Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

Let’s All Get Along

Skye

Two weeks post our botched date first, Violet-coming-home-during-first-time-sexing, Violet is finally ready to meet Sidney. We decide to keep it brief. He’s picking me up for a dinner date. It’s the middle of the week and Violet has a physics test tomorrow, so she’s spread out over the kitchen table with a bowl of Swedish Fish and her notebook.

She glances up when my heels click on the kitchen floor and whistles. “Looking good. Those jeans are great.”

“We’re going casual. I can bring you back something from the restaurant.”

“Nah. I’ll make myself ramen in a bit.”

The doorbell rings.

I run my sweaty palms over my hips. “Are you ready to meet him?”

She tips her head. “Are you ready for me to meet him?”

“Yes. I think so. Yes.”

“Take a breath, Mom. It’ll be fine.”

This is the first time I’ve introduced someone to Violet in over five years. The last guy wasn’t bad, but they didn’t click the way I’d hoped. And that was the end of him. I really like Sidney. He’s stable, a dedicated father, and a lot of fun to be around. And amazing in bed.

“I’ll let him in.”

“Should I stay here or? —” Violet taps her pencil on the table.

“I’ll bring him to you.”

“Okay.”

I rush down the hall and throw the door open. Sidney’s finger is poised over the doorbell. He’s wearing a pair of gray casual pants and a golf shirt that hugs his deliciously firm biceps. “Hey. Hi. Sorry to keep you waiting.”

His gaze drops to my feet and climbs my body on a slow, heated sweep. “Totally worth it.” He wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me in for a kiss. “Hi.”

I loop my arms around his neck. “Hi, yourself.”

“You look incredible in jeans.”

“You look incredible. Full stop.”

We grin at each other.

“Ready to go?” he asks, voice low and husky.

“I just need to grab my purse.” I swallow down my nerves. “And I thought maybe I could introduce you to Violet.”

His smile makes my heart skip a beat. “Yeah. Sure. That’d be great.”

“Okay. Great.” I nod compulsively and pat his chest. “Just be warned that Violet and I have the same lack of verbal filter.”

“Okay.” He follows me down the hall.

I clear my throat when I reach the kitchen, which is pointless because my heels announce me, anyway.

Violet is sitting at the kitchen table with her pencil poised between her fingers, her eyes on the doorway we’re now occupying.

“Violet, honey, I’d like you to meet Sidney. Sidney, this is my daughter, Violet,” I sweep out a hand like I’ve suddenly turned into Vanna White, but younger and with darker hair, and a lot shorter, with no sparkly dress.

He steps into the kitchen as Violet pushes her chair back. Unfortunately, neither of us is known for our stellar coordination, so her chair goes clattering to the floor and Violet goes down with it.

Sidney rushes around the table and helps her to her feet. I nab her glasses from the floor and pass them back to her.

“Are you okay?” Sidney asks.

“I’m fine. Embarrassed, but fine.” Violet’s neck turns red in patches. She holds out her hand. “Hi, it’s nice to meet your face in three-dimensions instead of your butt.” She slaps her hand over her eyes. “Oh my God. Please don’t break up with my mom because my mouth is stupid.”

Sidney chuckles. “I’m sorry our first introduction left such an unfortunate and lasting impression.”

Violet drops her hand. “It could’ve been worse. I could’ve seen your dangler and not your butt.” Her eyes bug out. “I’m sorry, Mom. So sorry. I’d like to say I’m not always like this, but that would be a lie. It calms down a little with subsequent interactions, though. People make me nervous, especially new people, and you’re a new people. Instead of losing my ability to speak, I word vomit the first thing that pops into my head. Maybe by interaction three or four I’ll just say normal things. It’s nice to meet you. Again, please don’t break up with my mom. She really likes you and this is the first time I’ve seen her this happy in like…I don’t know. I’m going to stop talking now.” She bites her lips together and her eyes dart briefly to me.

Thankfully, Sidney has spent enough time with me that Violet’s rant seems normal. “I’m glad to hear that your mom likes me and that I make her happy.”

