Free Love at Last by Darlene Panzera Page B

woman next door today-“
    “And?” Kyle snapped his head around, the TV forgotten.
    “She invited us over to her son’s birthday party tomorrow.”
    Kyle’s brows drew together in a tight vee. “Is she single?”
    “I think so.”
    “Are you planning on dating her?”
    Matt’s thoughts returned to the adorable expression on Sarah’s face when she handed him the plate of…
    “Cookies!” he said, jumping up. “She brought us cookies. Chocolate chip are your favorite, right? Want one?”
    “You didn’t answer my question.”
    “It’s been six months since the divorce, Kyle. You know I’ve been on a few dates here and there.”
    Kyle reached out and took a cookie off the plate. “Mom’s started dating someone.”
    “Is that why you’re so upset?”
    Kyle didn’t answer. He didn’t eat the cookie either. Once again, he stared straight ahead at the TV.
    “Look Kyle, I know the divorce has been hard on you, but I thought you understood. Your mom and I are not going to get back together.”
    The only indication Kyle heard what he was saying was the fact he didn’t move, not even an inch, and his son had always been a boy in motion.
    Matt drew in a ragged breath. “Your mom and I married young, before we knew who we were or who we wanted to be. We tried to make each other happy, but over the years we became different people with different values. We can sacrifice many things, Kyle, but we can’t sacrifice who we are.” 
    Kyle’s expression remained infuriatingly blank and Matt slouched back against the cushions.
    Would his son ever forgive him?
    Sarah arose early, wrapped the skateboard, and sealed the paper with a piece of tape. Excitement bubbled inside her. She wasn’t sure if it was from imagining the joy on her son’s face when he opened his gift, or from her encounter with Matt the night before.
    After they’d put the skateboard together, Matt had asked, “Why don’t you test it out?”
    “I – I can’t ride. I’ll fall and get hurt.”
    “No, you won’t. I’ve got you.”
    He’d taken her hand and drawn her toward the board.
    If it had been anyone else, she would have refused. Nine months ago she’d been trying to be a ‘cool mom,’ and Tommy’s skateboard had slipped out from under her feet leaving her with a bruised tailbone. But Matt’s hand was warm and secure, and she liked the feel of his fingers wrapped around her own.
    Who knew? Maybe she could skateboard after all. Her heart was already doing a kick-flip. 
    She stepped on the board, careful to balance her weight. “The wheels seem solid. You did a good job.”
    “We did a good job,” he amended. His arm circled around her waist to give her support.
    She liked the sound of ‘we.’ Dating hadn’t entered her mind since her husband passed away. Maybe she hadn’t been ready. Or maybe she hadn’t met anyone who sparked her interest.
    Sarah smiled. She was definitely thinking about it now. 
    Tommy emerged from his room, his dark blond hair tousled in odd-angled directions. He wiped the sleep out of his eyes and spotted the bright package in her lap.
    “Happy Birthday, Tommy.”
    Her son tore into the green and yellow gift wrap and pulled out the skateboard. “Wow! This is exactly the one I wanted. Thanks, mom.”
    “You’re welcome.”
    The light in his eyes and the big smile on his face tugged at her heart. How she wished every moment could be as happy as this. Maybe if she got the event-planning job she’d applied for, their life would be easier and they could have more happy moments.
    “This board will ace the rails at the next community center competition.” Tommy ran his hand over the blue-streaked graphic design painted on the skateboard’s underside. “Hey, do you think we could have a competition here today, in the driveway?”
    Sarah bit her lip and then shook her head. “I don’t know, Tommy. Remember I told you Chris’s mom is coming? She’s the one who interviewed me for the event-planning