And lastly, since she arrived half an hour late, she’d been giving him looks like she was waiting to make an approach. Luckily, she was forced to stay away. This was because kids kept showing up and giving Reesee presents she’d open immediately and shout, “Look Dad!” Or Dusty would sidle close, hang not too close and, on occasion, brush the backs of her fingers against his. Or Merry would disengage from being cool, cop, pseudo-uncle entertaining some of the boys in ways Mike knew he didn’t want to know from the low, meaningful caliber of their boy-laughter and he’d hang with Mike.

But his luck had run out.

Dusty had gone with Rocky following her to the kitchen to grab bags of chips to replenish and Merry had stepped out front to take a phone call. This left Mike open to Audrey.

Mike caught her eyes and said quietly, “You pullin’ that shit this mornin’ and nearly ruining this for my girl makes you not my favorite person right now so it’s probably not the time for you to deign to allow me to speak to you.”

Then he couldn’t stop his stare when she looked uncomfortable a moment before she asked softly, “Mike, really, it’s important.”

She was dressed and made up to the nines, hair perfect, makeup perfect, outfit perfect. She was not wearing jeans like him, Dusty, Merry, Rocky and every single fucking kid in that room. She was wearing pressed, wide legged slacks, a blouse that probably cost an arm and a leg and shoes he knew, because he bought them, cost over three hundred dollars.

He could not imagine what, other than being kitted out precisely like that, was important to Audrey Haines and he really didn’t want to find out.

What he did know in that moment was that he wished she’d been like other women who got divorced and lost his name. He hadn’t thought much of it until right then. Seeing her removed, not a part of their daughter’s party in any way while Dusty had been in his house twice, the first time he wished he could erase, today he’d want to remember forever, he did not want the one of two single, adult women in his home who had his name to carry it.

“Five minutes,” he allowed and watched her shoulders fall with relief.

What the fuck?

“Thanks, Mike,” she whispered then asked, “Should we go upstairs?”

Fuck no, they weren’t going upstairs.

“Back deck,” he grunted.

“But, it’s cold,” she stated.

“Then talk fast,” he returned.

She held his eyes. Then she gave in.

Gave in. Without a fight or even a bitchy comment.

Seriously.

What the fuck?

He led, she followed and they walked outside.

He closed the door and, unfortunately, she moved down the deck so they couldn’t be easily seen from inside.

Fuck him.

With no choice except one that, knowing Audrey, would in all probability cause a scene, he followed hating it when she did this kind of shit and, for his kids, he had to eat it.

When he stopped close he reminded her immediately, “Five minutes, Audrey.”

She nodded then replied, “Things are changing for me, Mike.”

He didn’t respond.

She kept going. “I have a new job. I, uh…this one pays more.”

Since she had no experience for fifteen years, she’d had some trouble but finally landed a job as a receptionist for some large law firm in Indianapolis. The pay was shit and reportedly she hated it. Worse, with the commute and parking, it ate into the little she earned.

He again didn’t respond mostly because he didn’t care.

“Secretary to two of the associates. The pay is nearly double.”

Mike said nothing.

She kept going. “I started last week and that’s why I lost track of the party today because, well, it’s not an easy job. It’s really busy and I’m on probation. A lot of girls at the firm wanted that job and the probation is short, only a month. I have to do well to keep it.”

She stopped talking. Mike said nothing but wondered why she was telling him this shit. He didn’t care and any extra money she made, she’d spend on her.

“I…well,” she continued, “there’s a big case and I had to go into work today. It’s good, me being able to do that. Some of the other women with, uh…younger kids can’t. So that’s good. And it’s overtime.”

Mike just stared at her.

She pulled in a breath and stated, “Well, anyway, my lease is up next month and I’m getting a place in Indianapolis.”

Mike’s body got tight. She saw it and kept talking, this time fast.

“I’ve found it, it’s nicer and it has three bedrooms.”

Indianapolis was only fifteen miles away. No was a decent driver. He could do stupid shit, he was a boy. But he was getting lots of practice and he loved his sister so he didn’t do stupid shit when she was in his car.

And Indy was a great city. But it was a city. There were some not so great areas of it and Mike hoped to fuck she hadn’t chosen some shithole that wasn’t safe to live where his kids would have to stay when they were with her.