“She had stars in her eyes for days after that morning delight,” Violet says, then gives me an imploring look. “You two should go. I’m at maximum capacity for embarrassment tolerance and I don’t think my word hole is going to stop with the truth vomit anytime soon.”

I skirt around Sidney and hug my daughter.

“I’m so sorry, Mom.”

I pat her back. “You did great.”

“Liar face.” She kisses my cheek. “Have fun, though.”

“Take an antihistamine, but not the non-drowsy ones, otherwise you’ll be up all night.”

“Good call. I can feel the hives setting in.”

She nods and waves when Sidney says it was nice to meet her. I usher him out the door.

“That went well,” I say once we’re safely inside his truck.

“You think so?” Sidney taps on the steering wheel.

“Oh yeah, definitely. A couple more brief hellos and the word vomit will slow to a trickle. She just needs time to get comfortable.” And get over the fact that she’s seen his bare butt. “Exposure therapy is the best way to get over the nerves.”

“I can handle more exposure therapy. Once she gets comfortable enough with me, maybe we can try getting the kids together. Eventually. No rush, though. I know that’s kind a big step.” More steering wheel tapping.

I shift in my seat so I can stare at his profile. “You like me that much, huh?”

He glances at me out of the corner of his eye. “Is that a serious question?”

I open and close my mouth a couple of times. “I mean…even talking about getting the kids together sort of implies a level of seriousness.”

“I feel pretty serious about you,” he says softly.

“I feel the same. I was nervous about you meeting Vi because I really want her to like you,” I admit.

“And you think she does?” he asks.

“Yeah, definitely. She would have texted me already if you’d gotten a thumbs down,” I assure him.

We arrive at the restaurant, and he backs the truck into a spot. He shifts into park, but his hands stay on the wheel, gripping tightly.

“Is everything okay, Sid?”

“Yeah. Everything’s great.” He releases the steering wheel and turns off the engine.

I follow his lead and get out of the truck.

The place we’re going tonight is causal, but it has the prettiest rose and ivy covered gazebo. He laces his fingers with mine and heads in that direction instead of the entrance to the restaurant. When we’re standing in the middle he stops and takes my other hand. He looks down at our clasped hands.

I give his a squeeze. “Are you sure everything is okay?”

“Positive.” He blows out a breath and his gaze lifts to mine. “I don’t think I recognized how nervous I was about meeting Violet until a minute ago.”

“She likes you, you have nothing to worry about.”

“That’s good.” He smiles and brings my hands to his lips kissing my knuckles. “Because I just realized I’m totally in love with you.”

I blink at him a few times. I know how I feel about him, but hearing him say it first is kind of a shock. “Are you sure?”

He bites his lips together and nods once. “It’s okay if you’re not there yet.”

“I’m there. I’m here. With you. In the love boat. Or gazebo.” I fling a hand around. “I just didn’t expect you to say it first. But I’ve been thinking it a lot lately. In my head, obviously.”

His uncertain expression shifts to amusement. “Have you?”

“Often right after sex and especially after you’ve gone down on me, but also when you text me in the morning, and at night, or flowers show up at my work, or whenever I see you, to be perfectly honest.” I link my hands behind his neck. “It’s been a struggle keeping it to myself lately, so I’m glad you had the bigger balls of the two of us and made it easy for me to admit I feel the same way.” I’m rambling, which isn’t unusual during a bout of nerves. “This is a really perfect spot for an ILY drop.”

“I agree.”

“I love you, too,” I whisper. “Now you should kiss me.”

He dips down and brushes his lips over mine and my happy heart melts while my toes curl. Today couldn’t be more perfect.

* * * *

Despite the ILY drop, we don’t get the kids together right away. I’m just happy to feel all the feelings without adding the anxiety of hoping our kids get along, so we’ve been dating several months when Sidney proposes a backyard barbeque at his place, so Vi and Miller can meet. This is the big test.

