Page 130 of Bad Love

I don’t know when I last thought that. Probably around the time I met LoganHunter.

"How about that for your talent?” I ask Rory as we pass a busker juggling on the way to my office. “I bet we could find a YouTube video. You could juggle in notime."

"I don't thinkso."

I hold in a sigh. "Honey, it's this weekend. Maybe you should memorize part of your favoritebook."

"Mom.” Hestops.

I turn back to see my son rooted to the sidewalk. “What isit?”

“I’m not doing the talentshow.”

My stomach flips over. "Come on, your grandparents said they'd come. And your dad.” Though I’m less excited about thatpart.

“It seems like every time you talk about it, you’re worried. I don’t want you toworry.”

“Rory, I’m fine.” I go to ruffle his hair, but he ducksaway.

“Then why are you sad all the time?” His compassionate gaze works over mine. “Is it because Logan hasn’t beenaround?”

Damn it. My own kid knows my head’s a mess. I fight against the emotion that rises up. “Remember when you left that cookbook behind on the train and you were sad for a few days? Grown-ups get like thattoo.”

He takes my hand and squeezes. “What’d you leavebehind?”

Just myheart.

I don’t know how to do this. I can be strong by myself, but when Rory looks at me like this, it’s so hard. I force a smile and suggest we play our usual game on the way to myoffice.

As we enter the kitchen at Closer, Rena asks, "Who do we have here? Are you the new intern? How nice of you to get me coffee." Her eyes sparkling with recognition, she pretends to reach for his cup, and he holds itaway.

"I'm Rory," he informs her. "You knowme."

"You do look vaguelyfamiliar."

"PD day at school," I explain, feeling more under control after a few blocks’ walk in the sunshine. "Daisy let me bring him to work. Rory, want to go water theplants?"

"Okay."

He heads for the conference room, and I watch through the glasswall.

"How’s the big campaigngoing?”

"Sales are a little low, but we had a second set of product reviewers testing the vibe. Their comments should go livetoday.”

"What's in yourhand?"

I eye the flash drive with a combination of trepidation and guilt, surprised it’s still there. "It's from Logan for Rory. I was so overwhelmed with everything that I stuck it in my pocket and forgot he gave it tome."

Part of me wants to leave it alone. Breaking up with Logan was hard enough. I hadn’t expected him to leave such a big hole in my life after only a couplemonths.

Like when I see a beautiful travel destination and want to ask Logan if he’s been there. Or look at the “Do Me” list and have zero appetite for any of the things on it. Or when Rory wants to talk about a newrecipe.

"Don't you want to know what it is? You'll always wonder,” Renaprompts.

With her permission, I plug the drive into her computer, then Rena and I share herearbuds.

I'm not sure what I expected, but I'm startled when the chef from the restaurant we went to on Rory's birthday pops up in a video file. "Happy Birthday, Rory. Logan asked me to give you some advice from a current professional chef to a future one. When I was nine, I used to bake all the time. Some people don't understand that. Ignore them. Do what youlove."

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