Page 64 of Suddenly Entwined

I really hope we haven’t met before and I’m totally blanking. Awkward.

Piper coughs on a mouthful of water before giving her mom a thumbs up.

“I’ve noticed you around. There aren’t very many parents under the age of thirty five at the school, or that’s what it feels like.”

I know what she means. My parents had Chris and I in their early twenties, right after college. These days it seems like everyone is waiting so much longer.

“The swim instructor called you Mom today, but you don’t know how often people mistake me for the nanny or babysitter.”

“That must suck. You can’t win.”

“I’m in college and working and momming.”

“What do you study?”

“I’m in my third year of psychology.”

I’m about to tell her that I was in the same program, but swallow my words. She’s managing to get through school with all the added responsibilities of parenthood. Sage seems nice, but I don’t know her well enough for me to share one of my biggest failures.

“So are you–”

The words get caught in my throat as my eyes land upon a man standing taller than all the rest. Berg must have gotten off work earlier than he thought and tried to catch the tail end of the lesson. Thankfully, he hasn’t noticed me. If I have any choice in the matter, I’ll sneak right past him into the changeroom and he’ll be none the wiser. I need to get out of here.

Sage’s voice comes into focus. “Carooo?”

“Sorry,” I say, tossing a purple plastic ring for Louisa so she can dive for it.

She laughs. “No, you’re not. You were totally ogling that guy. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t try to scope out the cute single dads at the pool. You have to look for wedding rings, though.”

“Oh, he’s not married.”

He crosses his arms at the hem of his sweatshirt and peels it over his head. The shirt beneath glides up, exposing a stomach that is both soft and solid at the same time, before his head pops free of the sweatshirt and he tugs the tee back down. He licks his lower lip and I revel in the fact I know what that mouth tastes like and how good he looks in a towel.

“You know him?”

Oh, I know him alright.

Before I can answer, Louisa launches her arm in the air and waves wildly across the pool. “Daddy! Daddy over heeeeere! Watch me!”

Berg’s eyes snap right to my own at the sound of his youngest daughter’s voice. There’s intensity in that stare, and I could almost forget that I’m wearing the swim equivalent of a mumu.

I resist the urge to blow every ounce of air from my lungs and sink beneath the bubbles.

Sage slaps the surface of the water.

“Oh, that’s Daddy alright.”

“Yeah,” I whisper, before I come to my senses. “What? No, don’t say that.”

“Why? Your cheeks are the same colour as the flowers on that nightgown.”

I slap my palm against the water in her direction. “Very funny. Let me ogle in peace.”

“You and every other woman in here,” she mutters.

“Do you need a dip in the cold pool?” I ask her, even though I know if anyone needs to cool down it’s me.

Her comment is a reminder that Berg could choose to date anyone. A woman his own age that has a big girl job and retirement savings who knows you need to pack your own swimsuit when you have a seven year old in swimming lessons. Not the nanny who climbs into his lap on her leather reclinerto try and make out.

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