Page 68 of Sticking Out

“Too soon. Didn’t you just finish telling me you’re trying to have a baby together, and yet you haven’t talked about sharing a house. I don’t think that’s the way things are done, sister.”

It’s true. I did just finish telling her that. I figured if my friends knew, my sister should too, which is why I’m playing hooky this Friday afternoon, and she’s here at Conner’s place, in the pool. I’d picked her and the kids up earlier since it’s hard to wrestle three kids alone. I wanted to have some quiet time with her while Jared was at work.

“Mommy, hurry up. I want to swim.”

Rylee rolls her eyes. “Impatient, like her father.”

I laugh at that, knowing the impatient one in that relationship is Rylee. She finishes adjusting the water wings, and Ava runs to the stairs, and slowly starts down them.

“Mommy, my turn.” Little Jack holds his arms out, waiting for his water wings, and when Brynn starts fussing in her stroller, I pick her up and put her over my shoulder. I breathe in her sweet smell, and my heart thuds a little harder.

Rylee’s eyes go soft, full of love and warmth as she watches me. “That’s a good look on you,” she quietly informs me with a grin as she fixes Jack’s water wings. Once done, she stands and puts her hands on my shoulders. “You deserve all this, Dani. You deserve a baby, a guy like Conner and a beautiful house—with a pool—to live in.”

Tears prick my eyes and my gaze slides to Jack as he runs to the stairs and jumps in, no fear at all. Will my child be fearless and athletic like Conner, or will they be a little quieter like me? Will I ever even have a child at all? “Thank you.”

She cocks her head. “Hey, why the tears? All of this is good, Dani.”

Do I tell her? Do I open up and say that Conner has been acting a bit strange lately? Well, ever since the house party we threw last weekend—and maybe even a little before that. He’s been making calls and ending them when I walk into the room, and he’s even been disappearing at odd times.

He came to visit me at work once this last week, and when I invited him to accompany Buster and me to the nursing home on Wednesday, which I thought he enjoyed, he declined. He’s becoming more and more distant, just when I was beginning to believe after everything we’d overcome, it would be smooth sailing from here on out. Is he getting tired of me?

Could it have something to do with Summer?

“I think it’s just all the hormones.” Not a lie. My hormones have been all over the place lately. Honestly, Rylee has three kids to worry about. I don’t need her worrying about me, and maybe I’m in my head too much, and Conner is just busy. We’ve always spent a lot of time together, but we’ve never lived together, so this could be the norm for him, and maybe I’m just being paranoid, because I know how fast things can be taken away.

“Mommy, look at me,” Ava screams in her loud outdoor voice that I’m sure they can hear down the street.

We both watch her swim, and her happiness helps push down some of my anxiety. “Let’s get in. It’s hot out.”

Rylee grabs the floaty toy for Brynn, and we both ease into the pool. The water is cold, but glorious. Rylee drips a bit of water on Brynn’s leg and she squeals. “How’s that feel, huh?” she asks with so much love in her voice, I watch on with longing.

“Aunt Dani, over here, over here,” Ava yells and I swim to her, circle my arms around her and spin.

Jack, not to be left out yells, “Me, me.”

“Anyway, not to harp, but you should think about living here full time,” Rylee says as she comes over with Brynn.

I laugh at her. “You’re just saying that because you want full access to this pool.”

“Okay, so that might be true, but I really am looking out for your best interests.” She glances around. “Speaking of your best interests, where is Conner?”

My gaze goes to the patio, to where he loves to lounge. “He had some errands to run. He should be back soon.” He left early, and said he’d be home after lunch. It’s three in the afternoon. I guess I didn’t realize it would be so long after lunch.

She watches me for a second, and I avert my gaze and spin Ava around again. She giggles and it pulls the attention away from me. I’m grateful. I don’t want to explain that I have no idea where Conner is, and that he should have been back by now.

“Maybe we’ll buy your house so we can live closer,” Rylee says with a smile.

I throw my hands up, exasperated. “It’s not even up for sale yet.”

“Yet?” she exclaims, with a cocky, know it all grin, and I just shake my head at her. She’s right though. Maybe it is time Conner and I had a conversation…I think.

“What time is Jared coming to pick you guys up?”

“Ohmigod, are you trying to get rid of us already?”

“No, I was just curious.” That and I needed a change of subject. “Stay as long as you like. I was just thinking later I might run to the Airbnb and check on Scottie. He’s a new Scottish terrier that is overnight for the weekend.”

“Wow, clever name.”

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