Did it work?
Tell Colin it’s JUST DINNER
Megan sent a GIF of a cat doing a happy dance, and Aelin laughed as she threw the phone on the bed and walked into her closet, scanning the rows of hanging clothes. She pulled out a stretchy pale blue shirt and a pair of dark jeans, then slipped them on. The fabric was soft against her skin, and the blouse's colour somehow made her eyes look deeper brown.
She put a pin in the dinner she’d just agreed to since it was making her slightly nauseous and returned to her more pressing conundrum. How could she convince Ryan that she was the best fit for summer childcare? Aelin pondered this as she towel-dried her hair and brushed it until it fell in sleek waves over her shoulders, suddenly wishing she had time to blow dry and curl it. It took her two minutes to apply a touch of makeup—mascara, a hint of blush, and a swipe of lip gloss—then grabbed her phone and swept out of the bedroom.
Aelin walked into the kitchen, opened the fridge, and pulled out the container of leftover pasta from last night. She dumped it onto a plate, and stuck it in the microwave. She knew what would be most important to her as a parent, so maybe she only needed to make it clear what she could offer. When the microwave dinged, she retrieved her plate, grabbed a fork, and leaned over the counter. The noodles were still a bit cold in the centre, but she didn’t care. She needed fuel, not a Michelin-star experience.
When she was finished, she rinsed her plate, then put it in the dishwasher and strode to her desk. She didn't have his email or phone number, so she'd have to do this old-school.Aelin thought of the old babysitter flyers she'd made in middle school and snorted. This would have to be better than that.
_____
Aelin arrived at the school and took the bouquets of flowers she’d picked up on the way past the main office and into the main hallway. She was only going to get one, but then wondered if Ryan had thought to get something for Amaya and opted for two. It couldn’t hurt to do something nice even if he didn’t consider her summer proposition.
Reminders of school rules and kids’ artwork hung from the brick walls. She passed the “Artist of the Month” display and smiled to herself. Bailey had been over the moon when she was chosen back in April.
She joined the stream of parents and children making their way to the auditorium and found a seat in the fourth row of the raised seats, close to the aisle. The kids were still in rehearsal, and she tried not to look too desperate as she scanned the rows of other parents.
Aelin spotted Ryan immediately. His hair was tied up in his usual messy bun, and he was dressed similarly to the first time she’d seen him. Collared shirt. Nice slacks. She thought about standing up and walking to him then, but paused when a smile split his face.
The sight of it made something squeeze inside her. Had she seen him smile like that before? He was always so serious. She dropped her eyes to her phone, then glanced back to figure out who he was talking to. There were two men on either side of him, both athletic looking, one with a worn ball cap turned around backward and the other in a T-shirt and jeans. Did Ryanonly hang out with other men who looked like they could be in a firemen’s calendar?
Married, married, married, she reminded herself.
His eyes flicked up and caught hers. Aelin turned her head to stare at the empty stage.Shit.He’d absolutely just caught her looking at him. If she would’ve waved or something it would’ve looked more accidental and not like she was trying to figure out why his eyes always looked a little sad.
The last thing she wanted to seem was desperate, even if it was the truth.
Her phone buzzed, and she glanced down to see Clark’s name on the screen. Her stomach tightened.
Clark:
I was thinking I’d take Bailey to Edmonton next month
Aelin’s stomach dropped. Clark only went to Edmonton for work, and that last word required air quotes.
Won’t you be in meetings?
Taking Bailey somewhere fun on his weekend was not the norm. Clark taking her anywhere that required effort or advanced planning sent off all the alarm bells.
Clark:
Going to take her to the mall
I was thinking I’d take Bailey to Edmonton next month.She tried to parse out the meaning because with Clark, she could never take anything at face value. He didn’t say “a work thing” which meant he was either trying to make her think it was personal or it actuallywaspersonal.
Clark only went out of his way for two things. Money or sex. She was guessing it was the latter.
If you’re meeting someone, I don’t think that’s the best situation for our ten-year-old daughter. And you’d be violating our separation agreement
The three dots appeared, then retreated. The doors to the stage opened and a couple of teachers filed in, leading the kids to their row on the risers.
Clark:
Classic. I try to do something nice and it’s still not good enough for you
Aelin bit down hard and flinched when she caught the inside of her cheek. She flipped her phone over and set it in her lap. It was his weekend. He had Bailey from Friday after school untilSunday night, and taking her to Edmonton didn’t break any of their mediation rules. There was nothing she could do about this.
