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This isn’t how I meant for things to go. I needed to think of what I could say to repair the damage I’d created so we could be friends. But as he spoke on the phone, I watched his face morph from anger to concern.

“I’m sorry, Joanne. Your timing is perfect. I just finished what I was doing.” He eyeballed me with an irritated glare and turned his back. He listened a few minutes. “Of course, I’ll watch him. I’ll be there to pick him up in a few minutes. It will be easier if he stays with me.”

Joanne? Why would Alex’s mom be calling? Was everything okay with Aiden? Had something happened to Kayla or Alex on their trip? My anxiety increased as I waited for him to end the phone call.

“What’s wrong?” I demanded as soon as he hung up.

His back heaved as he exhaled a deep breath before he turned to face me. He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Joanne and Bill’s neighbor called. They’ve had some shingles blow off their house and some tree damage from a bad storm that blew through last night, and when the neighbor checked on the house, she found there was some flooding. It’s nothing awful, but they don’t want to wait another week until Alex and Kayla return from their honeymoon to go back home. Nor do they know exactly what they’ll find, so they are concerned about taking Aiden with them. Since I have the rest of the week off, I said I could watch him. I’m on my way to pick him up.”

“That’s nice of you to give up your free time. I know you don’t have much of it.”

“I’m not a bad guy, Jen. At least, I don’t think so.”

“You’re not, Tyler. I . . . I’m sorry about earlier. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

“Whatever, Jen. I’m just damned tired of this awkwardness between us, and I thought you deserved to know where I stood.” He blew out a breath. “Here, give me your bag and let me take you home.”

A sob caught in my throat. Despite everything, he was still trying to do the right thing. I was so close to breaking. “No, you get Aiden. He’s waiting for you.”

To my surprise, or maybe even to my disappointment, he didn’t argue. He simply nodded and turned back toward the parking lot and walked to his car. I knew one of us would get hurt. Watching him drive away, I wished it had been me. A tear ran down my cheek. He never looked back. If only it were that simple for me.