Page 83 of The Ex Next Door
Should we cancel? I can grab something here for dinner and maybe see you later tonight.
She grabbed her phone so fast she left a streak of sauce on it.
No. You’re coming to dinner and that’s final.
He replied:
Okay, boss.
She smiled and went about the business of shredding cheese and layering the casserole. Meanwhile, Naomi and David finally came in with what amounted to some beautiful weeds they’d pulled from their backyard. No matter. Amy was a big fan of Texas wildflowers even if these fell more on the side of wild than flowers.
“Beautiful,” she said.
Naomi carefully washed all the dirt off her purple flowers, dried them, then placed one beside each plate.
David, feeling his duty was done, made himself scarce and probably wouldn’t reappear until either Naomi needed him or dinner was served.
While the casserole cooked, Amy went to change into something more dating aspirational. However, she changed twice before deciding on another pair of her plain jeans and a clean T-shirt. This was what she normally wore around the house, and if she dressed casually, David might not deduce this was an undercover date with her new boyfriend. She also went light on the makeup and put her hair up in a casual ponytail. Declan wouldn’t care. He’d once told her she lookedbetterwithout makeup. At the time it made her think she probably didn’t wear enough makeup or know how to apply it to emphasize her best features. Now, she appreciated it as a comment from a man who’d loved her just the way she was.
She heard Declan’s truck pull up next door and a short while later he knocked on their front door.
“I’ll get it!” screamed Naomi, running out of her bedroom like her pants were on fire. “It’s our guest!”
“Inside voices,” Amy said with a smile.
Nice to know someone besides Amy was excited. For her part, Amy stayed back, restraining the excitement coursing through her at seeing Declan. Given, he’d been in their house before and he was not a stranger to them, but this would be the first time he’d spent an extended amount of time in their home. He’d be in a now-familiar setting, one that the kids had only previously enjoyed with Mom and Lou.
Amy straightened silverware neurotically until Naomi appeared in the kitchen, holding Declan’s hand, tugging him behind her.
“Mommy, our guest has arrived!” Naomi announced. “And he has something.”
Declan flashed the smile that changed his face from wicked to boyish. “Is this all for me?”
“Yes!” Naomi danced around the table until she wound up in front of Amy.
Amy braced her hands on her daughter’s little shoulders. “Naomi and David picked the flowers from our backyard.”
“We can just add these to the bunch.” Declan produced a bouquet of red roses from behind him.
“They can be our centerpiece, Naomi,” Amy said. “Aren’t they beautiful?”
“I love them,” said Naomi. “Gramma says roses are the queen of flowers.”
“Here, I’ll get a vase.” Amy filled it with water and stuck the roses inside.
David finally emerged. “You broughtflowers?”
Oh, right. Flowers were a statement of sorts, especiallyredroses. But David wouldn’t necessarily know that. He only knew that Rob brought her red roses for Valentine’s Day and her birthday and whenever he felt he was in the doghouse.
“They’re so pretty and red,” Naomi said.
“You never broughtflowersbefore,” David said.
“They’re roses,” Naomi said.
“I know. So what?” David shrugged. “He still never brought them before.”
“My mom taught me to bring something when I was invited for dinner,” Declan explained.
