Playing It Safe(23)

“Right, Julia?” Josie asks. What is she asking me? I have no clue as I was in the middle of having a very vivid fantasy.

I fall back on my skill of being able to say something that will hopefully work within the conversation the three of them were having while I was starring in a Skinemax movie in my head. “Absolutely.”

That was just pitiful, even for me.

Vanessa gives Alex a worried look. What was that for? Oh jeez, did I just put my foot in my mouth with my piss-poor, one-word response to Josie’s question?

“If you’re sure you’re okay with doing all of this,” she says before glancing down at her daughter, who looks ready to burst at any moment, “I guess I have no choice but to go along with it.”

Phew! Josie is jumping up and down, Alex and Vanessa are smiling, and I feel like my answer was close to handing them the entire Publisher’s Clearing House Sweepstakes grand prize.

“Mom, can I go out drinking with Julia?”

Did you hear that? That was the sound of a needle on an old-school vinyl record being scratched right off the turntable. Where there was sunshine, unicorns, and rainbows a moment ago, there’s now a shocked expression on Vanessa’s face and Alex almost choking from laughing so hard.

“Um, it’s not what you think,” I sputter. “I swear, I would never give her any alcohol.”

“She didn’t mean it like that, Vanessa,” Alex says after clearing his throat.

“I swear I didn’t. It’s just that Josie is pretty damn … ugh, sorry, I mean, darn … anyway, she’s pretty darn cool, and I had a lot of fun just hanging out with her.”

The corners of Vanessa’s lips are trying to contain a smile, but she bites her lip to keep it in as she watches me squirm a little.

“It’s okay,” she confesses. “I know what you mean, and I think she’s pretty darn cool too, if I do say so myself.”

I dodged a bullet on that one, so I decide it’s best that I start to get going for real this time. Vanessa sees me getting ready to stand up with my belongings in hand and gives a funny look to Alex. “Don’t get up. Josie and I are heading out. It’s a school night, so I have to get her fed and to bed on time. If not, this ‘cool’ little girl will be like the walking dead tomorrow.”

“How about you bring Josie to my office one day this week to go over more party details?” I offer while pulling out one of my business cards.

I hand it over to Vanessa. She eyes it and smiles. “Sounds good.”

It’s then that I notice she doesn’t have a wedding ring on. Nowadays that usually doesn’t mean much either way. But something tells me that Josie’s dad isn’t in the picture. We spent the afternoon together chatting up a storm, but she never alluded to her father, not once. So it would make sense to assume that Vanessa is divorced.

“Julia,” Josie chimes in as Vanessa is saying good-bye to her brother, “so I’ll see you again soon to go over more party stuff?”

“Don’t you worry, girlie, we’ll definitely be getting together soon.”

“Awesome!”

Josie scurries over to where I’m still hovering between sitting and standing with my purse in my hands, and she gives me a big hug. Her tiny arms release me, and she motions for me to bend down so she can tell me something in private.

“My mom likes you, I can tell,” she whispers in a rush. “You’re totally in now with my uncle.”

The little sneak bounces away to kiss Alex good-bye, leaving me speechless. When Vanessa says good-bye to me, I barely manage to say anything back to her, still in shock over what Josie just said. Although a part of me wants to laugh, because I have to hand it to the kid, she played it beautifully. As she’s walking to the front door with her mom, she throws me a smile over her shoulder with a thumbs-up. I shake my head, chuckle, and start to follow them so I can finally head home myself.

“Where are you going?” Alex asks, stopping me from walking any farther toward his front door.

“Home.”

“No you’re not. You’re staying for dinner,” he says loud enough for everyone to hear him.

“I think Uncle Alex is going to enlighten Julia now, Mom,” Josie says out of nowhere.

I want to die of embarrassment. I think Alex is even blushing now. We turn our heads to find Vanessa covering her mouth to keep herself from laughing out loud and Josie with a huge, satisfied smile on her face.

“Isn’t that what you said you would do, Uncle Alex?” she asks.

“Um,” Alex says.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen him at a loss for words. It’s pretty damn funny. So I start to laugh a little until he gives me a look that screams, Help me out here, and I shut up.

I clear my throat and say, “Um.”

“Good one,” Alex whispers by my ear.

“Come on, sweetie, we should be going,” Vanessa says, ushering Josie out the door. “Julia, I’ll give you a call tomorrow to set something up. Alex, I’ll talk to you during the week.”

She’s still chuckling when she closes the door behind her, leaving Alex and me alone. He runs his hand through his hair and then rubs the back of his neck. “Sorry about that,” he says. “Josie is a little …”


“Perceptive? Precocious? Sneaky? Funny?”