Page 33 of Exposed

Jacob frowned as he looked down at his stick.

“It’s okay.” I lightly tapped the bottom of his chin so he’d look up at me. “Don’t worry about it. We’re both fine. Right, Tanner?”

Tanner nodded. “I didn’t feel a thing.”

“See, Mommy!” He pointed to Tanner. “He didn’t feel it. I told you so.” He stabbed Tanner’s leg with the stick and Tanner didn’t even flinch.

“Ow?” Tanner said slowly. “That felt exactly like how a stick would feel on a leg. Like scissors on paper.” But he was smiling.

Jacob laughed.

“Jacob, how about you clean up your toys while I talk to Tanner?”

He nodded and started gathering his sticks. There were so many. Were they planning a huge battle or something? I turned to Tanner. “Are you okay?”

“What?”

“Didn’t that hurt?”

“Nah. Tough skin.”

Okay…

“So how did it go with Matt?” he asked.

“Oh. Um. He didn’t take the news very well.” I watched Jacob pick up his other discarded toys. But he got distracted halfway through and started rolling his little cars across the floor.

Tanner sighed. “Matt yelled, didn’t he? I told him not to do that.”

“And I told you not to interfere.”

Tanner shrugged. “I didn’t tell him anything you told me. I just recommended he hear you out and to take a few deep breaths before he spoke.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “He definitely didn’t do that.” I stood up and wandered into the kitchen. I pulled out the flour, eggs, and butter.

“What are you doing?”

“I feel better when I bake.”

“So it went really poorly then?” Tanner asked.

“He said…we both said some terrible things.”

Tanner looked down at his phone. “Well, I have some time before I have to head out.”

Honestly, I didn’t have anyone else to talk to this about. Back in high school I would have talked to Kennedy. But I hadn’t even spoken to Kennedy since Matt told me they broke up. Matt told me he was a shit friend. But I was pretty sure that title belonged to me.

I stared at Tanner while I stirred the batter way too vigorously. I was pretty sure Tanner had somehow become my best friend over the past week. So I filled him in. And I tried not to cringe when he kept wincing at my exchange with Matt.

“You’re as hot headed as he is,” Tanner said.

I laughed. “I am not.”

“He said some terrible things. But he was just lashing out because of what you said.”

“I called him a man whore. Which is true.”

“I’m not talking about that. Brooklyn.” He grabbed my hand so I’d stop ruining the batter. “I know you’re still in love with Miller.”

---