Free My House, My Rules by Constance Masters

have a flat ass. Your ass is just fine.”
    “I feel like it's sticking out in the back.”
    Kelly rolled her eyes. “I'm telling you, you look great in that dress.”
    “Okay. I guess I trust you,” Alex said, trying to turn herself inside out like a dog chasing his tail so she could get a better look at herself.
    “Are you sure you don't want me to cook you two and the boys something?” Alex asked.
    “I already have a casserole in the oven.”
    “The boys don't like…” she started.
    Kelly put her hand up to stop her. “They only pull that crap with you and maybe Mom. They'll eat what they're given, and they'll like it,” Kelly said. “The little devils are lucky we're feeding them at all after the crap they pulled this afternoon.”
    “You don't not feed your children to discipline them,” Alex said with a grin. She knew her sister wasn't serious.
    “Oh?” Kelly said with a chuckle. “Just exactly what do you do to discipline your kids?”
    “I talk to them. Reason with them.”
    “That seems to work well.”
    “Very droll,” Alex said. “You wait and see when it's your turn, it's not that easy.”
    “I know, hon,” Kelly said trying to repair the mood. “Let's talk about this tomorrow.”
    “Are you staying for the night?”
    “Yep. That way, you can make any decision you want to make,” she said pointedly. “Don't worry about the boys. We'll look after them.”
     
    * * *
     
    “Whoa. You look lovely,” Jay said when his date opened her door.
    “Thank you,” she said with a grin.
    “You're welcome,” he said. He held out his arm and smiled when she took it.
    “So which restaurant are we going to?”
    “The Italian place in town. I thought we'd just stay local,” Jay said. “Not flashy but nice, and the food's good.”
    Alex sighed. “Gianni's?”
    “Yeah. That's the one.”
    “Oh, good,” she said with a smile that she hoped reached her eyes. She and the kids used to go there a lot. It was hard to go out with kids, and it was one of the only places that didn't make her feel like her kids should be put in a cage.
    “So.” Jay said after they'd ordered. “What did you get up to this afternoon?”
    “Not a lot,” she said. “Got ready, chatted with my sister.”
    “She seems nice, and the boys seem very fond of her.”
    “They are. She and Rick really stepped up after… my husband died,” she said falteringly.
    “You can talk about him, you know,” he said. “He was your husband and the boys' father.”
    “I know. It just seems a little odd to talk to you about him,” she said.
    “Oh?” Jay said. “I'm a good listener.”
    “I'm sure you are,” she said. “There just isn't a lot to say. He was my husband, and I loved him.”
    “And he was very different than me,” Jay added quietly.
    “Very,” she said, mulling over the question. She never could have imagined Steve spanking her like Jay had. Still, she was starting to wonder what she'd been missing in that regard. “Not better, not worse, just different.”
    “I'll take that,” he said. “So, tell me about yourself.”
    “Not a lot to tell,” she said. “I'm a mom.”
    “So, do you work?”
    “No. I have the kids to take care of,” she said. “I haven't worked since Thom was born.”
    “What did you do before then?”
    “I was in school,” she said. “I was doing interior design.”
    “Really?” he said. “You can give me a few pointers on my house then. I was planning on doing some work on it.”
    “Oh, I'd love that!” Alex said jumping at the chance. “I have lots of ideas.”
     
    * * *
     
    When Thom didn't answer their knock, Rick turned the handle gently, and he and Kelly walked in. The obviously still angry little boy was lying on his bed, bouncing a ball off the wall.
    “What's up?” Rick asked.
    “Nuthin’,” he answered.
    “Pretty miserable look for nothing,” Kelly said.
    Thom shrugged.
    “What happened out there, Thom?” Rick asked.
    “Wasn't my fault,” he said