Page 16 of Returning to Everton

Oh, my god! I shake my head. There is no way that guy wanted my number. He’s so young and good looking. What would he want with me? I’m old and have stretch marks. No one wants to see what’s under my clothes. God, I’m never gonna have sex again, am I?

“Mommy, look what I found!” My angel’s voice cuts into my inner rambling.

“What’d you find, baby?” I ask as I walk closer to the treehouse.

When I get close enough, she shows me her favorite doll that she thought she lost months ago. Guess it was a good thing I had her come outside to play in her treehouse one last time before we leave.

“Oh my gosh, is that your Abby doll?! We’ve been looking all over for that!”

“I know! I’m so glad I found it before we left,” she says excitedly.

After that, she goes back to playing, and I sit down and check my phone. Of course, Quinn texted me when I was inside.

Quinn:Hey girl! How’s the packing goin? Did you get hot movers? ;)

I don’t know why I’m surprised that’s the first thing she asks me. This is Quinn we’re talking about. If there’s one thing she likes to talk about above all else, it’s hot guys. Personally, I think she needs to find a hot guy or two of her own and give me a break.

Me:I’ll have you know I got 2 hot movers. Lol

Quinn:omg for real?

Me:yes... and I’m pretty sure one of them was hitting on me when I offered them some water.

Quinn:what do you mean you’re pretty sure? You seriously don’t know when someone is hitting on you? Omg wth am I going to do with you?

Me:Well considering the other guy smacked him and told him my husband wouldn’t be happy to know he was hitting on me... to which I stupidly replied my husband died... I’m gonna go with he was, but he probably doesn’t want to anymore because I’m a spaz.

Quinn:lmao omg you seriously told 2 hot guys that were trying to flirt with you that your husband died a few months ago? Talk about a bucket of ice water. You sure know how to kill the mood Rowe. Please don’t do shit like that with the guys. Lol

Me:omg shut up! I pretty much ran away after that. I can’t believe I did that.

I hear the back door open and look up to find the movers standing there.

“Hey, we’re done with everything inside. All that’s left is that table and chairs.” Nick nods to the patio furniture I’m currently sitting on.

“Oh! That’s great! Y’all are so fast,” I say.

“Oh, I wouldn’t be fast with you trust me,” he mutters under his breath.

I turn away with my eyes wide and try to pretend like I didn’t just hear that. “Okay, well, I’ll just get out of your way,” I mumble as I walk over to Violet in the treehouse.

“Hey, Vi! The movers are almost done, honey! Do you need help getting all of your toys out of there?”

“Yeah. There’s kinda a lot, Mommy. Do we have a bag or something I can put them in?”

“Let me go check, baby.”

I turn around and catch the guys checking me out. Nick clears his throat and says, “I think I saw a backpack in her room. I wasn’t sure if you were bringing it with you in the car, so I just left it in her room. Want me to go get it for you?”

“Oh, yes. Please. Thank you. Violet! You left a backpack in your room, so we’ll use that for your toys,” I holler up to her.

“Okay, Mommy!”

He goes inside to grab the backpack while Tim walks over to me.

“Hey, I’m sorry about earlier. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. Or to bring up painful memories. I’m sorry to hear about your husband,” he says. And I can tell he actually means it; I can hear the honesty in his voice.

“Oh, thank you. It’s fine, I just wasn’t really expecting to get hit on by a younger guy, is all,” I defend my stammering from earlier.

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