Page 57 of Nailed (Dad Bod Contracting 3)
“You’ll call me if anything comes up?”
“Of course.”
I take a deep breath, hold it, and let it out. “Okay. I’m good. I’m good!” I circle around to the passenger side of Ryder’s truck where Nate has already climbed up and buckled himself in. “I love you, Nate. Be good, okay? And have fun!”
He’s on cloud nine. “This is gonna be awesome!” He looks down at me. “Are you gonna cry when we leave?”
I nod. “Probably.”
Nate just rolls his eyes. “So emotional.”
I cackle. “Where did you learn that?”
“TV. Dad lets me watch stuff I probably shouldn’t see.”
I sigh. “Great.”
Nate looks at Ryder, and then at me. “You know, if you guys want to make out, I can look the other way.”
“Nathaniel Paul Madison! Where in the world are you getting this stuff? Do I have to talk to your father about what is and isn’t appropriate television for you?”
Nate shrugs. “Nah, that one I learned from Sheila. She’s a sixth grader, and she was talking about making out with her boyfriend.”
“In sixth grade?”
“She makes a lot of stuff up, so I don’t think it’s true. I don’t even know what it means, but I think it’s like kissing or something.”
I palm the side of his face and give him a playful, gentle shove. “You’re too smart for your own good, buster.” I lean up and kiss his cheek. “Have fun.”
Nate waves me off with both hands. “Quit dragging it out, Mom! I’ll be fine. We’ll have fun.” He points at me. “No crying!”
I roll my eyes at him as I back away. “No promises.”
Ryder checks Nate’s seat belt, waves at me, and then his truck grumbles to life with a throaty chuckle, and he backs out. I keep it together as he drives slowly and carefully out of the parking lot, and I keep it together as they vanish around the corner. I even manage to keep it together as I get in my car and leave the school.
I only start to lose it once I’m on the main road and heading—well, I’m not sure where I’m going. A weekday afternoon alone is something I rarely get.
I’m biting down on my lip to keep from crying as I dial Audra. She answers, out of breath. “Hello? What’s up, Laurel?”
“Are—are you working?” I ask, fighting to keep the emotion out of my voice.
“Yeah, but I’m almost done.” She sighs. “What did he do now?”
“No, it’s not like that.”
“But you’re upset. I can tell.”
“I need the girls.”
“Do I get a preview?”
“Nate and Ryder are out, together…alone.”
“Ohhhhh shit.” She’s known me long enough to know that’s no small thing. “Okay. Tacos and margs in fifteen.”
Fifteen minutes later, I’ve been sitting at a table alone for five minutes, and I’m halfway through a giant margarita, and only suffering a minor panic attack. The tequila is doing a pretty decent job at keeping the bulk of the panic at bay. The rest of the girls all file in at once, Audra first, then Imogen, then Nova. They sit, and the server brings three more margaritas—without having to be asked, because we’re here frequently.
Audra waits until we all have drinks, and then pounds her fist on the table, once, hard. “I hereby declare a quorum. Let the counsel proceed.”
I laugh, and then hiccup. “Remember when I called you in a panic because I’d fallen for Ryder?”
Audra nods. “He ghosted on you, as I recall. Seems there’s been some excitement since then.”
“I let Ryder take Nate to play laser tag.”
Imogen’s eyes widen. “Oh, wow. That’s a big step.”
Nova nods. “My sister is a single mom, and she’d never ever let a boyfriend take her son anywhere. I believe her words to me once were, ‘not even if he was Jesus.’” Nova’s vivid blue eyes go to mine. “How’d you go from ‘convince me to not like him’ to this so fast?”
A tear slips down my cheek, and I hiccup again. “I—I don’t know. That’s the issue.”
Imogen pats my hand. “If it’s any consolation, all four of them are really great guys, and I’d trust each of them.” She shrugs. “I do trust all of them.”
Audra snickers. “I mean, I wouldn’t leave a baby with any of them, except maybe James, since he’s had experience with them.”
I glare at her. “Not helping.”
Audra’s snicker turns to a laugh. “Oh come on, Laurel—you try to picture Jesse with a baby.”
I can’t help a laugh at the image of big, burly Jesse with a tiny baby. “That is a funny thought.”
Imogen isn’t laughing. “It’s…it’s not that funny.”
We all zero in on her.
Imogen is pale, eyes wide, lip caught between her teeth.
Audra gasps. “No. Uh-uh. No way. You fucking are not!”
Imogen nods. “I am,” she whispers.
“NO.” Audra shakes her head, grabbing her best friend’s hands in a death grip. “You tried for years with Nick!”
