“Mooom, it’s your turn.”
Aelin sniffed. “Yeah, I know, baby.”
“I’m sorry, A.” Megan groaned.
She nodded. “No, it’s not your fault. Thank you.”
“Drinks next weekend?”
“Yeah. I’ll be there.”
Megan exhaled. “‘Kay. Stay strong. Call me after if you need to vent.”
“Thanks, Megs.”
Aelin dropped the phone from her ear. So much for not seeing Clark’s smug face.
She turned just in time to see a grey sedan turning onto the block.Speak of the devil.
“Hey, Bail’s, good news. Your dad—” Aelin froze. That wasn’t Clark’s car.
Bailey turned to the street and jumped up from the grass, grinning from ear to ear when she saw Amaya in the passenger seat window. “Did you call them, Mom?”
“No, I didn’t call them. I don’t have her dad’s number.” She didn’t know why that felt important to explain, but it did. Possibly because Ryan’s face—okay, and body—had popped into her head multiple times during mediation.
It had just been such a shock. Seeing him there in her kitchen. Her house had been man-free, besides the guy checking their internet connection, for the past fourteen months.
That was why the image of him leaning against the wall had branded itself in her brain and her stomach did a little flip when he stepped out of the car. It was a good thing. A gift, really. Since Clark had moved out, she wondered if she’d ever find another man attractive again.
With Clark, the option had been to wear her emotions on her sleeve and get burned or shove them all down deep. No expectations meant no disappointment. Burying was better than hurting.
But after all this time, it was kind of comforting to know she was still capable of feeling . . . something.
Ryan closed the door and rounded the hood. He wore the same clothes he had on that morning, but they looked different in the afternoon. The top button of his shirt was undone, and he'd rolled up his sleeves. Not to mention that his bun was decidedly messier.
Bailey abandoned the card game and ran with Amaya into the backyard.
Aelin shoved her hands in the back pockets of her jeans. "Let me have it. How did I fail as a parent this time?"
Ryan stopped partway up the paving stone path and glanced down at the card game. "Amaya told me you were locked out."
Aelin drew a breath. "It wasn't your fault. If that's why you're here."
He glanced up at the front door. "It wasn't because I locked the door handle when I left this morning?"
"Well, yeah, but I didn't give you any instructions. It was a little chaotic." She rocked on her feet. "I don't blame you. I took the wrong set of keys and the garage pad thingy is busted."
Ryan frowned and turned to scan the side of the house. "What's wrong with it?"
She shrugged, following him as he walked over to inspect it. "I don't know. It hasn't worked for the last six months, which hasn't been an issue because the opener in my car works." Ryan glanced at her car in the driveway. "Bailey took it out of my car yesterday because she went to a friend's house three doors down and didn't want to knock when she came home. It's sitting inside on the counter."
Ryan gave a soft "Hmm" then lifted the cover on the pad. He pressed the buttons and when they didn't light up, dropped the cover. "Does the other electrical work out here?" He pointed to the two covered outlets on the porch.
"Not sure. I didn't put Christmas lights up last season, so they haven't been used in over a year."
He nodded once. "Do you have a bobby pin?"
Aelin blinked. "If you're going to shove a piece of metal in the outlets, I can think of easier ways to pay penance."
