Page 183 of In the Air Tonight

“We’re fine. Lucy has an art show tonight that she’s excited about, and Duncan is becoming quite the basketball player. The little ones are getting so big. I’ll send you some new pictures.”

“I’d love that. Tell them I miss them and love them.”

“I will. Do you want to talk to Mom?”

“Sure.”

I hand my phone to her and watch her face light up at the sound of Ryder’s voice. Wanting to give them time to talk, I go back inside and head for my home office, where I sit behind the desk and stare at the picture of my parents and siblings from when we were all still living at home.

That seems like another lifetime now.

Caroline

We get home from our weekly visit at the prison—and even after all this time, I still can’t believe I’m taking my kids to see their father in prison—to find Houston in the backyard putting the finishing touches on the new wooden playset he built for the kids. The one Ryder installed years ago had begun to rot, which I took as a metaphor for my life.

The therapist I worked with after Ryder’s arrest and incarceration encouraged me to take the kids to see him, to keep him in their lives because that was in their best interest, even after everything that’d happened.

At first I balked at the idea of taking them there.

But they missed him so much that eventually I decided to do it.

I’m glad I did. They’re happier when they get to see him, which makes things easier for me.

My brothers came from Pennsylvania one weekend, shortly after Ryder left, and converted our basement to an apartment that’s now rented to a lovely older woman named Mrs. Dugan. She’s become an extra grandmother to the kids and is always happy to watch them for me. Between her rent and the proceeds from my baking business, I was able to hold on to the house. There’s not a lot leftover for extras, but we have everything we need.

And I have Houston, who’s been the greatest blessing to me and my kids in this strange new life we’re building for ourselves.

What started as friendship has recently turned into something more, and I couldn’t be happier to have that with someone who’s been right there for me during the worst time of my life. Knowing how fragile I was for a long time after Ryder left, Houston never pushed for more than friendship.

He called and texted regularly to check on me, came running once when I had a racoon in my trash can and has been an awesome friend to me.

It took me asking him if he wanted more, and his enthusiasticyes, to move us out of the friend zone into where we are now, which is a very nice place to be.

Last night, we got carried away on my sofa after the kids went to bed and nearly ended up going all the way. I giggle at that term from high school. Tonight, he’s invited me to dinner at his place, and I’m fully aware that this time we’ll seal the deal.

Mrs. Dugan is watching the kids, and I’m going to have sex with Houston Rafferty.

I can’t wait.

It’s amazing, really, how I once thought I’d found the man I would spend the rest of my life with and how stupidly happy I was with him. I built my entire existence around him, and when he was gone, I was left in pieces. I’ll never let that happen again. As much as I think I might be in love with Houston, I’m proceeding with caution.

There’s so much at stake with my sweet kids and their beautiful hearts.

But as I watch Houston push them on the swings and laugh at their endless questions while patiently answering them all, I know I have nothing to worry about with him. He’s as nice and as dependable as he is sexy.

He catches me watching him and smiles.

A flutter of excitement zips through me.

Houston leaves the kids to play and comes over to see me. “Hi.”

“Hi. It looks great. Thank you again for doing all that work.”

“I loved every minute of it.”

“Including the part where you had to start over halfway through?”

“Even that.”

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