Page 78 of C is for Comfort

“Wait. Does that mean you’re not coming to the party tomorrow?” Blake asks.

He’s talking about Hamish’s kink party. We’ve all been invited, probably because we’re all seeing Hamish’s friends or, in Archie’s case, Hamish.

“No. Spence is working, and I don’t want to go without him.”

“Fair. You know Lexi is jealous, don’t you?”

“Of me?”

“Of Spence.”

“She doesn’t even know I’m seeing someone.”

Blake gives me an incredulous look. “No, you haven’ttoldher you’re seeing someone, but it’s kind of obvious, even to a five-year-old. Maybe you should tell her?”

“I don’t think I’m ready to do that yet.”

“Are you ever going to be ready?”

I shrug. “I only met him a month ago.”

“So?”

“It’s too soon.”

Blake rolls his eyes.

“Itis.”

“Okay.”

“Got everything!” Lexi says, coming back with the supplies shoved into a cardboard box, which she’s balancing carefully on her cast. Her appointment at the fracture clinic is next week. I’m crossing my fingers and toes that her wrist will be fully healed and they’ll take the cast off.

“Did you get the scissors, Daddy?”

“Not yet. Sorry.”

“I’ll get them,” Blake says, standing. “And I’ll make the helmet with you, Lexi. Daddy needs to call his friend to tell him he’s not going out tonight.”

“Okay.” Lexi puts the box on the table and starts pulling things out of it.

I take out my phone and send Spence a message.

Corey:Sorry, but I can’t make it tonight.

Spence:I hope everything’s okay?

Corey:Yes, fine. Lexi wants me to stay and play with her.

Spence:I understand. Lexi comes first.

I hope he does and that they’re not just empty words.

Spence:I’m taking Tabitha and Robbie to the zoo next Wednesday. Do you and Lexi want to come?

I stare at Spence’s message, my heart beating so hard it’s like it wants to burst right out of my chest. A trip to the zoo with Spence and his niece and nephew sounds fun, and London Zoo is right at the top of my list of things to do with Lexi now money is less tight. But I’ve literally just told Blake that it’s too soon for me to tell Lexi I’m dating someone.

Spence:Too soon?