I missed that time with her. Even putting the mind-blowing sex to one side, I’d loved the simple pleasure of holding her tight while we found our equilibrium. Of discussing what was on the punch list for the day, and even talking about Zoe and what she was up to.
Only now do I realize how special it was to have someone to talk through things with. Much as my mom wanted to, she was still my mom. I couldn’t be as free with her as I could with Lily.
I’d give anything to go back in time to Zoe’s birthday to see if I could change the outcome. While neither Zoe nor Lily would speak of it, something had to have happened. Perhaps if I could work out what it was, I could fix it?
As expected, the day drags. Even though Zac has joined me along with a couple of guys I’d gotten at the veterans center, there’s a subdued air on site. This is mostly down to us working around the client. And while that’d also been the case with Lily, she was happy to roll her sleeves up, whereas our new client works from home.
Zac, however, is happy with the new job, unable to keep his eyes off the woman at the enormous computer in the front room. If I’d looked as obvious as Zac does with his infatuation, it’s as well I’m away from Lily.
“Zac, mate, you want to tone it down? Ethan’s calling by soon.”
He looks briefly in my direction, before his gaze returns to the picture window and the perfect view of Kelly Sanderson, the homeowner.
“Zac!” His head spins back in my direction. “I need you to head into town for some more supplies.”
It was something I’d been planning on doing myself, but with him mooning over Kelly like he is, he risks being fired. Zac’s too good to lose because of some stupid rule of Ethan’s.
He looks ready to argue with me, but soon enough, ditches his tool belt and grabs his keys. A second later and he’s holding his hand out, presumably for the list.
“I’ll email it through to you.”
He’s barely left when Ethan arrives, and he doesn’t have good news.
“Tomorrow morning? Damn it, Ethan, they said we’d have those windows yesterday.”
He doesn’t bother replying other than to shrug his shoulders, both of us all too well aware how fickle window manufacturers could be.
A mental check of what we’ve got that we can work on in the meantime, and I know it’s not a lot. “I guess we’ll finish up here and join you over at the Finnegan place?”
While I’ve offered to join the team over at Lily’s house, I’m hoping Ethan will turn me down.
“Nah, don’t worry about it. We’ve got it under control. If you and Zac want to tidy up here, you can call it a day. Where is he, by the way?
“I sent him into town to pick up a few things. I’ll let him know he can head home after that.”
Ethan on his way, the site tidied up, and a text sent to Zac to follow up on the email of stuff we’ll need along with an order number, and I’m free to leave. A quick goodbye to the homeowner to let her know what’s happening, and I’m on my way.
It isn’t until I check the clock on the dash that I realize that if I hurry, I can drop my truck off at mom’s and go walk Zoe home from school. This will be a first for me, and one I’m looking forward to.
It’ll be nice to see for myself how she gets on with the other kids. To check they’re not being mean to her. While I know my own experiences as a kid are coloring this, I still want to check she’s okay.
I needn’t have worried, with my daughter soon enveloped by kids, chattering and laughing and talking in a language I don’t quite understand. This I can cope with.
What I can’t cope with is the mothers moving in on me, especially when the one who strokes my arm is wearing one mother of a wedding ring.
SEVENTEEN
LILY
I’ve been to Skye High Pies for breakfast every day for the past two weeks. My only plus is the extra pounds I’ve gained thanks to not being able to resist all the delicious treats on offer.
While some women find it impossible to eat when they’re heartbroken, I’m the other way around. Sugar is my drug of choice in situations like this. That and caffeine, although this is mostly to cancel out the nights spent tossing and turning.
It’s this very lack of sleep that sees me at Skye High Pies later than usual this morning. Today it’s not so much breakfast as an early lunch.
“The usual?” Katie behind the counter has asked before the front door has hissed shut behind me. I nod in return and try my best at smiling, before heading for my favorite table.
It’s not the best table on offer, but it’s where I feel most comfortable. It’s also where I’d sat next to Tyler when we’d gone over the costs all those weeks ago.
