“But you left.”
The words tumbled out, and I wanted to take them back.My emotions were too raw and my filter was gone.
“You hurt me when you didn’t tell me about Addy.But I’m sorry I left the way I did.It won’t happen again.I promise.”
A man who apologizes?What is happening?
“When will you be back?”
“Tonight.I’ll bring dinner.”
Could it really be this easy?
I wouldn’t say I counted the minutes until Vance came over.Because that would be a lie since I counted the seconds.I took the girls to the supermarket and then the playground, but time still didn’t seem to move.It didn’t help that I had even more free time since I didn’t need to make dinner.
When the knock came at the door, I had worked myself up so much that I was a sweaty ball of nerves.I should have taken a shower.Or gone for a walk.Maybe done some yoga.Even though I wasn’t sure where in the apartment I would have enough space to spread out.Maybe meditation would have been a good idea.I did a course once during my first year at college because my fear of taking exams was only eclipsed by my fear of running out of coffee.It worked for a while, but then I dropped out anyway.
When I opened the door, I’d wiped my palms on my clothes a few times, the friction only making my hands even hotter.Vance stood there with two bags in his hand, his tie loosened, and the first few buttons of his shirt undone.He put the other hand on my waist and pulled me into the hallway, away from the door.
His mouth came down on mine, and he kissed me long and hard.Resting his forehead against mine—a difficult endeavor he seemed to have mastered with ease despite our height difference—he brushed his thumb against my side.“I’ve missed you.”
My anxiety had taken the first train out of town as soon as Vance touched me, and I felt settled and happy for the first time since he’d found out about Addy.“I’ve missed you too.”
I didn’t think my sweat glands could take another day of getting the cold shoulder.They’d been working overtime all day.
“I’m sorry,ipo.”
I nodded against him.“I promise no more secrets.”
He leaned back.“No more secrets.”
Placing a brief kiss on my lips, he put his arm around me and walked us inside.
As soon as the door closed behind us, the girls called out from the bedroom where they’d been playing.“Is that Vance?”
I opened the bags he’d set on the counter.“It is.Come say hi.”
The girls burst into the kitchen in a mini tornado.Elana looked up, arms crossed, brows drawn together.“Why weren’t you here yesterday?We had lasagna.With extra cheese.Didn’t you want lasagna?”
He brushed his hands over their heads.“I love lasagna.But I had to work yesterday.”
Satisfied with his answer, they moved their attention to the takeout.Addy climbed up onto the stool and looked inside the bags.“What did you get us for dinner?Is it pizza?”
Vance helped me open all the containers.“Sorry, no pizza today.I got burgers and mac and cheese.”
The girls cheered, and we all settled around the table despite my protest that the couch would be more comfortable.Or if I pushed the coffee table out of the way, we could have a picnic on the floor.Anything was better than the table.
But I was overruled, and Vance squeezed into his usual spot between the girls, helping them put food on their plates.“How was your day?”
Elana kneeled on her chair, one hand on Vance’s arm, the other shoveling in food.“We went to the park with Mommy.And we bought you that yucky bread from the supermarket.”
Vance chuckled.“You mean rye bread.”
Elana crinkled her nose.“It smells funny.”
“It’s healthy.”
She made a gagging sound.“I don’t like the taste of healthy.”
