Page 15

Closing the front door behind me, I’m surprised to see the television on and Raine lazily sprawled out on the couch.

“Hey,” I greet excitedly. “I didn’t know you were going to be home tonight.”

I drop my bag to the floor and toe off my shoes. Raine turns her head just as I start unbuttoning my shirt.

Years as a hairdresser means I always take my clothes off before I step any farther into the house. Countless haircuts have my clothes and shoes full of hair. It’s a bitch to clean up, so keeping them away from everything else in the house is always my safest bet.

I’m standing in my underwear as we finish the conversation.

“I switched shifts with one of the other girls,” she informs me. “So tomorrow is an early morning wake up for me.”

Feeling a little disheartened, I put my shoes away underneath the stairs and grab my dirty clothes.

“If I had known you’d be home, I wouldn’t have agreed to go out.”

Raine sits up in a rush, her head peeking up from over the back of the couch. “You’re going out?”

I narrow my eyes at her. “Why do you look so shocked? I can cancel the date and spend the night in with you.”

She doesn’t miss my slip-up, and her eyes widen incredulously. “Did you say date?”

If I wasn’t feeling so anxious about it, I could probably share in her excitement.

“I didn’t know we were dating,” she continues.

This makes me laugh. “We aren’t anything, babe. And it’s nothing.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” she inquires. “You’ve never dated before.”

“That’s not true,” I say, a little too defensively. “I’ve dated.”

“When?” she challenges.

“Plenty of times,” I lie. “I just never told you because you were young and usually spending time with your dads. They never went anywhere, so there wasn’t any real point in talking about them.”

While she mulls over my words, I head to the laundry room and start my usual after-work routine of putting my clothes in the wash before heading upstairs for a shower.

If I needed proof that Raine is wholeheartedly invested in this conversation, her sudden appearance in the doorway confirms it.

“Is this serious? Was I the reason you never dated? I don’t want to be the reason you don’t date.”

“Babe,” I say soothingly as I place my hands on her shoulders, willing her thoughts to slow down. “When you were younger, I chose not to date because I was busy enjoying being your mom, and nobody really caught my attention.”

“And now?”

“And now you and I are at different stages in our lives, and the possibility of me growing into a single, crotchety old woman is very real.”

This makes her laugh, and the sound makes me smile.

“You don’t need to worry about me. Okay?” I reassure her. “Besides needing a shower, I’m fine.”

“Can I pick out your outfit for your date?” she asks.

“Sure, but nothing too over the top, because it’s just casual. Dinner and drinks.”

I guide her out of the laundry room, and she’s hot on my heels as I make my way up to my bedroom.

“How many dates have you been on already?”