“Nice,” he says.
I like Greg. He’s a good dude, and doesn’t seem to be interested in the female students like Tim.
“You?” I feel obliged to ask.
“My sister needs me to babysit. She’s divorced, a single mom too.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know. How old is she?”
“Twenty-three. Stupid shotgun wedding after high school. Now he’s a ski instructor in Colorado, and she works two jobs and has full custody of their five-year-old, Luke.”
“I’m sure she appreciates you. No doubt.”
He nods. “Her mom guilt is at an all-time high, so yeah.”
“Huh? What is that? Mom guilt.” I lean back in my chair and wait for him to answer. Poor guy didn’t know he signed up to be my relationship counselor when he took the TA position.
“Why?” He runs a hand through his hair and smiles. “You never heard of it?”
“Not really, but Andi mentioned it.”
“It means they feel guilty for doing too much—work, house shit, whatever—and don’t have enough quality time with their kids. It’s not really real. It’s some bullshit they make up with their anxiety and feelings. Women.”
“Hmm, I guess I have a lot to learn.”
“Just know this ... nothing trumps mom guilt.”
“I think I know that. For sure.”
Then Greg says he’ll see me on Monday, and that’s it. I’m stuck in my office with my feelings and boyfriend guilt.
No wonder Andi has been standoffish all week. I acted like a spoiled brat when she said she couldn’t do lunch on Monday. I’d wanted to take her to a cute place in the Strip District—an Italian bistro with homemade wine and pizza—and when she said she was going to be with Gabby, I pouted. Not in front of her, but sending her one of those pouty emojis and a text saying, “Pretty please?”
It was a bad call, and obviously put me in the dog house this week.
I lean forward to grab my phone and hit theCALLbutton next to Andi’s number.
“Hello?”
“You already erased my contact?”
“What?”
“It’s Reid. You said hello like you didn’t know who it was.”
Jeez, fuck. I’m up in my feelings like a boy dumped on the playground.
“Oh, ha. No, I’m driving, and the contact didn’t come up.”
“Oh, got ya. What are you up to?”
“Picking up Gabbs. She went to a new friend’s after school. Lisa Michelle.”
“Nice. Listen, I owe you an apology. I didn’t quite get what you meant when you mentionedmom guiltearlier in the week, and I pushed for you to see me. I don’t want to ever interfere in your time with Gabby.”
Andi sniffs once, twice. “Thanks, it’s hard. I know you probably don’t want to be bored with the details, but Gabby sees her friends doing all this fun stuff. Manicures, movies, skiing, sledding with their families. I have to be it all for her, and then I need to work. She needed a day with me.”
“I understand now.”
