I'm Not in Love

CHAPTER11

Tristan

Tara catches up with us late Saturday afternoon at the costume shop where the kids are living out their dress-up fantasies on Remi’s dime.

“Mom, the lady who works here says this ninja costume is, like, one of a kind!” Jared’s eyes are as round as dinner plates. He holds up the costume to show her.

“I’m gonna be a ninja just like Jared—he’s a black ninja, and I’m a blue one!” Tommy is always trying to keep up with his big brother. “Little Wenny’s gonna be Bo Peep—that’s cool too.” And he always looks out for his younger sister. Middle-child syndrome, maybe.

“My kids will be the best-looking trick or treaters in the city!” The circles under Tara’s eyes have vanished. Thanks to a solid eight hours of sleep, a new woman has emerged.

“Emmie’s gonna buy Bo Peep a lambie!” Wendy exclaims. “Gonna name her Bah-bah Lamb Baby!”

“Not a live animal—just a stuffed one to go with her costume,” he explains. But I’m pretty sure he’d buy her a live lamb if she insisted.

“You don’t have to be sheepish about it,” Tara jokes. “Sheepish—get it?”

“Ha. You’re a riot.”

I haven’t seen Tara so lighthearted in ages. I’d forgotten how good carefree looks on her.

“I’ll pay for the costumes and accessories, and then we can figure out dinner,” Remi says.

“But what about my lambie?” Wendy’s cheeks flush. Crying fits usually turn into coughing fits. “Can’t be Bo Peep without my new lambie!”

“We’ll make dinner plans after we go to the toy store to pick out Bah-Bah Lamb Baby.” Remi lifts Wendy, who is clutching her Little Bo Peep costume. “Don’t worry, sweetie.”

“I love you, Emmie.” Wendy plants a kiss on his cheek, much like I did last night. I wonder if he looked as pleased then as he does now.

After Remi pays for the costumes, we head across the street to a toy store where Wendy chooses a very fluffy, very pink, eighteen-inch-tall stuffed lamb that I’m certain I’ll be lugging around on Halloween night. I’m carrying it already.

“I wanna go back to the loft and play soccer—like, can we eat dinner there and not in a dumb restaurant?” Jared asks.

“If somebody takes Bah-Bah Lamb Baby off my hands, I can go pick up pizzas,” I offer.

“How about burgers and fries? I know a place that delivers,” Remi suggests.

“Burgers—super cool!” Jared pumps his fist.

“No cheese on mine, right, Mommy?”

“Bah-Bah Lamb Baby told me shewantsfrench fries—floatin’ in ketchup!”

“I guess we’ve got a plan,” Tara agrees.

* * *

Tristan

Remi invites his downstairs neighbor,Dacia, to join us for dinner. He insists that she’d go hungry if it weren’t for evening meals with him.

Dacia and Tara hit it off. Sitting in the wingback chairs by the window, they eat veggie burgers and sweet potato fries. Somehow, they manage to chat over the shouts of the boys—who have created a goal out of a turned-over laundry basket and are taking turns shooting—and the steady drone of Wendy’s chatter about the upcoming adventures of Little Bo Peep. It makes me happy to see Tara laughing and having fun rather than chewing her nails with worry.

Before bed, we let Jared wear himself out on Remi’s rowing machine, while Tommy uses his pastels to create a “ninja-brothers-go-trick-or-treatin’” picture. Dacia reads storybooks to Wendy and her new stuffed lamb.

“Dacia asked if I wanted to sleep downstairs in her guest bedroom tonight,” Tara explains over craft beers at Remi’s kitchen island. “I can take Wendy with me to make it easier on you guys.”

“Not necessary,” Remi replies quickly. “We’ve got this.”

He seems to enjoy having the kids around. “Go with Dacia alone—maybe you can watch a movie that isn’t rated-G for a change.”

“That would be a treat. And then the job search will restart tomorrow morning.”

“What are you looking for in a job?” Remi asks.

“Some sort of office work I can do online from home. I was a top student in my business classes at DeBurgh Virtual University, you know. I graduated with honors.”

“My family—we… we’re affiliated with the Remington Plaza hotel chain.”

Julian Remington III—wasn’t that how Professor Santini referred to Remi?

“Does your company have online jobs available?” Tara asks eagerly.

“I’ll make some calls and find out.”

Tara leaps from the bar stool and throws herself into Remi’s arms. “Oh, God! That would be just… just so friggin’ amazing.”

“Language, Mommy!” Tommy calls from his spot at the coffee table.

“Um, sorry!” she calls back.

“I’m not sure if Remington Plaza has reservationists or other administrators working remotely, but it’s possible.”

“Just the fact that you’re gonna ask means more to me than you’ll ever know.” She hasn’t yet released him from her tight grasp. And he looks kind of euphoric as he holds her against him.

“I’m happy to help.” He closes his eyes.

“Tara, Wendy’s asleep.” Dacia steps into the loft’s kitchen area. “Want to head downstairs?”

“Let me say good night to the boys, and then I’m all yours.” Tara finally steps back from Remi. “Thank you.”

He nods, and as Tara walks away, I swear he murmurs, “Thank you.”

* * *