“Well yeah, but it’s not the same. We can’t really talk until lunchtime.”

“Which is three hours from now. You’ll both live. What’s she so wound up about, anyway?”

“Her mom is dating.” She emphasized the word with a horrified tone that made it sound like Monique Johnson was a serial killer. Zoey swallowed hard. She didn’t know Monique that well, but she knew Sienna’s parents had divorced just before Chris and Zoey broke up. It was one of the things that had helped the girls bond so closely when they’d met last year in middle school. She concentrated on keeping her voice light.

“And that’s a bad thing? Her mom dating?”

“Ugh. It’s so gross. She’s using a dating app, and she shows Sienna the guys she likes before she swipes them.” Hazel gave a fake shudder. “Cringe! As if Sienna wants to be involved in her hookups. Promise me you’ll never do that.”

Zoey’s mouth went dry. “Date? Not ever?”

Hazel hesitated. “Do you want to date? I thought you said you were happy with just you and me? Thelma and Louise.”

Yes, and look what happened to them...

“I am happy with just you and me.” And Mike on a desk in the barn... She turned into the school lot. “But there’s nothing wrong with Monique wanting to find a man to have in her life. She might be over involving Sienna in that decision, but it could be her way of seeking Sienna’s approval of the men she likes.” She took a deep breath. “It’s not easy to be an adult and to feel alone in some ways. I mean...your dad is getting married.”

Hazel stared at the dashboard, making no move to leave the car now that Zoey had pulled to the curb. Her eyebrows lowered.

“Would it be awful if I said that was different?”

“Um...yeah, it would.” She would keep her promise not to bastardize Chris to their daughter, but she wasn’t about to allow some sort of double standard.

“But Dad was seeing Genna right from the start, as soon as you guys broke up. He’s not out there.” Hazel looked over at Zoey. “He’s not playing the field.”

No, he’d done that during their marriage. That’s how he’d met Genna. Hazel had either conveniently ignored the possibility that her father and Genna had been together before the divorce, or genuinely hadn’t figured it out yet. But Zoey got Hazel’s point. Sort of.

“So it’s not a dads-can-date, moms-can’t thing. You’re saying the issue is that Sienna’s mom is dating multiple men instead of having one steady relationship?”

“I... I guess. It’s just weird.” She paused. “Mom, you said it’s hard to be an adult and feel alone. Are you lonely, even with me at the house?”