Page 23 of Christmas with the Baby Daddy

She grinned at me, hanging on to me and not in the mood to let go as the bell rang and the noise of children hurrying out of classrooms filled the hallway. I used a stern deflective maneuver to sidestep her, needing space. I’djusttold her at Coach Parker’s party that I wasn’t interested in catching up, like she insisted now that I was back in town. She made her case again.

“Funny running into you again.” She reached out to grab my hand and I shoved it in my pocket. This woman just couldn’t take a hint.

No, she can. She ignores it.

“Especially here,” she added.

I looked over my shoulder, damning her for being another obstacle in the way of seeing Blake. I’d caught just enough of their little spat to realize something was up, but what? Blake simply wasn’t the kind of person to talk back or lash out. I doubted that could’ve changed since I last saw her six years ago.

“Yeah, here,” I replied neutrally. “So, you have a kid?”

She nodded, smiling proudly. “Yes, but not a husband.” Taking another step toward me, she again made a grab for my arm. My hand. Anything to cling to. I guessed I should’ve been happy she wasn’t groping me and reaching for my dick—at a school or not.

“Which means I’m still totally available to catch up with you, Zach. It’s been so long since we’ve had some time together.”

“And it’ll be longer yet.”Try forever.I walked away, not wanting to get caught up in the chaos of many kids rushing out. But I hoped to get away from her and avoid getting caught up with her stupid idea that we had anything to catch up on.

I hadn’t given anyone a notice I was coming back to Vernford because I never planned to—or at least not yet. My discharge forced me to leave sooner than I wanted to, but Reagan didn’t fit anywhere in my plans or in my mind now that I was here.

Blake, though…

That was twice I’d been foiled from speaking to her. Two times, I’d lost a chance to see her, to really get a good look at her and sate my soul with the fact that she was doing all right. She’d always mattered to me because she was Kevin’s sister, but since that one night we found each other in grief, she’d imprinted me with something that felt weightier than mere curiosity and a general wish for goodwill.

I headed back to the house, but puttering around in the apartment over the garage set me up to sink into that listlessness. That idleness. This feeling of having no purpose and no value anymore. It was twisted. It wasn’t healthy to be that hung up on having my career taken from me, but I didn’t know how to combat the depressive state.

Maybe I should go watch that game with Cole.I had a hunch he’d be more like a friend than a boss. Grandma Jenny was off at a party catering. Amanda was babysitting. Being alone in this huge house wouldn’t soothe my soul no matter how much cheer my sister and grandma infused in the place with multiple Christmas trees, garland, lights, and other odds and ends of holiday décor.

An hour later, I strode into Vernford’s main pub. Cole was seated up at the bar, and he acknowledged my arrival with a smile and a lift of his beer. “Hey, you made it.”

“I couldn’t pass up on a chance to watch the Packers lose again.”

He scoffed as I took the stool next to him. “The Browns aren’t going to beat anyone this season,” he replied.

I ordered my drink and I shot the shit with him. I wasn’t the biggest football fan, but it served as a decent ice breaker and topic to pass the time. The longer I sat here with him, though, I couldn’t help but wonder about earlier.

I cleared my throat. “Hey, can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“I saw Blake at the school after my interview.”

He nodded, furrowing his brow. “Yeah?”

“Well, why was she there?” I stared down at my drink, realizing the only logical explanation. But each time the thought filed through my head, I got stuck in the shock of it. “Does she have a kid?”

Cole nodded, not turning to face me. “Yeah, she does.”

Holy shit.So many more questions bombarded me. “Wow.”

“Yeah,” Cole replied.

“Who is it? I mean, who’s the dad? Or…” I ran my hand down my face, stunned.

“Hey, man. I can’t just…” Cole sighed and shook his head, looking at me with a mix of regret and discomfort. “I can’t just divulge details about the kids at the school. Confidentiality and all…”

I understood, and I admired that he didn’t cave and answer me. Cole Ameena was a man of his word. “But, come on. I was best friends with Kevin. The Myers are old family friends…”

Cole shook his head. “You’ll have to ask Blake about that.”

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