Page 104 of Hard To Leave

Chapter 33

Chloe

Kristen examined my face,pointing at the cold sore that took up half of my top lip. “What the hell is that?”

I swatted her hand away. “You know what it is, jerk.” I picked up the tub of cool whip from the shelf and dumped it in my grocery cart for Tanner’s birthday party tomorrow.

We were celebrating with a few friends and neighbors. Jack’s invitation went out last week, and I’ve spent the last seven days keeping busy and trying not to think about whether or not he would show up. I got my answer when a package arrived on my doorstep yesterday with a card inside telling Tanner that he couldn’t make it.

Even though I expected it, it still hurt.

“Aren’t those like herpes?” Kristen asked, getting a little too close to my face. I hated when these blisters popped up whenever I was stressed. Other than applying a little gel, there wasn’t anything I could do but let them heal on their own.

I rolled my eyes and pushed my cart over to the stationary aisle in search of a birthday card. “How was your date last night?” I asked, trying to change the subject.

“Please.” She reached for the stack of baseball trading cards on the nearby rack and threw a couple packs into her basket that Tanner would love. “I’m never going on another blind date again.”

“What happened?”

She glanced over her shoulder to make sure no one was listening. “We went to a really nice restaurant, had some great food, and shared an expensive bottle of wine.”

I titled my head to the side as we moved through the store. “Sounds like a perfect date to me.”

She huffed. “It was, right up until the check hit the table.”

I stopped pushing my cart and looked at her. “Don’t tell me he made you pay?”

She rolled her eyes all the way up to the ceiling. “He flapped his little alligator arms around and reached for his wallet that he conveniently left at home. What a turd.”

My frown was automatic. Kristen had a shitty track record with men. She kissed more than her share of frogs and never came close to finding her Prince Charming. I thought she was a great catch, but she had a knack for picking out losers.

My phone rang, and I grabbed it out of my purse without looking.

“Hello.”

“Hey, I’m on my way to your place now,” Brogan said, as I pressed my phone to my ear. “Do you need anything?”

I looked at my watch. “I thought your plane wasn’t getting in until dinnertime.”

“I caught an earlier flight out of Nashville. We were supposed to get some heavy rain later in the day, and I didn’t want to chance it.”

I smiled. “That actually works out great. I’m out running a few errands, would you mind swinging by the school and picking Tanner up for me?”

“Are you kidding me? I’d be happy to.”

Never in a million years did I think Brogan and I would get to the place we were. I was so worried that I had ruined everything, but over the past few weeks, Tanner was growing more comfortable with his dad. The situation was still far from perfect, but the transition was going a lot smoother than I had expected.

“Perfect. I’ll see you at the house in a few hours. Thanks, Brogan.”

I hung up the phone and glanced at Kristen who was openly staring at me. “Are you sure there is nothing going on between you two?”

“Jesus. What is it with everyone?” I scoffed, heavy with an attitude. I was sick and tired of people always assuming that we were together. Couldn’t two exes be friends and get along for the sake of their child? “There is nothing going on and why do you keep looking at me like that?”

We kept walking. “Oh, I don’t know.” She shook her long auburn hair. “Maybe because your baby daddy isPeoplemagazine’s hottest man of the year.”

I laughed while turning the corner for the checkout lane. “He’s not hottest man of the year.”

“Yet,” she said, pointing a finger at me.

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