Total pages in book: 122
Estimated words: 115288 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 576(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115288 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 576(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
Peyton and one of her classmates, Krissy, along with Claire, come bouncing over, their awards in their hands.
Gavin has enough time to congratulate them and hug Peyton before a woman who looks to be in her mid-thirties and is clearly a huge fan of athletic wear pushes her way into the group. She’s wearing fuchsia Lycra pants, hot pink running shoes, and a matching zip-up jacket. Her hair is pulled up in a ponytail with a matching hot pink scrunchie, and her skin is glowing. Not because she’s radiant, but because she’s wearing foundation with a sheen to it. Her eyelashes are longer than my fingers and her eyebrows are so perfect, I can’t tell if they’re stenciled on or maybe she had them tattooed. Regardless, she’s a lot of visual input.
She makes a beeline for Gavin and thrusts her hand out. “You must be Peyton’s dad. I’m Larissa, Krissy’s mom. It’s so great to finally meet you.”
“Gavin. It’s a pleasure.” He glances down at Larissa, and then at his arm, which Larissa is holding onto with her very perfect, very manicured nails.
She throws her head back and laughs, despite Gavin not making a joke. “Really, the pleasure is all mine. Krissy tells me you’re a single dad. That must be so tough. You know, I’d love to have Peyton over for a playdate. Anytime. I’m divorced, and I work from home, so really, she’s always welcome. Why don’t we exchange numbers and we can set something up?”
I’m rendered speechless as this woman hits on my boyfriend right in front of me and his in-laws. I take a step forward to make my presence known.
Larissa’s gaze drops from Gavin’s stunned face to me. She gives me a once-over that turns from assessing to dismissive. “Oh, it’s so great that you include your nanny in these kinds of events and supersmart for mingling with the other parents,” she simpers and drags her gaze back to me. “Why don’t you be a doll and take the girls outside to play on the swings.”
Gavin’s expression is somewhere between disbelief and horror, while mine, I’m sure, reflects my desire to shove thumbtacks under this woman’s nails and then cover her in honey and throw her into a forest with hungry bears.
Gavin puts an arm awkwardly around my shoulder. “Harley is my girlfriend, not the nanny.”
“Oh.” Larissa’s extremely perfect eyebrows arch even more, and her cheeks hollow out as she looks me over again. “Wow. You barely look like you’re out of college. You need to tell me your secrets.”
I give her a saccharine smile. “I go to bed early and I don’t let stress get to me.” I sincerely hope Peyton won’t be going over to her house for a playdate.
Karen coughs and leans in close to Gavin so she can whisper, but not quietly enough for me not to overhear. “I’m not the only one who sees the issue with this.”
If this were a cartoon, steam would be shooting out of my ears and the top of my head would lift off. Peyton, who followed Krissy to the snack table, comes skipping back over. “Harley, can I show you the art project I’m working on? Mrs. Horton says I have a few minutes before she locks up the classroom.”
“Absolutely.” I turn to the group and plaster on what I hope is a successful smile, even though my face feels a lot like it’s made of stiff plastic. “We’ll be right back. It was nice to meet you, Lisa.” I purposely get her name wrong. Now I understand why Chad and Gavin did that.
Gavin looks like he wants to stop me, and also laugh at my clear snub, but I give his arm a squeeze and take Peyton’s hand, letting her lead me down the hall, away from all the catty bitches.
Seventeen
WALKING THE TIGHTROPE
GAVIN
Larissa collects her daughter and excuses herself, flitting to another family like a drunk bee. I turn to my mother-in-law and give her a stern look. “That was not okay.”
She rolls her shoulders back. “I didn’t say anything others weren’t already thinking.”
“Harley is my girlfriend. She volunteers at the school, she spends time with Peyton because she cares about her, and I care about both of them. Belittling Harley in public is not a good way to win points with me, and you’re certainly not going to win points with Harley either.”
She purses her lips and laces her fingers together, dropping her head slightly. It makes her look repentant, but I’m not sure I buy it. “I’m concerned about the influence she’s having on Peyton. What happens if this relationship doesn’t work out? What kind of damage will that do to Peyton?”
“The influence she’s having?” I say, my voice laced with incredulity. “She’s fostering Peyton’s creative side, and she’s always giving her opportunities to play and have fun and be a kid. What’s wrong with that?”