Free Almost Perfect by Susan Mallery

says you have brothers and sisters.”
    â€œTwo brothers, three sisters. My sisters are identical triplets.”
    â€œSo you can’t tell them apart?”
    He smiled. “It was hard when they were younger, but now they’re pretty different.”
    â€œDo they know about me?”
    â€œNot yet, but when I tell them, they’ll want to meet you.”
    â€œSweet.”
    Liz motioned to the sofa. “Why don’t you two sit down and I’ll get some lemonade. We have freshly baked cookies, too.”
    â€œWe made the cookies after my cousins got home from school,” Tyler explained, leading the way. “They’re still in school until Friday. Melissa and Abby.” He wrinkled his nose. “They’re okay, you know, for girls.”
    â€œWords that will warm their hearts,” Liz murmured, before she went into the kitchen. The girls were upstairs, out of earshot, thank goodness.
    Tyler launched into a detailed description of his last few days of school, his friends in San Francisco and what movies he wanted to see that summer.
    â€œ Action Boy looks so cool,” he mentioned. “He’s starting middle school, like me. He picks up a special rock from outer space and gets super powers.”
    â€œSuper powers would be a lot of fun,” Ethan told him.
    â€œThat one starts in three weeks. Mom always takes me on the first day. We go to the early show, except this one time we went at midnight.” Tyler laughed. “I was still a kid, so I fell asleep. Mom didn’t mind and took me back the next day so I could see what I missed.”
    Tyler talked on, the conversation growing easier with every passing minute. Apparently he didn’t stay shy forlong. Ethan watched as well as listened, recognizing a few Hendrix family traits in his son.
    The subjects themselves were conventional. School, sports, friends, his family. But the latter gave him trouble, seeing as Tyler’s only family was Liz. From what Ethan could tell, she’d been a good mother. Caring, fair and strong when she needed to be. And Tyler had thrived.
    He supposed that some part of him should be pleased, but all he felt was deep resentment for what he’d lost. No, he reminded himself. Not lost. What had been stolen from him.
    When Tyler ran upstairs to find a favorite video game, Ethan moved into the kitchen. He found Liz there, flipping through a magazine.
    â€œYou’re not rejoining us?” he asked, leaning against the door frame.
    â€œI thought I’d give you two time together,” she said. A faint smile pulled at the corners of her mouth. “Afraid you’ll miss the cookies?”
    Humor as a peace offering, he thought. While the sexual side of him could appreciate the shape of her face, the appeal of her body, the rest of him wasn’t so easily swayed.
    â€œI want more time with him,” he said bluntly.
    She closed the magazine and rose. “I wasn’t trying to keep him from you,” she began then shook her head. “Never mind. We’ll have that argument when I have evidence on my side. What did you want to suggest?”
    â€œWe have a minor league baseball team in town. They’re playing tomorrow. I want to take him.”
    â€œSure. What time?”
    â€œThe game’s at noon.”
    â€œOkay.”
    She was too agreeable, he thought, irritated. He wanted to fight with her, argue. He had too much energy and nowhere to put it. Apparently she could also read his mind.
    â€œI’m not the bad guy,” she elaborated softly. “I wish you’d at least try to see that.”
    â€œYou kept me from my son. There’s nothing you can say to make that right. What Tyler and I have lost can never be recovered.”
    She stared at him for a long time. “I agree I have responsibility for what happened, but so do you. And until you can admit your part of the blame, you’re going to be so caught up in the past,