Fumbled (Playbook #2)(34)

Still no text.

“Dammit,” I breathe out before putting my phone on the table with a little too much . . . enthusiasm.

“Swear jar!” Ace shouts with a mouth full of scrambled eggs and points to the embarrassingly full mason jar on the kitchen counter. Though, to be fair, most of the contributions came from Sadie.

“Fine,” I pout, pushing out of my chair to go pay my fine. “And don’t talk with food in your mouth.”

“So,” Ace says in a way that clearly indicates he’s about to ask for something. “I know Mrs. Duncan is supposed to watch me while you work tonight, but Jayden is coming back tonight and I was wondering if I could go over there instead?”

Crap.

“About that . . .” I smile a smile that I know is showing too many teeth to look natural. “I don’t have to work anymore.”

“Why?” Ace drops his fork onto the table, his green eyes filled with worry. “Did you get fired?”

Yes.

“What? No!” I lie. “I just decided I wanted a job where I could work during the day instead of all night and then I’m too tired to hang with my best guy.”

“Really?” Ace still looks skeptical.

“Really.” I ruffle his hair. “And guess what? I already have a meeting at HERS, you know, that place right next to Fresh. If I work there, I can bring home smoothies every day.”

His face lights up and I see my mistake immediately. If possible, always lead with smoothies. A rookie mistake, really.

“Awesome!”

“Right?” I smirk and grab his now empty plate off the table for him. “And since I don’t have anywhere to be, I was thinking maybe we go see that new superhero movie you’ve been talking about and go to dinner tonight.”

“Burgers?”

Predictable.

“We just had them yesterday,” I groan.

“What about Mexican?” he asks. His eyebrows hide under his loose curls and he rubs his greedy hands together. “Chips and guacamole?”

“Deal.” I know we just had it too, but there is no such thing as too much Mexican food.



* * *



? ? ?

I SEND TK a text asking for Brynn’s number before I hop in the shower, but when I get out, he still hasn’t texted me back.

On a whim, I decide to walk to HERS and introduce myself to Brynn. It’s so out of character that when I look in the mirror to put gel in my hair, I’m shocked to see it’s still my reflection looking back at me.

I don’t repeat the mistake I made earlier when I ask Ace to go to HERS with me. And even though I just fed him, I still lead with smoothies and muffins. As expected, he jumps at the opportunity . . . after bargaining a large smoothie out of me.

“Fine,” I concede, convinced this kid of mine is going to be a lawyer of some sort when he grows up. “But you have to get the vitamin boost instead of the energy one.”

Kid has more energy than anyone I’ve ever met. That caffeine boost they use gives me a major parenting disadvantage.

“You drive a hard bargain.” He reaches for my hand. “But deal.”

I look at his extended hand and laugh. “I’m sorry, but are you nine or thirty-five?”

“A very mature nine, thank you.” He pushes open the front door, decked out in the Mustangs gear TK brought him.

I lock the door behind us and cringe again when the gate I still haven’t fixed screeches.

“You really need to fix that, Mom.”

“Yeah.” I roll my eyes at his obvious suggestion. “Thanks for the advice, Ace.”

“No problem.” He ignores the sarcasm in my tone and skips away.

I try to keep up, but I’m too worried about scuffing the one nice pair of flats I own to chance it. Ace gets to HERS a full minute before I do.

“All right, dude.” I lean into him when I reach the front door. “I don’t think this will take long, I just want to introduce myself and then we’ll hit Fresh.” I fish my phone out of my purse and hand it to Ace. “Read a book, play a game, but turn the volume all the way down. Got it?”

“Got it, coach.” He salutes.

Little smart-ass.

I pull open the door, relieved it’s unlocked. Seeing as this wasn’t the most thought-out plan and I didn’t want to talk myself out of this brave endeavor, I left the house before even googling their hours.

“We’re still closed,” a peppy voice shouts from the back.

I look to Ace for any kind of support, a smile, a high five, anything, but he just shrugs, his eyes focused on my phone, and walks to a cozy-looking couch in the corner.

“I—I actually just wanted to introduce myself to you.” I move to the open door the voice came from, and when I peek in, a gorgeous blonde is sitting at a desk covered in papers. “Are you Brynn?” I ask.

“I am.” She shoves her chair back and stands when she sees me. “And you are?”

“Hi.” I start to wave, then cut it short and extend my arm to shake her hand, then cringe at how awkward I must look. “I’m Poppy Patterson.”

Her eyes go wide, causing lines to mar her otherwise Photoshopped face. “Poppy Patterson?” she repeats, her smile turning from sweet and welcoming to deranged and a little frightening.