“She’s trying to get over a shitty ex,” Morgan blurted out.
“Morgan!” Brooke exclaimed. “Language.”
Morgan looked over at my kids, who’s own eyes were wide as saucers, and her cheeks flushed. “Oops. I’m really sorry,” she said sheepishly.
“What’s a x?” Sydney asked.
I tried to think of a way to answer that question in a way they would understand, but Brooke started talking before I could.
“It’s kind of like someone you aren’t friends with anymore,” she said.
“Were they mean to you?” Daniel asked.
“Yeah, kind of,” Brooke answered.
“Daddy says we should be nice to everyone,” Sydne
y piped up.
I shifted uncomfortably on my feet when Brooke’s eyes lifted to meet mine.
“He’s right,” she said.
“I’ll be nice to you,” Sydney said.
“Mee too!” Daniel added.
Brooke giggled at the kids before she reached over and ruffled Daniel’s hair.
“You guys are really sweet. Thank you,” she said. “But I’m fine. I promise.”
Dessert with the gang was actually a pretty good time. Brooke told me that she had graduated with her English degree and that she was currently working on a book.
The evening gave me time to study Brooke, to take in her beauty and enjoy being around her again, watching how easy it was for her to interact with my children.
They even wanted her to tuck them into bed after dessert.
“She really liked you, you know,” Morgan said quietly so only I could hear.
I watched Brooke help my daughter into her pajamas.
“I liked her, too,” I said.
“Then why did you forget about her, Kevin? I don’t get it.”
“I never forgot about her. I just… got caught up.”
“You can spin it however you want, but all I know is I spent more time picking her up from restaurants where she waited alone than I ever did hearing about the hot times she had getting laid,” she said. “I dried more tears than I ever should have, and somehow she still found it hard to let you go.”
“It was just really bad timing,” I said.
I watched as Brooke tucked Sydney in, kissing her forehead and smiling down at her.
Fuck. Sydney’s own mother had never even looked at her like that.
“I was twenty-six and too wrapped up in my own success. What happened between us was my fault. I screwed it up. I’ll never deny that,” I said.
“All I know is Brooke is here nursing one broken heart, and I don’t intend to let her get another one along the way,” Morgan said.