“I’ll write one, Daddy.” Maisie grabbed her paper and crayons and started coloring.
A few minutes later, we were at the table eating chicken and vegetables.
“So, tomorrow is the last day of school. How does it feel, Mais?” he asked.
“Good. After tomorrow I’m in first grade.” She held up her index finger.
“You need to stop growing up so fast,” he said with a sweet smile at Maisie.
“I can’t help it, Daddy.” She held her hands up in a shrug.
“How about you, Tessa? What grade do you go into next year?” he asked, taking a bite of the vegetables.
I gave a little shrug as I pushed my food around my plate. “Eighteenth? If I go.”
“If?”
“Eighteen!” Maisie’s eyes widened.
I didn’t want to go into my financial woes. “Just need to secure tuition funds.” To avoid going into detail, I took a bite of my chicken.
He frowned. “Is that a real problem?”
I shook my head. “The problem is, what are Maisie and I going to do all summer?”
“I want to go to the pool,” Maisie said.
“So, you’re still good to watch her this summer?” Dylan watched me over the rim of his glass of water.
I nodded. “Yes. Maisie and I are going to have a blast, aren’t we sweet pea?”
“Yep.” Maisie chased a brussels sprout around her plate with her fork.
After dinner, I offered to do the dishes while Dylan played Candyland with Maisie. When I was done, Dylan walked me to the door, and watched as I made my way next door to my house. He always watched to make sure I got home okay, a gesture that wasn’t needed, and yet I found it completely endearing.
“How’s the single hot dad?” Corrine, one of my roommates asked as I closed and locked the door behind me.
“Still hot and single,” I said.
“I don’t know why you don’t jump him,” said Allison, my other roommate. She was sitting on the couch painting her toenails a bright pink.
“Because I don’t want the embarrassment that would come with him rejecting me.” I sat on the couch next to Allison and looked over at Corrine, who was sitting on the floor in front of the coffee table doing some sort of formulas for her stats final.
“I doubt that would happen. You’re pretty with a good body.” Allison set her nail polish in the table.
“Remember, he used to sleep with Veronica Tisdale. There’s no way I compare to her.”
“He’s a man. I’m not sure they’re that picky,” Corrine said.
“Gee thanks,” I said with a laugh.
“You know what I mean.”
“I’d still jump him. I bet he’s good in bed.” Allison waved her hands over her toes to help dry the polish.
“He doesn’t seem to get out much.” Corrine put her pencil down. “Does he?”
I shook my head. “I don’t think so. I only babysit when he’s working. I’ve never seen him on a date. I think he’s too focused on raising Maisie.”