The next week would firm it up in her mind if there were any red flags.
“I’m going to let him in,” Archer said, reaching for the door.
She stepped out of the way and let her son greet his new babysitter.
Talk about something she never thought would pop into her head.
“Hey there, Archer,” Jayce said, holding his fist out to get a knuckle pump.
Her son laughed and did it.
“Hi,” she said. “Glad you could come over. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this.”
“Gets me out of the house,” he said. “Not like I’ve got much going on and it’s sad to say my social life is hanging with my parents.”
She laughed. He had to be joking. This guy who everyone was friends with in high school. The one who hung out with professional athletes as part of his career as if it was no different from her walking into her job daily.
“I’m glad I could help.”
“Mom and I ran errands today, but I wanted to go bowling. Errands are boring,” Archer said.
“Well, you and I can go bowling the week we hang out.”
She kept her bottom lip from coming out. Archer ate up the words, “hanging out.”
Other than her father, her son never had a male to hang out and do things with.
It’s not like her ex ever wanted to toss a ball, shoot hoops, or even watch sports.
Tucker was more about his own friends pumping his ego, and seeing who flocked toward him.
Deep down she was positive it had more to do with the fact Tucker didn’t know more than the basics of any sport, couldn’t catch a ball without bobbling it, nor dribble without tripping. He wouldn’t want to have anyone think he wasn’t as great as he was in his own head.
“Can we, Mom?”
“That would be up to Jayce. He’s the boss that week, if you don’t run him off on the first day.”
“Mom said that I have to listen and behave. I can’t ask you for anything either or be annoying.”
Jayce turned to her. “Being annoying is part of being eight. What’s wrong with you?”
“See, Mom,” Archer asked, jumping around the room and bumping into the table in the foyer holding some framed pictures.
She and Jayce reached for it the same time to catch any disaster. “My point, Archer.”
“Can I show Jayce my room?” Archer asked.
“Later,” she said. “Why don’t we let him into the house so he knows where everything is.”
“It’s just a house,” Archer said. “Any idiot could find the kitchen and bathroom. Those are the most important things.”
She tried to keep the mortification from her face. She knew her son was only joking, but didn’t want Jayce to think she had no control over her kid.
“I don’t know,” Jayce said. “TV remotes and video game consoles were right up there on my list at your age.”
“I’ve got my own room for that. Come with me.”
She watched as Archer dragged Jayce to the den off to the side. Years ago, she hadn’t liked that it was so far away from when she was in the kitchen or family room in the back. But now that he was older, it was good to have the noise barrier between them when Archer was worked up.
