Page 56 of Not How I Saw That Going

Where is the escape route here? I turn around and take a step toward the exit, but she blocks my way.

“I’m sorry, Sophie.” I walk around her and manage to make it to the door. I shove it open, harder than necessary, ramming it into something on the other side.

Shoot.I sprint around the door and face the woman I just smashed. Her black hair is slightly askew on her head. Strange.She adjusts it, then fixes the frames of the black sunglasses.

“Mommy, I picked you a flower.”

That voice.

I look down at the little boy wielding a dandelion in the air. “Crew?” I glance back up at the woman. I should have recognized those freckles. “Lyndi? I’m so sorry. Are you okay?”

She drops her hand from her forehead and blinks. “Youhit me? And this whole time I thought you liked me.”

I bite back a smile and raise my hand to her forehead, brushing my thumb over her smooth skin and the bump already forming there. “I’m sorry.”

She goes still beneath my touch and her chin lifts. I wish I could see her blue eyes behind those dark lenses. An idea comes to mind. It’s a horrible idea, but I’m going to do it anyway. If my mom won’t stop setting me up until I’m in a relationship, I will just have to give her what she wants.

Hopefully, Lyndi goes along with it.

I give Lyndi a tight smile and try to communicate with my eyes like other people do all the time.

“Are you okay?” She frowns. “You look like you’re going to puke.”

Okay, so I need more work in the eye language department.

“Let me introduce you.” I turn, letting my arm fall around Lyndi’s waist and look at Sophie. “This is Sophie. Sophie, this is my girlfriend, Lyndi.” I lightly press my fingers against Lyndi’s side, hoping she won’t expose me. Her body goes rigid against me.

Sophie’s facial expressions shift faster than a machine gun, and I haven’t a clue what any of them mean.

“Girlfriend?” Sophie throws the word at me like an insult. I hold both girls in my arms a little tighter, ready to protect them if I need to. “Is this… is she the Frosty Mom?”

Frosty mom?The video. Right.

I glance over at Lyndi, who is giving me a very frosty glare.

My mouth hangs open. “Uh…”

“Sorry, that was an important call about the gala.” My mother joins our party in the middle of the sidewalk. “What’s going on?” She looks down at my arm around Lyndi and the smile on her face appears to melt in the heat.

Lyndi is going to hate me so much.“Mom, this is my girlfriend, Lyndi.” Lyndi’s arm wraps around my back and I breathe a sigh of relief.

“Well, this is news to me,” Mother harumphs, folding her arms.

“Oh, Ward is so shy,” Lyndi says. Her fingers glide up my back, creating an explosion of tingles everywhere they touch. Until she pinches me. I try not to wince. “He doesn’t like to talk much. If you know what I mean.” She nods at Sophie, and my face flames.

“Ha.” I cough.Air. Need air. “She’s so funny. That’s why I keep her around.” I pinch Lyndi’s side, softer than she pinched me.

“Well, it was so nice to meet you, but I’ve got to run my son to the nearest bathroom,” Lyndi says and drops her arm.

My mother openly gapes, connecting two and two, and I cringe. I can almost hear the thoughts going through her head.

“Rocket time first,” Crew yells and runs to me. I catch him with one hand, a split second before his head connects with my nether regions.

“Me too,” Mollee chimes in. I do as I’m told, throwing one kid into the air, then another, enjoying their delighted squeals. I don’t even care that my arms are burning as if I’d been climbing the training rope. My stress from Hallee’s situation dissolves as both Mollee and Crew laugh without restraint. The world hasn’t killed their sense of wonder. Not yet.

“Okay, come on, Crew,” Lyndi breaks in. “Let’s find a bathroom.”

“I already went.” Crew says and tugs on my hands for another round.