Page 37 of Mom-Com
A car door slamming outside had me scrambling to my feet, looking a lot like Puppy when he tried to get up. Feet solidly under me finally, I ran to the front window, my heart about to beat out of my chest. I lifted one blind slat and peered out, hoping to see Jamison. Instead, I saw my ex climbing out of his new Mercedes.
“Well, that’s a disappointment,” I muttered to myself. It was enlightening to see Shawn after spending time with Jameson. The differences were startling. Shawn was smaller, shorter, and lighter complected. He’d gone soft around the middle after turning thirty, focusing on work and late-night drinks with clients, leaving no time for working out. Instead, he wore a flashy watch and drove a fancy car, the accouterments that screamed he was someone of importance.
Jameson, on the other hand, was tall and brooding, with muscles and thick hair I could still feel sliding between my fingers. Jameson didn’t need expensive objects to exude confidence. It was in the way he studied things before speaking, how he observed and processed a problem with that brilliant mind of his. His confidence whispered softly in the way he treated women and children; like they were the most important people on earth, to be treasured and revered, not left at home eating dinner alone yet again.
My chest squeezed painfully, missing Jameson. The pain, sharp and deep, had me rubbing my chest as I watched my ex get the kids out of the car and walk up the driveway. I was surprised. I’d spent most of my time being annoyed with Jameson for distracting me from using all the Fifty Ways to Find a Husband, and here I was, now pining for him like a heartbroken woman. I’d been heartbroken when my ex left too, but that break also brought a breath of fresh air, like I’d dodged a bullet.
This pain? This just felt like the biggest mistake of my life.
16
Jameson
“Dad! They have a dog!” Stein nearly slid past my office door in his socks. The wide eyes and loud shout gave away the level of his excitement.
I closed my laptop on top of my desk and tried to pull my brain into the conversation. I’d been in the middle of building some extra assignments into the curriculum for second quarter, but got very little done as every other thought was about Lily-Marie and what I should do about our tenuous situation.
“What’s that?”
Stein ran into my office and grabbed my shoulders, his face level with mine while I sat, so earnest I bit back a smile, even in my current funk.
“Clark and Milly. They have a dog!” He grabbed my hand and pulled with all his might. I acted like he’d yanked me from my chair with a force much greater than a guy his age could muster.
“Jeez. Been working out, buddy?” I let him tug me toward the front door, where I finally planted my feet and looked out the window. I wasn’t keen on the idea of going over there and seeing Lily-Marie face-to-face. She and I had unfinished business and I had zero confidence I could casually interact with her in front of the kids without dropping to my knees and begging for her to love me back.
Yeah, I know. Pathetic, right?
A cursory glance outside wasn’t enough for Stein. All the sight did was stir up his excitement for all things canine. Jumping around on a bright blue leash was a floppy light-haired puppy, attached to the woman I’d been obsessing over. She, of course, looked like a ray of sunshine in that yellow dress I loved so much, her long hair curling down her back and her easy smile making me wonder if she thought of me at all.
Clark and Milly pet—mauled—the dog, getting him tangled in his leash. Several other neighbors were out, talking to Lily-Marie and meeting the puppy. All in all, it looked like they were having a nice little family afternoon with their new addition. Like my profession of love wasn’t even on her mind. Like I wasn’t over here dying with each minute of silence that passed.
“Can we go pet him, Dad?” Stein tugged on my arm again, doing that dance that looked like he had to pee when he was little, but was now just his “excited” dance.
My shoulders drooped. There was no way to say no. It was a goddamn puppy, for Christ’s sake.
“Sure. Let’s go pet the puppy.”
Stein flew out the door, leaving me behind, and I was tempted to just stay there in my doorway, watching from the sidelines. I’d done a fairly good job the last few days staying away from Lily-Marie. After her sprint to get away from me, I figured she needed some space. Maybe some time to come to terms with her feelings. Maybe a full day before she came running over to tell me she loved me too. But one day turned into three and here I was afraid to leave my house for fear of having to talk to her.
A shirtless runner came down the sidewalk and made a beeline for Lily-Marie, his sweaty chest glistening in the late afternoon sun. I froze, right there on the doorstep, reduced to a lurker in the shadows. The asshole flexed his abs—so obvious—and asked her a question that had her throwing back her head in laughter. The bastard had the audacity to reach down and pet the dog, like he was part of their little family unit. Then he ran his hand through his hair, real casual, showing off his biceps like an Arnold Schwarzenegger wannabe. Unfortunately, the move also showed off his overly trimmed arm pit hair and how stupid was that? I bet he Nair’d his chest too. No man over twenty had literally zero hairs on their chest naturally.
A surge of anger flooded my averagely hairy chest and I couldn’t stand around any longer. I stalked over to the group, intent on breaking up this little flirt session. Nothing wrong with reminding Lily-Marie I existed.
“Hey, Lily-Marie. You guys got a dog?” I asked, pumping a smile I didn’t feel into my question.
She spun around with what I could have sworn was a look of delight before schooling her features and answering me.
“Yeah, thought the kids could use a family pet. We don’t have a name for him yet, but we’re going to pull names from a hat tonight and let fate pick it.” She ducked her head and smiled down at the cloud of fur, currently rolling on its back and receiving belly rubs from six small hands.
I was encouraged to see her keep her back to Mr. Sweaty Chest, the guy who was currently giving me a glare I understood all too well. It was the same one I wore every time Lily-Marie pulled her flirting stunts with other men around me.
“Dad, check him out. We should totally get one too!” Stein’s face nearly cracked in two with his huge smile.
Now that I was at her side, I hated to leave Lily-Marie, but the kids were there. No deep conversations could be had, and besides, I was kind of upset with her. I’d vomited my feelings to her and she’d run away. Maybe the vomit part was the problem. But how was I supposed to know love confession etiquette? Up until three days ago, I didn’t believe that romantic love even existed.
So, I walked a few steps away and squatted down with the kids to pet the puppy. He was super soft and warm, lapping up all the attention. He even squeezed in a few licks on my hand, stealing my attention from Lily-Marie and her runner guy. Until he opened his big mouth, that is.
“I didn’t realize you lived around here.”
