“I guess I’ll figure that out as wetalk.”
Simone smiled, and the hint of that motion through the panes of glass made it all the way to April’s bedroom. “That’s all I ask. One other thing…”
April waited while Simone started and stopped.
“What’s up?” April asked.
“Rachel thinks you plus Jack plus anything other than your professional business relationship is a bad idea,” Simone finished quickly, “because of his track record. Not because of yours.”
“What doyouthink?” April asked, actually really interested in the answer.
“I think Jack could be your rebound—the no-expectations person who helps you move forward. Then you can find someone else if you want. Someone local. Or not. You don’t have to be with someone to be happy. We both know that.”
Did she, though? Really?
They said their goodbyes and April headed downstairs.
She paused mid-step halfway down the staircase. Her bare feet simply wouldn’t move. From where she stood, she had an eagle’s view of her living room. Lola serving Jack what April hoped like hell-o was water from her plastic Beauty and the Beast teapot. Straight into a yellow, plastic teacup that looked like it could decorate the top of a cake.
“Drink.” Lola nudged it up toward Jack’s mouth.
Jack looked like she may as well have poured sludge into the cup. “What if I just pretend?”
“Banana,” Lola said on a growl, her dark brown not-quite-a-baby curls bouncing as she glared.
Rohan had his eyes glued to the cartoons on television while Harmony was splayed tummy down on the carpet, coloring.
“She’s not going to leave you alone until you try a sip,” Harmony said. “It won’t kill you. I drank it and I’m fine.”
“She put crayons in it,” Jack murmured, squinting at the liquid.
“Because they add flavor,” Harmony said, still focused on her coloring.
Jack stared into the little cup that seemed so out of place in his big hands.
Kent never would’ve done this. He would’ve pretended a sip, maybe, but that was it. He wouldn’t actually consider doing it.
“Banana,” Lola said, again.
April should probably go relieve him. He didn’t need to drink crayon water from her preschooler. But she didn’t even get to take a step because Jack lifted the teacup to his lips and—
Holy crap, he drank it. Downed it like a tequila shot.
Hedrankthe crayon water.
The face he made afterward indicated it was not top-shelf crayon. Not at all.
“Smooth,” he said, handing the cup back.
Lola smiled a toothy grin and made up another cup for her teddy bear. Unlike Jack, the teddy bear got away with pretend sips.
April’s lungs got tight, and the blood whooshed in her head. The whole scene laid out before her like something from a dream she didn’t remember until right then, in that moment.
No one clamored for her attention. Or needed her to take care of all the things.
This was peace.
Today was a school day and everyone needed to hop to it so they wouldn’t be late, but April couldn’t seem to catch her breath, the peace effectively a splash of ice water against the chaos she’d been living.
