Page 40 of Pull
He blinks a few times in their direction and time actually stands still. Ryan is squeezing my hand to death, which doesn’t make me feel good at all. It just means he knows our husband’s about to explode and there’s really nothing we can do.
Ben places Ethan carefully back into his stroller, buckling him up and giving him his pacifier. And then he’s off, stomping in the direction of our twenty-year-old daughter and the guy whose face is still attached to hers.
Ryan grabs the stroller and we power walk behind Ben, trying to intercept.
“Babe,” I call to him, grabbing his arm. “Please…”
“Please what?” He growls, quietly, turning to face us. “Do you see this? She said she was going away for the weekend!”
I flinch. Because yea… she did say that.
“It’s Monday,” I shrug, defending our daughter. “Maybe she just got back.”
Ben rushes out a sturdy breath, shaking his head as he continues on marching. The four of us stop right in front of the bench, and I’m trying desperately to project some motherly telepathic advice to my daughter who hasn’t come up for air in minutes at this point.
Uh, Earth to Hailey! Stop frenching the dude and pay attention! Your dad’s about to blow a gasket.
Hailey finally,finallypulls off the dude who, now that we’re closer, is visibly older than my daughter, and turns her face to glare at us as if we’re random strangers who are suddenly too close to her make-out party.
But when she realizes it’s us, her face goes ashen. Seriously, I’ve never seen her pale so fast.
“Dad,” she gulps, then glances to me. “Mom…. Ryan.”
Ryan does a cute little wave, always trying to be more of a friend to Hailey than anything. It’s still difficult, after all.
Hailey accepted our relationship, the marriage and everything. She’s been supportive, but then we also only see her once a month. It’s a bitout of sight, out of mindfor her, which is totally understandable. But when we do all spend time together, Ryan acts like Hailey’s friend more than he acts like our husband. We purposely refrain from any displays of affection because we don’t want to make her uncomfortable.
Of course she gets it, but it’s a work in progress.
“Who’s this?” Ben barks, and Hailey jumps.
“This is… Oliver,” she answers calmly, though I can tell she’s nervous as she glances to the grown-ass man at her side. “Ol, this is my dad, Ben, my mom, Jess, and my…” She pauses, gaping at Ryan while he rubs the back of his neck, like he’s in physical pain from the awkwardness of the situation. “This is Ryan,” she sighs, exhausted already.
The guy quickly ditches his uncomfortable grimace and pulls a wide smile. “Lovely to meet you all.” He has a British accent.Interesting.“And who’s this little guy, then?” Oliver asks, leaning in to wave at Ethan.
“This is Ethan,” Ryan smiles while Ethan the ham gobbles up the attention from the stranger.
“What a nugget,” Oliver grins.
I can’t help but swoon, just a little, to myself, because he’sgorgeous, and that accent?Yum.
But then I’m reminded that my daughter was just sucking face with this guy, and he’s clearly in his early thirties,at least.
“I thought you said you were going away for the weekend,” Ben says to Hailey, and it becomes apparent in this moment that he’s not mad about her making out with a guy as much as he is hurt that she didn’t tell us she’d be around today.
Ben invited Hailey to tag along to the parade with us, and I think deep down he was feeling a little insecure that she said no. Of course she claimed it was because she already had plans, and Ryan and I were inclined to believe her. But Ben still harbors a lot of guilt with Hailey. He doesn’t have to, but it’s just the way he is. It’ll take him a bit to get over it.
“I did. We just got back this afternoon,” Hailey answers defensively, but then her eyes widen.
“We?” Ben’s jaw clenches visibly. “As in… you two?”
“No,” Hailey gasps.Obviously lying.
“It’s very nice to meet you, Oliver,” I hip-check Ben out of the way before he murders someone, extending my hand to the man. He gives me a polite smile and shakes it. “I apologize for my husband. Well, that one.” I grin, nodding in Ben’s direction. Oliver looks overwhelmed, but he forces himself not to react, which I have to appreciate. “So, how do you two know each other?”
The polite smile I was getting a second ago turns strained and nervous as he glances at Hailey. Then back to me. Then to Hailey. Then me.
What the hell is happening right now?
