“What did he say about Tucker?”
“Nothing.”
“But something?”
“Not a lot. I get the feeling your ex isn’t much on doing any type of physical activity with Archer and that is what a kid his age needs. He’s got talent, Farrah. I mean just pure athleticism. In the next few years, something is going to click with him and he’s going to take off.”
“I feel that way too, but doesn’t every parent think that of their kids? You were good at basketball.”
“I was, but I worked hard at it. Practiced all the time. I don’t think I was as coordinated as Archer is. Not at that age. I didn’t have the speed he’s got. You were fast.”
“Time will tell. I’m not pushing him. As you said, he has to enjoy it to want to do it more. Forcing him into something he could be great at even if he hates it serves no purpose to anyone.”
“He’s lucky to have you in his life.”
“As you said, I’ll always be in his corner. Someone has to be.”
She shut the door on Jayce a second later and went to her room, grabbed a change of clothes and took a quick shower.
The fact that her hands lingered over her body longer than normal told her she was still alive. That she was a woman with needs and wants and it was nice to have that feeling.
To know she wasn’t just a mom.
When dinner was ready, she went to the bottom of the stairs. “Archer, time to eat.”
“Coming.”
She heard him running down the stairs, then into the half bath to wash his hands and climbing into his chair at the island. It was so much easier to sit there with her son than the table off to the side.
It felt like this big house rarely got used and that was part of why she gave Archer so many places of his own. So it wasn’t such a hollow feeling.
She’d turned it into a place to give her wonderful memories and wash out the bad left from Tucker. The fact that they hadn’t lived here long was the only reason she kept it rather than sell it.
She still had a mortgage on it, but not nearly what she would have because all the equity he’d put down remained. Part of what her attorney went after.
“Sounds like you had a great day.”
“It was awesome. We had pancakes for breakfast, then I had chicken and waffles for lunch to get a big carb load. Jayce said we’d need it with what we were doing and chicken is good protein.”
“It is.” Even though fried chicken didn’t really count in her eyes.
“Then I did the monkey bars and wall climb. I did one Ninja course, but it was really hard. Jayce said I did great. And the ziplines. Those were the best. They had these awesome slides you swing in the air on. My throat hurt from yelling so loud. Jayce had to tell me to be a little quieter.”
She knew her son got a little annoying in his excitement. She’d told him plenty of times to turn the dial down.
“Did you do it?”
“I did. But it was hard. Jayce was laughing just as much. He’s so cool, Mom. Do you like him?”
“I do. We were good friends when we were in school.”
“I know. But do you like him like wanting a real date? Not just with me along?”
Here they went into uncharted territory. She’d never talked to Archer about dating or men. He’d asked before too.
“Right now, he’s watching you for me as a favor.”
“But when it’s done? Will I not see him again?”
