Page 19 of Love…It's Complicated

“I’m worried about you, Lyss. Friday night was so unlike you. If you weren’t at the salon for money, then it has to be to get back at Maisie and me—”

“I’m not trying to be vindictive toward Maisie. Believe it or not, this had nothing to do with her. It’s me, Ty. All me.”

“I just don’t understand.”

“I’m trying my best to be brutally honest, but I don’t know how to explain myself. It was a stupid thing to do. Believe me when I say, I wish no harm on Maisie or anything bad on her business.”

He looks down and nods. “I know you don’t. She wishes you’d talk to her.”

“We chatted at Hunter’s pre-K graduation in June.”

“She said you looked really pretty that day. I agreed.”

“Thanks. So, as you can see, we’re all good here. You are I are killing it with this co-parenting thing. We put Gwyneth and Chris to shame.”

When he looks up at me, his eyes are soft. “I really do worry about you. You’re going through a lot. Leaving the house, moving back in with your dad, surrounded by reminders of your mother … it’s a lot on you and the kids. I don’t take for granted what you guys are going through.”

This is why I can’t totally hate Tyler. He might do idiotic things sometimes, but he’s a decent guy. Not the best, but decent.

“I’m actually doing really great, so thank you for the concern, but everything is great.”

He lifts a brow. “Great, huh?” With a nod, he grimaces. “Suppose you were having a good time Friday night to be as drunk as you were.”

“I was out with Tara Friday night. We went out on Saturday night too.”

Tyler’s brows rise in interest. “Two nights out in a row with your single friend? Knowing Tara, she’s hooking you up with all kinds of guys. I guess you’re ready to date then.”

I won’t lie to myself. Tyler’s seemingly displeased reaction with my dating again leaves a slight smirk on my face.

“Yeah. Turns out I like country swing dancing.”

“You? Swing dancing? Huh. Must have found yourself a good dance partner.”

Tyler doesn’t need to know he already met that handsome dance partner at the police station in the wee hours of Saturday morning … or the fact that my dance partner is engaged to marry someone else and I spent a good portion of my day having an internal freak-out because life is just so damn cruel sometimes.

For the purpose of this conversation, all he needs to know is, “He was pretty spectacular. He did this thing when his palm wrapped around my throat, and he slowly dragged me up to his chest, leaving us in a sensual embrace. It was very sexy. Looking forward to doing it again.”

His eyes rise to the sky as he shakes his head before looking back at me with a grin. “And there’s my girl, busting chops, like always. Glad to see you’re still you, Lyss.”

“Sad to see you’re not the old you, Ty.”

My comment makes his grin fall.

“I’ll see you Tuesday when I pick the kids up for dinner.” He walks down the porch steps and stops after opening his car door. “Easy on the drinking.”

I point toward the house. “Sure. I’ll stop as soon as I finish the handle of Tito’s I opened this morning. I think there’re a few drops left.”

He runs his hand over the top of his head. He and I both know I don’t drink when the kids are home. I never liked it, never will.

I wave him off as Dad comes outside just as Tyler pulls away from the curb.

“Surprised you didn’t come outside to say hello,” I say to him as we watch the taillights disappear down the street.

“Why do that when I can eavesdrop perfectly from behind the door?”

I rub his back and give it a pat. “Hear anything good?”

“Just enough to know that I’m raising a teenager again.”

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