shot toward his biological parents.

No, not a shot. Just a statement.

His parents had never said anything negative about the mothers that birthed him and Chloe.

“Don’t you want to know anything about who I’m dating?” he asked. He was surprised that she didn’t ask that first.

“Of course I do,” his mother said. “But I know enough not to press you. I learned my lesson with Chloe. As you know, I found out about Royce and Willow at the same time.”

He smiled. “It’s nothing like that. You’ve actually met her.”

“I have?” his mother said. “Now I’m really curious.”

“It’s Sloane Redding. She’s the owner of Sloane’s Spa. You went there to get pedicures with Chloe and Tiffani and then got my gift card there.”

“I did meet Sloane the day of the pedicure,” his mother said. “Not the day I got the gift card. She seemed like a lovely woman. A little young maybe?”

“She’s twenty-eight,” he said. “Soon to be twenty-nine. She’s got her own successful business so she’s not a silly person like some in her generation.”

“It doesn’t seem it,” his mother said. “I’d like to know more, but I’ll have to wait. Chloe knows her; she gets massages there regularly. Am I allowed to talk to your sister about this and ask some questions? I know Chloe will know more, but you two don’t always say everything to me.”

“It’s fine,” he said. “You can talk to Chloe and I’ll let her know it’s okay. We’ll talk another night about it when the kids aren’t around. Why don’t I help you get dinner?”

“I’ll let you,” his mother said. There was almost a bounce to his mother’s step and he was trying not to roll his eyes over her reaction.

Twenty minutes later dinner was on the table and everyone had their plates made.

His mother cleared her throat and he knew it was time to open his mouth.

“Kids, I’ve got something I wanted to talk to you about,” he said.

Both of them looked up from their plates. Tyler had his mouth full, Tiffani twirling her spaghetti on a fork. “What, Dad?”

“You know how Mom is dating Ethan, right?” he asked.

Tyler nodded. “How come you don’t date anyone?” Tyler asked.

He looked at Tiffani to see her reaction. “Yeah, Dad, how come?”

This might be going better than he thought it would.

“Actually,” he said. “I am.”

Tiffani’s face fell. He wasn’t sure why he didn’t expect that.

“You are?” Tiffani asked.

“I am,” he said. “This is the first time I have since Mommy and I split.”

“Your father has put you kids first in his life, but I think it’s time he goes out and has a little bit of fun and has some friends too, don’t you think?” his mother asked.

“So it’s a friend?” Tiffani asked. “Not someone that spends the night like Ethan or kisses you like Ethan does Mom?”

He looked at his mother. This wasn’t what he wanted the conversation to turn into.

“Yes,” he said. “She’s a friend, but she’s more. We go to dinner together. We do other activities. She’s nice and funny.”

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