Page 55 of Coast to Coast

“Mon, he makes me burn, yes. But then he’s like this sexy Golden Retriever / German Shepherd mix. And he’s the best dad. I mean, I didn’t know I had a thing for a man with a toddler, but it’s a vibe.”

“I’ve heard of German Shepherd men and Golden Retrievers, but the mix is interesting. I never thought of Tom in that way, but it tracks. You forget I was around when he found out about Crew. Even before the DNA test confirmed paternity, he knew he was that boy’s father and was ready to do the right thing and what it took to be a father.”

“Oh man, I wish you could tell me more about that.”

“Sorry,” she said. “I already said too much.”

“Do you see this situation working out long term? I mean, what happens when Crew starts school?” I asked.

“I don’t want to imagine a world where they are all not happy and settled. I don’t always get attached to my clients, but Cal, these people are special. More like family than clients, and that’s why I don’t have many boundaries. And also why I felt comfortable involving you in the mix. If anything happened to them, it would break my fucking heart,” she said.

I had finished my first drink, and Monica had thankfully slowed down and was still nursing her second drink. She wasn’t a heavy drinker, but when she decided to tie one on, we somehow always ended up in a little bit of trouble.

“I was a mess in the airport; this was only my first trip. I barely know them. How has this family become so important to me so quickly?”

“You are living in their homes and are fully responsible for Crew. I remember when Sam first met Kelsey and Crew. They had an immediate connection. One day, Sam was this lonely bachelor and boom, he was all in. That little boy is like a magnet. He will draw you right in.”

“And you thought I needed to be drawn into their lives?”

“Yeah. I thought it would be good for all of you. I didn’t recognize you after Zander betrayed you. You needed a major change, even if it had you moving across the country. But no, it wasn’t a fix-up. Shit that would be weird as hell.”

I thought I had successfully hidden how bad it was. The relationship was only a small part of what had torn my psyche apart. I knew there were issues with our relationship, but I wasn’t blind. But I thought our common interests and shared excitement over work were enough to make up for the lack of chemistry we had elsewhere. Not just the sexual chemistry,though he loved to make me feel as though there was something wrong with my level of interest in sex. Color me crazy, but I thought men were always looking for women who loved sex.

I ordered another beer, filled her in on all of the details, gave her the scoop on the hockey WAGs, and did my best to get any information out of her that wasn’t locked up tight by an NDA.

“As much as I’d like to hand you the information and make things easy on you, get to know him on your terms and his. Organically.”

I yawned, and the long day finally caught up with me. “I think I need to head home for the night.”

We both ordered an Uber and waited together for our rides. I hugged my friend goodbye, and we went our separate ways. Pulling up in front of Sam and Kelsey’s home, the extravagance again struck me, and even with everything they had, they were so freaking normal.

Once I had curled up into my bed, I remembered my promise to Tom.

Me: Hey, back home and safe.

Tom’s response was almost instantaneous.

Tom: I was just starting to get nervous. Fun night?

Me: Yes. A couple of beers and a nice chat.

Tom: Good. It’s quiet around here. I missed you guys today.

Me: I missed you too.

It took Tom a few minutes to respond, and I had started to doze off when the message indicator popped up on my phone screen.

Tom: Goodnight, beautiful.

Me: Goodnight.

TOM

The quiet in the house had forced me to get out of my comfort zone and explore the city. While I was out, I found a local bar with an open mic night and asked for information.

“Are you looking to perform?” the bar manager, Jed, asked me skeptically. I guess I didn’t give off singer vibes.

“No, it’s a friend of mine. Actually, my nanny or girlfriend, or…” I said before realizing that I sounded like a complete bonehead.

---