Page 79 of Single Mom's Guide to Love

He thinks about it for a second before giving me a nod. “Mommy? Are we living here now? Because you’re married?”

Here we go, the conversation of the night.

“For now,” I say honestly. “But, we’re not getting rid of our house, just in case we need to go back for something. But for a while, we’re living with Logan. Because you’re right, we are married. Is that okay with you?”

Like he’s going to protest, now that he’s living in SpaceCraft central. “Yeah. But does Logan have my cereal? What am I eating for breakfast?”

I laugh and grab his book. “If he doesn’t, I’ll go out and get some tonight.”

This seems to satisfy him as we go into our nightly routine of the goodnight book. We read our pages, and do our lines, and then it gets to our favorite part.

“Goodnight Mommy, Goodnight Daddy,” he says. I’m not proud at how pleased I am that Mommy Viv hasn’t made it in yet, but serves her right. “Goodnight Aunt A-Mae and Tella and Quinn. Goodnight Emmett and Winnie the dog. Goodnight Uncle Simon, Aunt Charlie, and baby Lainey. Goodnight Didi and Pappy. Goodnight Rosie. And goodnight Logan.”

That last one takes me by surprise. “Really? Goodnight Logan?”

He nods, his eyes growing heavy. “Yup. We live here now, and he’s awesome, and you’re smiling.”

“What was that?”

Did I smile today? I barely remember today as it was nothing but a whirlwind.

“You’ve been smiling today, and I like it when you smile.”

Before I can say anything else, Jayce starts nodding off, leaving me stumped and wondering what my six-year-old is seeing that I’m not.

Smiling? No…that doesn’t sound like me.

23

logan

I never thoughtof myself as a family man. And why would I? Because I have an idyllic view of what family life should be? Nothing in my past should make me say the words, “Yes. One of those, please.”

But the past week with Maeve and Jayce has made my outlook on family life a bit different. I know it’s only been a few days and that our situation is temporary, but I can’t help but feel that this is actually how a family is supposed to be.

Maeve and I work during the day while Jayce is at school. When he gets home, the three of us have taken to meeting in the kitchen, grabbing a snack, and talking to him about his day before he and I exit for some much-deserved SpaceCraft time. One hour exactly, because Maeve sets the rules and I dare not defy them. But that hour? It’s the best part of my day.

It’s been years since I’ve played the game through the eyes of a player and not as the creator looking to see what I could make better or tweak. Seeing the excitement on Jayce’s face fills my heart and makes me excited again. Especially since video games have brought me nothing but strife the past six months.

“Are you beating him, Jayce?”

I hit pause on the game as I hear Kat come into the gaming room, coincidentally when the one-hour timer goes off. What I don’t expect is for Maeve to be with her.

“Not yet, but he’s close,” I say.

“I bet I can beat you by Christmas!”

He probably can. The kid has skill. “We’ll just have to keep playing.”

He nods and puts down his controller and exits the room, but not before doing our just-invented secret handshake, giving Kat a fist bump, and his mom a hug before taking off.

“He’s a good kid,” Kat says. “Not enough to make me want children. But in a general sense.”

“Thanks,” Maeve says as she takes a seat next to me. “But can I ask why you needed me in here? I feel like I’m being called to the principal’s office.”

“No trouble at all,” Kat says as she takes a seat in front of us. “In fact, the newest modern family is loved by the press. Who knew family man Logan Matthews would make my job so easy? I should’ve married you off months ago.”

I cringe at the thought of marrying any of the women that Kat set me up with. They were all nice enough—well, everyone except the last one—but I can’t imagine spending any more than our few nights together.

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