Page 131 of Dancing in the Rain

“I know Drew loves you and wants you to be part of his life. We need to talk about what that would look like. I mean, Drew and I need to talk about it, but if you absolutely don’t want to live with him, I need to know that. And if you do, I need to know that, too. It could be a part-time thing.”

Chloe nodded slowly, eyes wide and troubled.

“You don’t have to decide right now,” Peyton hastened to assure her. “This is something to think about and something for us to talk about.”

As hurt as she was by what Drew had done by going to a lawyer and threatening to take Chloe away from her, she was going to have to get past that and have a civil discussion with him about what this meant.

She also had to find a job.

Setting that aside, though, she smiled at Chloe. “I just wanted to talk about that before you call him, because he might bring it up.”

Chloe’s chin quivered. “I don’t know what to tell him.”

“You don’t have to tell him anything, sweetie.” Peyton reached out and smoothed Chloe’s hair. “If he says something about it, you can tell him you want to think about it. And after you talk to him, pass the phone to me.”

“Did you have a fight with him?”

Peyton swallowed. “Why do you ask that?”

“I just…you said you liked each other, but every time I mention him, you get…tense.”

Peyton tried to keep her face relaxed, a reassuring smile in place. “Everything’s fine.” She apparently hadn’t done very well at keeping her anger at Drew hidden over the past few days.

Chloe called Drew’s number. “Hi!” she said when he answered. “It’s me, Chloe.”

Peyton listened to her niece telling Drew about the trip to New York. “And Auntie P quit her job,” she said. “We’re staying here in Chicago! Isn’t that great?”

Peyton smiled, her chest full of warmth.

They talked for a few more minutes, apparently making arrangements for Drew to take her to dance class Wednesday night, and then Chloe said, “Auntie P wants to talk to you, too.”

Peyton took the phone with trembling fingers. “Hi.”

“Hey.” His voice was unexpectedly gentle. “This is…a shock.”

“Why?” Bitterness crept into her tone and she fought it back because Chloe was listening. “Isn’t this what you wanted?”

“Peyton. I wanted to talk to you, to figure out a way—”

“Yes, we do need to talk. Perhaps one day next week we could meet for lunch?”

Again, the formality of her speech seemed to take him aback, and it took a moment for him to reply. “Okay,” he agreed. “What day works for you?”

“Any day.”

“Hang on. I’m kind of busy this week. Uh…lunch would be hard. I gather you want to do this when Chloe’s not around?”

“Yes.”

She heard a low noise of frustration. “I could stop by tomorrow morning.”

“I’d rather meet up somewhere.” If she let him in the house and they were alone, she was afraid of what might happen between them, because despite her anger and hurt, she still had a whole lot of other feelings for him, and that could not happen.

“For fuck’s sake.”

She smiled at Chloe, trying not to wince. “It seems you’re really busy. That’s good.”

“Yeah, it is. Okay, I’ll figure something out for tomorrow. Where should we meet?”

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