Page 26 of Until Nalia
“I have some stuff to do, I’ll probably head over to the shop for a couple hours.”
“Aww, come on, Dad, it will be fun,” Coop pouts.
“Another time, kid.” I ruffle his hair as Kristy opens the door. “Go enjoy some time with your mom.”
“Fine,” he mutters, following Kristy out of the house.
“Are you sure you can’t come?” Billie asks quietly.
“I’m sure.” I wrap my arm around her shoulders. “Go have fun with your mom and brother.”
“Bowling is only fun when you’re ten.”
“Then pretend that you’re ten.” I lead her out the door.
“Shotgun,” Coop calls as he jogs towards his mom’s car.
“Great,” Billie groans, and I laugh.
“You’ll be fine.” I kiss the side of her head, then open the back door for her.
“I should have them home around seven-ish,” Kristy says, looking back at me as she gets into the driver’s seat.
“Sounds good, have fun.” I step back and slam Billie’s door then wait with Dozer at my side as they back out of the driveway.
“Come on,” I call Dozer and head back to the house. As I’m changing out the kids’ laundry a few minutes later, my cell beeps with a message so I pull it out of my back pocket.
Nalia
Zuri just told me that we are going to Sonic after school tomorrow
Grinning, I message her back a single word.
Yep!
Eight
NALIA
Sitting in my home office with my laptop open, I slide through the spreadsheet on the screen while I go over the hours that were turned in by the guys who work for Bax and Talon. If there were one thing I wish I could avoid every week, it would be payroll. Only because I have to double-check each and every single person’s hours and calculate overtime if they have any, then double-check to make sure things are correct before I send the information over to the accountant. It doesn’t sound like a big deal, but it’s time-consuming and usually takes me all day to get done.
While I’m clicking away on my calculator, my cell phone beeps with a message, and I glance over at my phone that is sitting face up on the top of my desk.
Cole
Hey, sorry I missed your call last night; I’ll try to call you this afternoon if I have time.
Dragging in a deep breath, I focus back on my computer rather than the annoyance that has settled in the pit of my stomach. I’m not even annoyed with Cole; I’m annoyed with myself for thinking that we had even a shot at making a long-distance relationship work. We could hardly find time for each other when we lived in the same building, and now with me here and him there, it’s become an out of sight, out of mind type of situation. I don’t even blame him for that, neither of us have put much effort into finding time to connect.
Pulling up Google, I type in what is a fluid relationship? As I read the first few suggestions, my mouth falls open. Each definition is different, but the gist of it is that you and your partner are open to a third person entering the relationship. I wonder if he even knows the definition. I also wonder if it even matters. If I’m being honest with myself, I know that he and I aren’t even together and that I’m just holding onto him because it’s safe. The same way it was safe to be with him when we lived in the same city, because he never expected too much from me. Not my time, not my feelings. For sure not love.
Shoving that depressing thought out of my head, I exit out of my search history and dive back into work. At around two, the grumbling in my stomach becomes so loud that I can’t ignore it any longer, so I get up with my phone and head to the kitchen. Opening the fridge, I find it mostly empty except for the stuff for Zuri’s lunch and breakfast. Grabbing a Diet Coke and one of her Lunchables, I rip open the top and make myself a cracker cheese and meat sandwich as I lean against the counter. As I’m chewing, my cell on the counter beeps, and I look down at it.
Logan
Open the door.
Like I can see through the walls of my house, I look towards the living room, then almost jump out of my skin when the doorbell goes off a few seconds later.
