I shrug. “I’m counting the days until you’ll have to move out.”

“And what gives you such an unfounded certainty?”

“I heard you went on quite a… ah… magical date on Saturday.”

The scowl deepens, and I watch the creases on his forehead become more pronounced as he does the math: he told Garrett about his date, Garrett told Leslie, and Lee told me.

I expect a dry retort about my own AA Saturday night, but Luke shrugs, saying, “Beginner’s bad luck.”

I’m so shocked, I have to prod him. “What? No jabs about my own Saturday night’s woes? I know Tegan told you how we spent the evening.”

“Being a good parent is not something I find tasteful jabbing about.”

Lucas’ comment shocks me into silence and gives me more pleasure than it should. I shouldn’t seek this man’s approval. I shouldn’t seek any man’s approval. But, being a single mother, it’s so easy to get judged for my shortcomings as a parent and for not always being able to stretch this one person to do a two-person job, that I can’t help feeling a little pride.

When I don’t speak again, Lucas fills the silence. “What are you doing at the office so early, anyway? You’re never in before eight.”

“Tracking my movements now?”

“Hard not to when your heels are so loud on the landing and you shut your door with the grace of an elephant.”

I bristle, promising myself to slam the door even harder from now on. “Tegan has an hour detention before school every morning for the next two weeks. I thought I’d use the extra hour productively.”

Something good has to come out of having to turn back my alarm clock to five-thirty a.m. for two weeks, or I’d go insane. I already hate getting up early Monday through Friday but cutting an extra hour of sleep is pure torture. Another of the many joys of parenting.

“So you don’t have any appointments or hearings?” Dr. Tall and Broody asks.

“No.”

“Good, neither do I.”

“And why do I care?”

“Because it means you have time to discuss your daughter’s request to meet her father.”

The elevator doors ding open, and he marches out without waiting for a reply.

Sixteen

Lucas

I cross the narrow hall, unlock my door, and theatrically show the inside to Medusa, letting Miss Attorney know she’s not getting out of this conversation.

Looking prissy enough, and kind of sexy in her uniform of a tight pencil skirt suit—mauve today—she walks into the office. And I can’t help but wonder what shade of lace she’s wearing underneath those clothes. Does she keep an array of panties in different shades of pink, same as with the purple suits?