Page 46 of Chosen Road

“Okay, then.” I took a deep breath. “This is a start.”

She visibly pulled herself together and switched tracks. Her voice firm, she said, “I wanted to ask if you would come to dinner at Yiayia’s next Sunday as well as on Thanksgiving.”

She looked terrified. By the prospect of me going to dinner or the possibility of me declining?

“Yes. I’d love that.”

“It doesn’t mean…”

I cut her off. “I know, Amber.”

“And it doesn’t change the rules of separation…”

I cut her off again. “I won’t be dating.”

I didn’t ask her if she was considering dating. That was a discussion for another time, and not one that I was presently ready for.

Chapter 16: Mighty Aphrodite

Gus

“Alex! Shake a leg!”

Alex slid across the hardwood wearing black trackpants with loose red basketball shorts over top. Likewise, on top he wore a long-sleeved grey t-shirt underneath a blue tank.

“Son, what are you wearing?”

He looked at me and grinned. “Rock-climbing is really sweaty so I’m wearing shorts and a tank in case I get too warm.”

I bit the inside of my cheek. “I’m not sure you’ve thought this through, buddy.”

He looked down at himself and began to laugh. “You’re right! This tank top doesn’t match the shorts. I’ll be right back!”

I laughed out loud. “Alex! Show me how you’re going to change into your shorts and tank when you get too hot.”

He began to demonstrate when he realized his dilemma. He laughed in earnest now and knocked his head with his knuckles. “I’ll go put them on underneath. Be right back.”

I grinned. Amber was forever saying he was exactly like Ruby, and he was, but he was also like me. As a kid, I got caught up in my plans but didn’t think through to the possible consequences because my brain was already hatching the next bit of genius I wanted to try.

I didn’t worry about him. Even in school, he did not exactly apply himself and was still a solid B student. Okay, the occasional C. But there was more to life than school.

I met Vander for the first time two weeks ago when he came to the school to pick up Jace. It was right after he found out he was Jace’s father, and so bloody awkward.

“Hi, I’m the jackass who left the love of my life to raise our son alone while I continued the life I began without her 3000 miles away.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m the fuckup who lost his wife after apparently fucking his assistant. I can’t tell you for sure what happened because I got a concussion and lost a day’s worth of memories, but the flash of memory I do have features her on her knees with her hands on my fly, so it doesn’t look good.”

In actuality, we only shook hands, but what was communicated by the wry looks we exchanged was that we knew we were dumb and dumber.

This morning, we planned to meet up for breakfast, then take the boys rock-climbing. Alex was gunning to show me his newly attained skills.

Normally I was not nervous about meeting new people, but I had no idea what he knew. If Amber had confided in Ruby, had Ruby told Vander? An uncomfortable prickle of shame followed me out the door.

Breakfast went smoothly. I was glad in the end that we went because, despite his excitement, I could tell Jace was still nervous around his dad. Maria, the owner of the restaurant came by our table and swept Jace and Alex into the kitchen to help her with the desserts, leaving Vander and I at the table.

“Is he always this quiet?” he asked.

I thought for a minute about the best way to phrase what I wanted to say.

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