Page 5 of Give & Take

I pick up my book again, and manage to read a few pages before the heat—irritation and embarrassment—come rushing back. I reach for my phone.

LANA: You got the absolute last good one Shelby, I STG.

When I get no response a minute later, I feel like an idiot for sending it. I don’t need to talk about this. I’m just desperate to get this weird energy out of my body.

My friend Shelby’s probably at her prenatal swim class or something. Maybe having amazing pregnancy sex with Mac.

I wrinkle my nose.

Shelby’s husband is my boss at the Rusty Dinghy. I knew him long before I met Shelby, and he’s like a brother to me. His name andsexshould never be in the same sentence.

My phone buzzes.

SHELBY: LOL. The ex again?

I should leave it at that. “Yes” would be easy enough. Mike absolutely was my biggest pain in the ass an hour ago.

But I haven’t thought about him once since Mr. Tall and Charming.

LANA: Actually, it was this cocky kid at the concession stand.

Kid doesn’t feel right. But he was, compared to me. I hit send.

Then I groan. I’m not a public person. I don’t gush or gossip the way my friends do, though I’m absolutely here for it when they need to. I’m just private. I’ve always felt more comfortable that way.

But some part of me clearly wants to talk about this. The same part that can’t stop thinking about how that whiskey gaze felt somehow older than the rest of him.

“Mom!” Aurora calls, thankfully interrupting my traitorous and clearly sex-starved brain.

I follow her worried gaze. Nova, my oldest at eight, has sent their beach ball into the water. She’s grinning in a way I know means she did it on purpose. Her little sister can’t swim.

“Nova!” I hold up two fingers.

I bent the first of three fingers down fifteen minutes ago when Nova drank half her sister’s milkshake when Aurora and I came back from finding crabs down by the rocky end of the beach.

“She wouldn’t have noticed if you hadn’t said anything!” Nova pouted, nearly earning herself another finger down for pure sassiness.

She was right, Aurora as usual was too preoccupied with soaking up the beauty of the whole wide world to notice a whole milkshake.

“That’s not the point,” I told her.

My eldest is too clever for her own good. And her sass—I have to remember to call her out on it when half the time I want to write it down to use it myself. Mostly on bad customers. Or Mike.

Nova scowls but stalks into the water. She picks up the big inflatable ball like it’s a huge burden for her. Then she hurls it at her little sister.

I sigh, maintaining my strength. But it’s not something that can do damage so I let it go for the moment.

I return to my phone, explaining what happened at the concession.

SHELBY: Ugh. I’m sorry. I mean he was clearly obsessed with you because you’re gorgeous and smart. And likely told him exactly where to shove it.

LANA: That last part is true. But I’m under slept and beyond stressed about this nanny situation. And now Mike wants to take the girls to this overnight party when they’re at his place next month.

LANA: Sorry, I’m ranting.

My ex is a lawyer in the film industry in Vancouver. I remember exactly what went on at those parties.

“Mom! She did it again!” Aurora yells.

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