Page 74 of The Wedding Planner's Manny

“What?”

“Not in front of the kid.”

“It's always all about the kids to you, isn't it?” She sneered. I wasn't going to take her bait, though.

“If it isn't all about the kids for you, I strongly suggest that you reconsider your priorities if you want to stay in town.”

“You're impossible!” she claimed, getting up from the couch. “I need a smoke.”

So she was smoking now. That was new. “You're not smoking indoors and not in front of Caleb.”

“Screw you.” She flipped me off and went out into the yard. Once she was gone, I closed my eyes for a moment, inhaled, and then sat on the couch with Caleb. His movie was still running on the TV, but he wasn't paying any attention to it anymore.

“I’m sorry Mommy wasn’t watching the movie with you,” I said, laying an arm around his shoulders.

“Also, I’m going to forgive it this one time, but you shouldn’t throw people’s things. Not even when you’re angry at them.”

Caleb looked up at me. “You watch with me now?”

How could I say no to that? “Sure, kiddo, this is my favorite movie too.”

“No! Your favorite movie is the Christmas movie.”

The Christmas movie? It took me a minute to figure out what he meant by that. Of course, the movie Rhys had gifted me. “You’re right,” I told him. “That was a great movie too.” It had been a thoughtful gift, but that was just like Rhys. He paid attention where Laura didn’t. He might not have been born with natural people skills, but he tried so hard that his effort more than made up for it. He never took anyone for granted.

“Where did Rhys go?” Caleb asked, still looking at me.

“He left last night after your party,” I reminded him, “but I’m sure he’ll be over later.” At least I hoped he would be. I wasn’t sure if I could go through a whole day of Laura staying here without Rhys reminding me that there was good in the world.

“No, he was here!”

“What do you mean?”

“He was here,” Caleb repeated.

“When? Today?” While I was sleeping?

Caleb nodded.

I nearly cursed before I remembered that my kid could hear me. Wanting to call Rhys, I made to get up from the touch, but Caleb protested as soon as I moved.

“You watch with me!”

Of course.

I sank back into the couch.

The call had to wait. I wasn’t going to be the hypocrite who told Laura to reconsider her priorities and then turn right around to whip out my own phone.

Rhys would still be there when the credits rolled.

2 6

R H Y S

“W hy do you look so down? And what were you doing out so early?” Griffin greeted me when I made it back home. He was also an early riser, but this morning, I’d beaten even him.

“I was over at Ethan’s place,” I said, truthfully.