“I thought, well…you could come and see it. It’s nice, Mike. Seriously. It isn’t a gated development or anything but it’s safe. It’s quiet. On the west side so close to The ‘Burg.”

“Text me the address. I’ll do a drive-by.”

“You can view my unit. It’s already open. I can meet you there,” she offered.

Now. Seriously.

What the fuck?

“I don’t need to see it. I’ll drive-by,” he declined.

She studied him. Then she said softly, “Okay.”

“We done?” he asked.

She pulled in another breath then she kept talking softly when she informed him, “I’ve been, uh…learning a few things about myself.”

Terrific.

He did not need this shit. He’d heard it all before.

“Audrey –”

“No,” she said quickly, her hand coming out to wrap around his forearm.

He looked down at it at the same time he stepped away and her hand dropped.

He looked back to her and she went on speaking. “I just wanted you to know I didn’t mean to upset Clarisse this morning. I’m sorry about that. But, I’m trying to…to, well, get on with things and it’s hard at my age to start again –”

Mike cut her off. “No shit?”

She flinched and bit her lip.

“Don’t tell me you’re sorry. Tell Reesee,” he continued. “I’m not surprised by your shit. She was let down, disappointed and upset.”

“I already said I was sorry and it looks like you did good by her anyway.”

“I didn’t. Dusty did,” Mike returned and she blinked.

“Dusty, the, um…blonde? Your, uh…date?”

“Yes on the blonde, no on the date. She’s not my date. She’s something else or she wouldn’t be in there fillin’ plastic bowls she bought with our daughter and cutting and handing out pieces of a ten layer cake she made with our daughter.”

Something he didn’t get passed through her eyes even as she nodded then he watched her face close down as she said, “You’re moving on.”

“Absolutely,” he replied without delay.

She stared at him and this time he saw it. Pain slashing through her eyes.

Fuck him.

He didn’t need this shit either.

“Now are we done?” he asked.

“I just, no…we aren’t. I just want you to know I’m trying to make good changes in my life and ask you to have patience with me. Ask you to help the kids have patience with me.”

“I’ve heard this before, Audrey,” he reminded her.

“I know you have, Mike,” she whispered then tipped her head to the side and kept whispering, “But I had you to fall on before. I don’t have that anymore. And I…I’m sorry, I should have…before…but now I have no choice.”

“You didn’t then either,” Mike pointed out the obvious.

She took in yet another deep breath. Then she nodded.

“Now are we done?” he repeated.

“Yeah, Mike.”

He didn’t reply.

He walked away from her to the door. He opened it, held it for her and saw Dusty’s eyes come right to him. He shook his head at her even before she saw Audrey round the door. Dusty must have read his face because she looked away without giving him anything and thus without giving Audrey anything when her eyes went right to Dusty when she walked in.

“Dad! Ohmigod! Look!” Clarisse shouted as he closed the door behind him. Mike looked her way and she was holding up some wide, stamped, short, tan leather strap that had a snap on it. He had no fucking clue what it was until Clarisse declared, “Isn’t it an awesome bracelet? Dusty gave it to me! With that top I wanted and the…coolest…barrette. Look!” she cried, dumping the leather thing on the coffee table and picking up a big barrette that didn’t do anything for Mike but clearly his daughter thought it was the shit. “And she got me some makeup!”

“Great, honey,” Mike called.

Clarisse’s happy eyes went to Dusty. “Thanks, Dusty!”

“You’re welcome, babe.”

“She’s, like the…freaking…coolest,” Mike heard one of Reesee’s friends whisper loudly from close to him. “She says ‘babe’ and it sounds real, not totally jacked and trying to sound cool. Did you see her boots?”

“Yeah, Rees says she has horses. She’s totally the bomb. She dresses like a rock star,” her friend replied.

Mike’s lips were twitching as he began to move away from the girls but as he did he noticed Audrey’s face pale and she quickly looked down to her feet. She’d heard.

He’d never seen that kind of reaction from Audrey and that unsettled him too. Maybe she was learning. Then again, maybe she was trying to learn then she’d fail to do it. He was used to that. He just hoped his kids didn’t get chewed up in whatever she was attempting to do with her life.