“I heard he was part of a prison gang,” Becky Fairweather, PTA president and Avery’s mom, says behind me. “Like real crime. Organized. With nicknames and tattoos and secret handshakes.”
“No, no, my sister-in-law works in parole. She said he helped other inmates write apology letters. Healed their inner child or something,” Lottie’s mom, Laura, explains in her soft voice.
“Well, his forearms are made for cracking vaults,” Paula Manning retorts as if muscles were a felony. Paula is Luca’s mom. An intense woman. “He’s clearly dangerous.”
“You don’t crack vaults like nuts, Paula. At least not anymore,” Becky points out. “I just had an in-depth discussion with Brantley about it. He’s in law school, remember? The bandits have gone digital. Encrypted apps, cybercrime, phishing.”
“Maybe, but I heard from a reliable source they’re planning to rob the post office next. Are you saying our digital newspaper subscriptions are at risk?” Paula asks.
Someone gulps.
Then the conversation shifts. Sharp as a blade.
“Didn’t Xaden date Cole Hudson?”
My fingers clench tighter around the bottle.Don’t go there. Not your business.
“Our Cole?”I’m not your Cole.
“Yeah. I heard him at the festival. Such a talent.”
“Oh, he’s adorable,” someone chimes in.Adorable? I’m not a puppy.
“Such a great dad, considering.”Considering what? That Noah’s not biologically mine? That I haven’t posted a Father’s Day montage? That I’m gay? Finish your sentences, people.
Lizzie made it clear.
Noah needed someone steady, and she wasn’t it.
She signed the papers, didn’t even blink. Then she left.I think she’s in Sydney now.
Is that always going to be a pattern in my life?
People I love and who claim to love me just pack their bags and go, expecting me to deal with it?
I’m done dealing with it.
“Do you think they’re back together?”
“I can’t remember if they were ever official.”
“Oh, they were. Back in school, Xaden used to look at him like, well, you know. Like Cole was his, and his alone.”I swallow. I remember. I was there.
“You know, I’ve always thought that handsome, dangerous men like Xaden are meant to roam free. He wouldn’t settle for a life like Cole’s with preschool runs and early nights. He has that Jack Sparrow kind of charisma, don’t you think?”He’s a pirate now?
“I don’t know about Jack Sparrow, but Xaden always was a heartthrob. I remember him in senior year,” Laura says dreamily. “I sometimes went to the school gym just to see him lifting weights. Sometimes he worked out shirtless. It kind of made me envy Cole.”
Lots of giggling. Nostalgic sighs.
Until someone finally spots me and hisses: “Guys, shut up, Cole’s right there.”
The silence that follows is thick and awful.
Becky coughs into her sleeve.
Lottie’s mom blurts, too bright: “I always thought you two were sweet together!”Sweet. Like that makes the gossip kinder.
I keep my eyes on the ground, hoping it would pity me and swallow me whole.
