Page 8 of Hello Single Dad

“But you didn’t. We both know that Dax wasn’t good enough for you. He was terrible with money, constantly distracted by his ‘art’, and that wandering eye of his made me want to punch him in the face. And now you get the full buffet menu open again. Get a little palate cleanser in before you can enjoy all the options ahead of you... And wouldn’t it be nice to go to bed with a guy who’s really into you?”

I shook my head. Sometimes Mara was really convincing. “He just left me this morning.”

“Did he?” she asked. “Because I think he checked out long before that. Especially considering he had a helper.”

The words hit me straight in the gut.

“And I could do with a good lay myself. You know, for book research.” She waggled her eyebrows. “Be my wingwoman?”

“Fine,” I said. “But I need to pack an overnight bag first, and a box to bring some stuff by the school.”

“Great.” She winked. “We’ll handle these boxes before we deal with yours.”

4

BIRDIE

Confession: I steal from the student condom jar.

We loaded the bags into the back of her truck, and I got in the passenger side. Although the sky was barely darkening, I’d already had too much wine to be driving, and I didn’t feel like being on my own anyway.

I realized that when I found another place, it would be the first time I’d actually lived by myself. In college, I lived in the dorms. Then I found Mara as a roommate on a Craigslist ad while I got my master’s. And then Dax and I moved in together. Not to mention the eighteen years I lived in close proximity to the underside of my parents’ thumbs.

She rolled the windows down, letting in the fall air, and drove toward the beach. Her house was only a few blocks away, and we’d spent more than a few weekends laying out on beach towels with our Kindles.

“So what type of guy should we look for tonight?” she asked. “What are you into now that boring artist guy is out of the picture?”

I gave her a look. “Dax was not boring.”

“He took you to a vegan restaurant for your birthday. You had wheatgrass shots.”

I cringed, remembering the day. He wasn’t even vegan, and neither was I. It was so pretentious. I much rather would have spent the day birdwatching or thrifting at a flea market.

“So you agree. I’m thinking you should try someone older. Maybe a silver fox?”

My chest constricted at the idea of being with someone new, but I reminded myself that Dax had done me a favor. Did I really want fifty more birthdays spent at vegan restaurants? Did I want to come in second to art for the rest of my life? Partner with someone who didn’t care enough about me to follow through on his promise to marry me?

“You know,” Mara said, mistaking my silence for hesitation, “older guys are often more knowledgeable. Could be just the thing to get you up to speed on what’s new in the bedroom.”

“How many new things can there be?” I asked, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

She shook her head. “You’re in for a treat.”

We soon reached her house, and I took in a water feature up front. “Is that new?” I asked.

She grinned. “Treated myself with the advance.”

“That’s amazing!” I said, trying to be the supportive friend I should have been. Mara dropped out of high school at sixteen, getting out of a truly crappy situation with her mom and an abusive stepdad. After years of working as a waitress and writing sexy stories for magazines for some extra cash, she self-published her first book online. And it took off—in a big way.

And here I was with my master’s degree.

Irony sucked.

For me, not for Mara.

We got out of her truck and carried the bags to the garage, except for one I needed to bring by the school.

“Okay.” Mara wiped her hands on her leggings. “Let’s shower up and get dressed for your rebound.”

---