Page 14 of Sleepless Nights and Hockey Fights

She’s back to biting her lip and my fingers twitch, desperate to pull that lip away before she does damage. “Fine, but I’ll pay you back from the commissions on the house.”

I nod. “If you feel you must.”

And then she slips out the door and unhooks the jumper cables herself, handing the unit back to me without meeting my gaze. I’m sure she doesn’t love it, but I follow her all the way into a cute but older neighborhood east of Tampa, making sure she gets home safely. I turn around in her neighbor’s driveway and head back to my place, beer long forgotten.

After all that, I forgot to give Molly her perfume, and it might be wrong to put it on the nightstand next to my bed so I go to sleep with her scent clinging to me, but I do feel a little like Superman, knowing I’ve done a good deed in the world. Maybe I should look into a designer cape...

Chapter Eight

Molly

“Hey, kiddo,” I greet Matty as I close the door. He doesn’t look up. I drop my bag on the table and kick off my heels. Why did I wear those things tonight anyway? It’s not like I’m trying to impress anybody.Oh, shut up.

“Hi!” I try again, this time padding onto the living room carpet and approaching the sofa where Matty has sprawled himself. When he still doesn’t respond, I realize he’s wearing the earbuds Blake got him for his birthday. I reach out and tug one from his left ear, startling him and bringing him to his feet in a snap.

“Hey! What was that for?” He scowls at me.

“No headphones when there are other people in the room. You know the rules,” I remind him.

“I was here by myself. Jeez.”

He holds his hand out, and I drop the earbud into his palm, but not before delivering a one-word warning. “Tone.” He has a point, but not if he’s going to cop an attitude about it.

He mumbles an apology and turns toward the hall. His slumped shoulders have my brow knitting and that sinking feeling returning to my gut. “Hey, you want to watch an episode ofThe Officebefore you go to bed?” Introducing my son to one of my favorite shows has been an unexpected bonding opportunity since the divorce.

“Nah. I’m good,” is the only response I get before his bedroom door closes behind him.

God, I feel like a failure as a mom. I shouldn’t have gone house hunting with Bobby tonight. I should have stayed home and had dinner with my son instead. But working is how I put a roof over his head, I remind myself.

My phone chimes from my bag in the kitchen and when I pull it out, there’s a notification from that app Coco signed me up for. I meant to delete the damn thing but completely forgot. It’s time to remedy that oversight.

When I click it open, there’s a new message from @PitterPatterLetsGetAtHer. I have no idea what that name is supposed to refer to, and I’m not sure I want to.

@PitterPatterLetsGetAtHer: So, any luck on your quest?

@singlemomcatlady: What quest? The getting laid one? Nope. How about you?

It’s weird talking to a stranger about my non-existent sex life, but it’s not like I’m ever going to meet this person.

@PitterPatterLetsGetAtHer: The girlfriend one? Not really. Although someone has definitely caught my eye.

@singlemomcatlady: That sounds promising.

I drop into a kitchen chair and start removing the hairpiece from my head.

@PitterPatterLetsGetAtHer: Not sure she’s into me.

@singlemomcatlady: Did you ask her out?

@PitterPatterLetsGetAtHer: Well, no. I’m afraid it will make things awkward because we’re kind of working together.

@singlemomcatlady: Ah. A workplace romance. That can definitely be tricky.

@PitterPatterLetsGetAtHer: Tell me about it. How about you? You getting the hang of the app yet?

@singlemomcatlady: God no.

I press send before thinking.

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