Miller is a nice kid. School isn’t his favorite, but he’s dedicated to hockey. A bit of a follower with his friends, but his best buddy just got picked up by Toronto and has moved out there for training camp, so Miller’s been focused on hockey these days, according to Sidney. Now that he has a friend in the pros, he’s doubling his efforts on the ice so he can join him next year.

Violet and I load our beach bags into the car—Sidney has a swimming pool—and drive across town.

Exposure therapy with Violet worked well with Sidney, and as predicted, the word vomit shifted into normal conversation after the first few meetings. Or as normal as conversation gets with Violet, anyway.

“Wow, this is a swanky neighborhood. Hockey scouts must do pretty well, huh?” Violet pushes her glasses up her nose.

“Seems that way.” We haven’t talked about finances, but based on his house, his car and the way he dresses, scouts do okay.

I pull into Sidney’s driveway. I’ve been to his place a few times now. Since his son often has long hockey practices in the evening, sometimes we order takeout instead of going to a restaurant so we can get in some sexy time without worrying about anyone’s ass being on display in front of our teenagers.

“Our house looks like something this house birthed,” Violet observes.

“It’s significantly bigger,” I agree.

I do just fine on my own, but not hockey scout fine. Violet and I live in a small two-bedroom townhouse with a backyard the size of a postage stamp. But it’s ours and we’ve made it home.

Sidney has no chill. We’re not even out of the car and he’s already rushing down the front steps to greet us. “Hi Violet, hi Skye. Can I help bring anything in?”

“I have a meat and cheese tray in the trunk and dessert.”

“You didn’t need to bring anything but your beautiful self and a bathing suit.” He kisses me on the cheek. “I hope you brought your suit, too.” He smiles at Violet.

She pushes her glasses up her nose. “I did. You have a lovely house. From the outside. I’m guessing the inside will be the same because it wouldn’t make much sense to have a house this nice with insides that resemble a meth lab.”

Sidney chuckles. “It’s a bit of a man cave.”

“Makes sense since you’re a man.” Violet shoulders her bag and grabs mine too so I can bring in the cheese tray and Sidney can bring in the dessert.

“These look amazing. What’s the dessert?”

“It’s a lactose-free, red velvet cake.”

I ordered the cheese tray and dessert from a small independently run caterer who lets me bring in my own serving dishes. It makes me look like I put in the effort. She also carries a wide variety of lactose-free cheeses so Violet and I can indulge without living in the bathroom for the next three days. I’m not the best cook in the world, but Violet and I get by. Salad is a big winner in the summer in our house because it’s hard to screw up.

Sidney ushers us inside. “Don’t bother taking off your shoes. We’ll head to the backyard. Miller’s already out there.” He sets the dessert on the counter. “All his friends call him Buck, though, so he might want you to call him that instead, Violet.”

“Is it his middle name?” Violet asks.

“No, just a nickname he picked up in hockey and it seems to have stuck.” He puts the beer in the fridge and takes the cheese tray from me. “This is the kitchen, and there’s a powder room down the hall. We have a pool house out back where you can change into your suit when you’re ready,” he tells Violet.

He motions for us to follow him, his smile wide, if not a little nervous.

“This house is really, really nice, Mom,” Violet whispers.

“It is,” I agree.

The living room boasts a dark leather couch and two club chairs. One wall contains framed pictures of Sidney with various hockey players, possibly all the ones he’s scouted throughout his career. Most of them seem to be signed by the players. A huge flatscreen TV takes up the wall across from the couch, and under that is a gas burning fireplace. The whole room screams man-sporty.

Violet nearly trips on her way outside, but I grab her arm to keep her from going down.

Siphoning leaves out of the pool with a net is Miller.

He’s dressed in a t-shirt with a hockey logo, board shorts and a baseball cap. He looks like any teenage boy, except broader. The kid is nearly as thick as his dad and he’s only seventeen.

Sidney and I exchange nervous smiles. It doesn’t matter how into each other we are, we can’t take it to the next level if our kids don’t mesh.