Page 94 of All Our Secrets

I was happy to return home to T.J. after work. Rosie and Gerald were able to help me with him while I was at school, but it didn’t make leaving him any easier. The pictures they sent me all day weren’t enough. There was no relief until I walked through their door and scooped him up in my arms.

“Oh, Mommy needed these loves,” I told my son as I peppered his cheeks with kisses.

“How was the first day back with the kids?” Rosie asked.

“First days are always good for them. It’s the rest of the year that’s a struggle.”

Rosie laughed.

My phone rang. “Hold on a second.” Holding T.J. against my chest, I pulled the device from my back pocket. “Hello?”

“What are you doing tonight?” Sarah questioned.

I quirked a brow. “Well, I plan to snuggle on the couch with T.J. and catch up on some of my shows.”

“Nope. Change of plans. You’re coming over. A few of us are getting together for a game night.”

“Game?” I perked up a little. Did she mean consoles, board games, or cards? It’d been so long since I’d had a controller in my hand. I didn’t realize how much I missed it until someone brought it up. Thinking of gaming reminded me of King, though. I wondered how he was doing. Had he stopped gaming completely or just with me? The latter was a hard pill to swallow, even after all these years.

“We got this Wii Switch to try out. Devin says there are some sort of competition games, maybe? Something about teaming up?” Sarah pulled me from my reverie.

“That sounds fun, but I’m not sure if I’ll come tonight,” I said before gripping the phone tighter. “Who will be there?”

“Steven, his wife, Joann, and Bobby. I didn’t invite Gavin in case he’d bring Becky.”

My stomach lurched at that name. “Is Silas coming?”

Laughter filled my ear. “Nah, afraid not. He’s working on his grandma’s old house.”

“The one who passed away?” Now that I thought about it, I didn’t know that much about Silas’s family. Only bits and pieces of what Theodore had told me. Actually, Theodore hadn’t seemed to like when I asked a question about Silas…

“Yeah. Devin says Silas will move there when he’s finished. His mom will probably take the one he’s living in now. I think she showed up again today too.”

“Devin is well informed.”

“King is his boss. I think Devin knows when the man takes a dump.”

That made me smile. “I think I’ll stay home tonight.”

“You traitor. I see what you did there.”

I glanced at Rosie, who was watching me. “I didn’t do anything.”

“There’s nothing wrong with what you’re feeling for him, Peyton.”

“Maybe tomorrow night? Just me and you if no one else wants to?” I asked to change the subject.

“Yes. I’ll invite King.”

“I’m sure he will have a blast playing video games,” I mocked.

“Remember the boys talking? He used to play all the time.”

I recalled all too well what Steven had said at the charity event. “I remember.”

“I’ll call you tomorrow.”

As I put the phone in my pocket, Rosie smiled. “We can watch T.J. for you. You could use some time with your friends. I know you must be lonely.”

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