“Hey there, Jackman, you got any fun plans tonight?”
Jack, who’s taken to mumbling recently, replies only loud enough for Maggie to hear. Not that it matters. I already know what his plans are for the night.
The garage door opens. It’s either Maggie leaving or Greg is home.
A rush of adrenaline shoots through me as I rush back into my room to check my reflection. I hurry into our closet, spray Greg’s favorite perfume into the air, and walk slowly through the mist. The bright fragrance reminds me of the time we first fell in love. I hope it’ll do the same for him. I want to bemorethan Greg’s parental partner. Jack will be grown soon, and then it’ll be just me and Greg again. What then?
The sound of his voice sends a thrill through me. He’s home. I bite my lower lip as I hear Jack talk about the upcoming soccer tournament in Richmond. I’ve been looking forward to the weekend getaway. One we get to take as a family.
I nod, back straight, shoulders poised, ready. I barely make it to the staircase as Greg jogs up to the top, his travel bag clutched in his fist.
“Hey,” he says as he passes me. “I put my laundry stuff down there by the washroom. I’m going to hop in the shower if you don’t mind.”
“You look nice, Mom,” Jack says from the bottom of the stairs. He turns his gaze to Greg, but he’s already disappearing into our bedroom.
“Thanks, Jack.”
“Mind if we just stay in tonight, babe?” Greg calls. The shower flicks on. “I’m just too beat.”
Jack gives me a sad smile that makes my chin quiver.
“Sure,” I say loudly so Greg can hear it over the shower. “I’ll order something in and toss your clothes in the wash.” I clear my throat, praying the tears will stay at bay in front of Jack. My mind scrambles for a pleasant distraction as I take the stairs in my heels. It feels nearly foreign to me now, being in heels. Meanwhile, Trish probably wears hers to bed. Making sure her feet permanently hold that feminine arch.
“What’s wrong, Mom?” Jack asks. “You look sad.”
I sniff and cover my face. “It’s just hormones.”
Jack comes up and gives me a hug. “I’ve got to learn to deal with them sometime,” he says, gingerly patting my back.
“Yeah, I guess you do. Thanks,” I say against his shirt. I sniff again and pull back. “Is that cologne?”
He grins and slaps his jaw. “It’s after shave.”
I try to keep the surprise off my face as I study his. “Ah. And how did you get so tall all of a sudden? I thought I’d tower you in these heels.”
Jack straightens up and puffs his chest. “Red meat. Lots of it.”
Yes, heison a red meat kick. “I told you those steaks would do it,” I say.
“You were right.”
I look at my handsome, growing much-too-quickly son. “You look very nice tonight, too. What time does Parker’s party start?”
“In like an hour, but they’re coming to get me early.”
They—as in Trish and Parker? Beau and Parker? Beau and Trish? I want to ask who he means by they, but I resist. “And did you say it’s a boy/girl party?”
He nods.
“Will Lydia be there?” Lucky for me, Jack has been telling me about his crushes at school this year. Probably because Greg’s been gone so often.
Jack’s cheeks turn pink. The cutest, shyest grin pulls at his lips. “Maybe…”
I nod and suck in a breath. “Okay. Just…be good.”
“I will.”
“No spin the bottle.”
