Misadventures with a Manny Read online

  “I doubt it, but go ahead.”

  I swear he makes me stabby. “I’m hopeful,” I express before going on. “I wanted to discuss with you about maybe working it out to where I get a weekend with the boys.”

  “No.”

  I close my eyes. “Reason being is because I work, they have practice, and when I get home, we’re doing homework and settling down for the night. I don’t remember the last time I took them to the movies or to dinner.”

  “Not my fault. Cut back on work.”

  I press my lips together. “I am, but I can’t too much because I need to make money. I’m paying for club, for their equipment, for the nanny—”

  “Who I don’t approve of.”

  “Simon, please. He is honestly the best thing for the boys—”

  “It’s only been a week. You don’t know that.”

  “But I do,” I insist. “Please, Simon, don’t fight me on this.”

  “I will because I don’t want another man with my children. I am their father.”

  “And no one doubts that, at all. You are a good father, Simon, but Lincoln is a wonderful nanny, and he isn’t replacing you.”

  He scoffs. “So you’re fucking him?”

  For the love of God. “That is none of your business, but no, I’m not. I am focused on my children and my job.”

  “You mean job—”

  “I am a great mom. Don’t you dare discredit that. Wife, sure, I sucked, but you weren’t good to me.”

  “Whatever. No, I won’t give you a weekend, and you’re lucky my lawyer doesn’t think I have a case to get rid of that nanny. But if I hear he’s done anything to my boys—”

  “He’d never,” I reiterate. “He’s a good man.”

  “You heard me.”

  I close my eyes and hate how mad he makes me. I don’t want to fight with him. All it does is make me hate him more, and I don’t want that. I have to deal with him for the rest of my life because no matter what, he’ll always be the boys’ father. Damn it, why does he make this so hard? I don’t want to do this, I don’t, but damn it, I have to do something. I’ll do anything for my boys.

  “If I give you spring break, will you give me one weekend a month with the boys?”

  He pauses, and my stomach churns. “I’d need that in writing.”

  “Which is fine, as long as I get in writing that we are changing the parenting plan, that I’d get them one weekend a month, and you’ll get the other three.”

  “That would mean I wouldn’t see them for one whole week a month. That’s not okay with me.”

  I think that over, and I wipe my face. “How about on Tuesday, you pick them up from practice and keep them overnight. You usually don’t travel until Wednesdays anyway. Lincoln can make sure they are packed and ready to go.”

  He clears his throat, and I can just see him sitting there thinking this over. I know he wants to say no just to stick it to me, but I know he wants spring break with the boys.

  Ah, shit, the boys. “I’ll need to talk to them about this.”

  “The boys?” Simon asks.

  “Yes. I’ll need to make sure they are okay with this change. I hate throwing so much change at them.”

  “I do too.”

  “Holy shit. Something we agree on.” He chuckles, and I sort of smile, though I don’t mean it. “I’d ask too that you let Lincoln be.”

  He hesitates. “I guess I can try.”

  “I appreciate that. He really is good for the boys.”

  “From what I’m told, they like him a lot.”

  “They do. I mean, no one has run into duct tape yet.”

  He laughs once more. “They get that wild side from you.”

  I smile. “Maybe.”

  I’m met with silence once more, and my stomach is in knots.

  “So you’ll talk to the boys and get back to me?”

  “I will, and then we can get the lawyers on the paperwork.”

  “Sounds good to me.”

  I let out the breath I was holding, and my tears run faster down my face. “Thank you.”

  “Yeah. Talk to you later.”

  “Yeah,” I say, hanging up, and when the phone hits the receiver, a sob leaves my lips. I may have just won what I wanted to win, but in a way, I feel like nothing but a loser. I never thought I’d have to bargain with who I assumed was the love of my life to get time with my kids.

  And I still have eight years left doing just that with him.

  Standing in front of my bathroom mirror, I dry my hair as my body tingles from the hot shower I just took. Richard found me crying in my office and sent me home. I hadn’t meant for him to catch me, but after a long talk with my lawyer, who insisted I don’t give up my spring break, I felt a little defeated. I know that’s the only way Simon will give me the boys for a weekend, though. I really had no other choice; plus, I couldn’t get off for spring break anyway. They’d sit at home with Lincoln, but still, I was bummed to say the least.

  While I was thankful to be off early, I soon realized I wouldn’t be home in time to take Charlie to therapy. Instead of sitting in the house feeling sorry for myself, I decided to take a shower and be ready for when they all got home. Hopefully I can persuade them to go to dinner with me, though I’m sure I won’t have to do much convincing. They’ll want to go. I just hope Lincoln hasn’t started anything for dinner. When I got home, there was nothing cooking, so that made me excited for the possible dinner night with my boys.

  And maybe Lincoln would want to go.

  I’m not sure if that is a good idea, but I want his company. It was a tough day, and while I usually call Riana to talk it out, I want to talk to him. Get one of his quick smiles and feel better instantly. It is pathetic and childish since I want something I can’t have, but I like him. He is fun, and I need fun after the day I had.

  Looking at myself, though, I find I’m not satisfied with my appearance. My thick face and the wrinkles by my eyes—I don’t know how Lincoln could ever see me as anything more than a mom. His boss. He is unbelievably beautiful, and I’m just average. I couldn’t even keep my husband from cheating on me. I’m pathetic. Jesus, I’m riding that pity train like crazy right now.

  Shaking my head, I move product through my hair, ignoring my woes. I won’t let them get me down. I’m okay. The boys are doing better, and damn it, I am going to be great one day. Just have to get over the speed bumps. I reach for my hair dryer and turn it on just as my phone rings. I see it’s Lincoln, and my pussy clenches.

  I really need to get control of that.

  But apparently I have no control over my body when it comes to my manny.

  I turn the hair dryer off and answer, “Hello?”

  “Hey, it’s me.”

  “I know.”

  He laughs. “So therapy went well. He told me that they just talked about stupid stuff. I tried to get him to tell me what that meant, but he wouldn’t elaborate.”

  I nod. “Probably about fixing his relationship with his dad.”

  “Which reminds me… I wanted to call you earlier, but I wasn’t sure if I could.”

  “You can always call me,” I insist as I sit on the edge of the tub. “What’s up?”

  “So this morning, he told me the reason he didn’t want to go to school was because Simon was coming to have lunch with him. Apparently he wants Charlie to talk to you about letting the boys spend spring break with him.”

  “Ah,” I say, closing my eyes. “Simon told me he was going to do that.”

  “I told him to talk to you.”

  “What did he say?”

  “He said he would.”

  “Well, good. I have to talk to them. I think I’m going to do it.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah, I want to have a weekend with the boys each month, and that is the only thing that I could use to get it.”

  “I don’t like that guy.”

  I laugh. “I don’t either.”

  “But I guess it is a sm