Page 74 of Just This Once

“It’s not so bad,” I say, elbowing him. “Besides, it’ll give us a chance to hang out. We can go to the Christmas market after. Me and you can grab a bite to eat.”

“Just me and you?” he asks, and I nod.

“Yeah. I’m a sucker for Christmas fun.”

“Me too!” Maddie jumps in her seat. “Oh my god, yes! Let’s do it!”

“Well, first we have to talk to your mom about it,” I say, but Maddie’s up and halfway across the room before I even finish speaking.

Jake sniffs a dubious laugh. “You really want to go watch people dance?”

“Not necessarily, but that’s a part of relationships. Sometimes you need to spend time doing things you may not enjoy but they do, because it’s important to them. Right? I don’t know a whole lot about soccer, but I would be happy to go to a game with you, learn all about it because you like it. And I like you. I like spending time with you. Same with your sister and your mom. When we love people, we love everything about them. Not only the things we enjoy, but everything.”

He considers this, his gaze on his empty drink cup for a long time before he finally lifts his eyes. He nods and smiles. “Yeah, okay. Makes sense.”

I slap his back a few times before Maddie returns with Taryn in tow, glaring at me. “What is this I hear about a show tomorrow?”

“Threw the idea out to the kids, and they were into it. There’s a matinee, and then we can walk around the market for a bit after. They’ll still be able to go to their dad’s.”

“Please, Mom,” Maddie pleads, tugging on her arm.

Taryn turns to Jake, who shrugs. “I’m in.”

“Really?”

He nods all magnanimously. “Yeah. Sometimes you have to do things you don’t enjoy for people you love.”

I smash my fist against my mouth to cover my laugh as Taryn’s eyes bug out. Then, because she knows she was set up, she points her finger atme. “You did this.”

I ignore her ire and smile. “I didn’t get a chance to tell you, you look really pretty in that dress.”

Finally, she’s wearing a dress, and I can’t even take advantage.

But with the kids on my side, she has no other argument against me and sighs. “Fine.”

Winner, winner, chicken dinner.

Chapter 24

Taryn

This isn’t a date.

Number one, because I said so.

And number two, because I’m wearing my frumpiest sweater.

So, it’s definitely not a date.

But Dante is refusing to accept that it is not.

He kept putting his hand on my lower back as we walked from the parking lot to the auditorium and then while we waited in line to show our tickets, and now he sits on the other side of Maddie, with his arm on the back of her chair, his knuckles brushing my shoulder.

During intermission, he took Jake with him to buy a round of waters and snacks for us, even though I told him I didn’t want any, and then he refused to accept money for my kids’ food. Like a gentleman.

What an asshole.

Maddie’s attention has been glued to the stage for the last hour, but every once in a while, Dante ducks down, whisperingsomething in her ear that earns a snicker or whispered response. Because they’re good buddies.

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