Page 64 of The Playboy's Playbook

“What, you’re not gonna yell at me? Threaten to body slam me through the kitchen floor?” I ask, knowing full well I’m poking the bear with a very pointed stick.

“It’s just a trip to the park, Matty. If anything, that’s doing you a solid so they’ll sleep tonight.”

“Well, that’s good to know. I’m about to head back and get them so we can chill at the house with a friend they…found.”

“I’m sorry. It sounded like you said you’re on your waybackto get them. As in you left my children in a parkalone!” Luke whisper-shouts.

I know if he wasn’t in the airport with the fear of being placed on the no-fly list, he would definitely be shouting louder.

“They’re with Laila. Calm down,” I say, finally getting to my truck and turning the engine over.

“Laila?”

“I guess you were one of the senator’s last meetings because session ended and she’s here now. Nola got loose and she found her way to the boys, so then the boys went running off to go find Laila and when they did, they begged her to come to the house. She couldn’t say no because they looked like they were going to cry. I couldn’t tell them no because –”

“You know how much they’ve missed her,” Luke sighs. “Alright, that’s cool. Just be thankful that Laila is someone I trust with my kids since you left them in the park.”

“Yeah, alright, Dad. Fly safe,” I say before hanging up the phone. I make the short drive to the neighborhood park. I park next to Laila’s car and make my way to the dog park. When I see Laila sitting on the bench holding Clay and Jen on her lap while Nola naps at her feet, I almost burst into tears.

She’s talking to them and the boys are smiling and nodding, soaking in every word she’s saying. When they speak, she looks at them and the smile that breaks out onto her face is full of nothing but pride and love.

Clay and Jen deserve to spend time with Laila and catch her up on the things that’s happened in their lives. They deserve to hear about what she’s been up to for the past year. They deserve to hear her laugh and witness a true smile from her. They deserve all the time in the world with Laila.

I don’t deserve a damn thing when it comes to her.

Chapter Thirty

LAILA

Am I stupid for agreeing to go to Luke’s house? Maybe. Am I stupid for agreeing to go to Luke’s house and be alone with Matthew? Definitely.

I texted Erica once I got to my car and she flipped her shit. She threatened to slap some sense into me because apparently all the work I’ve been doing has “fucked with my brain functions.”

She might be right, but I couldn’t tell the boys no. Not after they ran to me and practically cried tears of joy the moment they were in my arms. The feeling’s mutual because I’ve missed them so much.

I exit my car and let Nola out of her carrier, holding her as I cut across the driveway to the front porch. Clay and Jen run up to me and hug my legs just as tightly as they did at the park. I smile softly at Matthew and he returns it.

If I didn’t know what a true Matthew smile looks like, I wouldn’t have known that this smile is half-assed and full of sadness. He nods his head and I follow him toward the front door.

“Boys, start on your homework. If you need my help, come get me. Laila…Auntie Lala and I will be in the living room,” Matthew says as we enter Luke’s house.

Clay and Jen reluctantly let go and sprint off to their room to work on their homework. I set Nola down and her little legs scamper across the floor as she follows the boys.

I haven’t been to Luke’s house since Clay’s birthday last year and while everything feels familiar, it also feels foreign being here again. There’s more pictures of Clay and Jen. I pick one up and smile at them in their Halloween costumes. I’m assuming it would be from last year since it wasn’t here when I first came by.

Clay is dressed in his seashell costume and Jen is a construction worker. They’re smiling so hard, their eyes are practically shut.

Luke is standing next to Clay with a shark headband on while Matthew is kneeling next to Jen dressed in his own construction gear. My eyes zero in on Matthew and I can see that his eyes are void of emotion, but he’s trying to be happy for the boys’ sake.

“Do you want something to drink?” Matthew asks as I sit on the furthest side of the couch. I shake my head and look at my hands. I don’t feel as chatty like I was in the park and I know Matthew can tell.

“How have you been?” Matthew asks. I finally look over at him and see that he’s already looking at me.

“I’ve been –” I pause for a moment, considering my words. I haven’t been good, I haven’t been fine, and I sure as hell haven’t been great or happy. “I’ve been okay. How have you been?”

“I’ve been okay,” Matthew says. He leans forward and places his arms on his knees. “I honestly didn’t think I’d see you in person again. I thought I’d be relegated to seeing you on the nightly news.”

I chuckle. “You watch the news?”

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