The New Normal

by Brogan, Tracy

  Hey. I’m sorry about this morning. I hope everything is okay with you and the kids. And for the record, you do realize nothing happened last night, right? Just some drinks and some sleep. Text me when you feel up to it. I think we need to talk.

  Chapter 32

  Carli read the text and wasn’t sure it made her feel any better, and she didn’t really want to talk to him. Not right now. And why hadn’t they had sex? She remembered enough to know she’d been willing. Maybe he wasn’t interested. Or maybe he was just a gentleman. Either way, her kids had seen him in her bedroom with no pants on, and that called for a conversation with her girls, as did the fact that Steve had gotten remarried. So far, the new year was not getting off to a very good start!

  She took off her sexy-time nightie and threw it in the trash. She wasn’t sure why she even still had the thing, and she sure as hell would never wear it again. She pulled on the softest sweatpants and top she could find, because her stomach was spinning like a riptide and all those shots were threatening to escape. She drank a glass of water in her bathroom and then went to find her traumatized offspring.

  “Although Ben and I didn’t take things too far, my actions last night are not the message I want to send to you two. I made a terrible mistake by drinking too much and not thinking about the consequences, and I don’t want you to think that anything I did last night was acceptable,” Carli said once they were all sitting in the family room.

  “Excellent PSA, Mom. Don’t get drunk and then not have sex with the neighbors,” Mia said. “I think I can remember that.”

  “I think the real lesson here is that you should always lock your bedroom door,” Tess added. “I, for one, know that I will never walk in again without knocking first.”

  Were they . . . were they teasing her? Carli prided herself on being the best mother ever, and this was the conversation she was now having? Don’t have sex with neighbors? Or nearly have sex? That was her take-home message? Her alcohol-dehydrated brain was having a hard time discerning their tones. But she looked at them, and Tess was smiling, and Mia was bemused, and no one seemed nearly as traumatized as she’d expected. Except for herself, maybe. Carli was traumatized by virtually every aspect of last night and this morning.

  “I’m confused,” she finally said. “And to be quite honest, this is the worst hangover I’ve ever had. My life has become a cautionary tale for the two of you, and I’m not sure what to do next.”

  “Relax, Mom,” Mia said. “We’re fine. I mean, I definitely could’ve lived my whole life without seeing Mr. Chase in his underwear, but it’s fine.”

  “It’s seared into my retinas,” Tess added, but her grin indicated she thought most of this was pretty damn funny. Not quite the reaction Carli was anticipating.

  Mia continued. “And at least he’s a good guy. I mean, he was really nice the night I hit the deer, and he was pretty cool when Tess and Ethan drank in the woods. You could’ve done way worse. Believe me. I have friends whose moms date some real derelicts, so if you and him want to, whatever, well, I guess I’m okay with it.”

  “I’m cool with it, too,” Tess added. “Ethan’s never going to ask me out, but at least this way he can be my stepbrother.”

  “Wait, wait, wait,” Carli said, holding up her hands. “There will be no stepbrothers. Ben and I haven’t even gone out on a date, and if we ever decide to, well, no stepbrothers. I have no intention of getting remarried.”

  “That’s probably what Dad thought, and then Jade came along,” Tess said, her grin disappearing.

  “About that,” Carli said. “I’m not in the best frame of mind to talk about this, but how was your night? I mean, were you . . . surprised?”

  Mia nodded. “Yeah, we were basically stunned. And it kind of sucks, but mostly we were worried about how you might take the news. To be honest, judging from what I saw this morning, I can’t tell if you took it really hard or took it really well.”

  Carli’s head hurt, and she was exhausted and nauseous and embarrassed and ashamed. And she hadn’t even had time to categorize her feelings about Steve’s marriage. But one thing she did know? It hadn’t destroyed her. It’s not as if the two of them were ever, ever going to reconcile. And it’s not as if they weren’t both better off not being married to each other. Neither of them had been happy, and at least now, they could both move on. Steve was doing what he wanted, and now, so could she.

  She just needed to figure out exactly what that was.

  Chapter 33

  Carli spent the next two weeks focusing on her job and trying to be an exemplary role model for her children. Although they’d said they were fine with the events of New Year’s Eve, she knew by subtle comments they made that Steve’s elopement and her bad judgment had left a mark. It was no wonder. They considered themselves mature, but Mia and Tess were dealing with big life issues from a teenage perspective, and that was hard. So she left them homemade granola and muffins every morning to make sure they’d have something to eat for breakfast before school so they’d know she was thinking about them. She made their favorite dinners and made sure their laundry was washed and folded and put away. She took care of all the dog chores, which she did most of the time anyway, but now she didn’t even pester them to help. She’d even (finally) taught Gus to put his toys away in his basket. She didn’t drink wine or swear or in any way display any sort of vice around them. And it was fucking exhausting.

  None of her friends knew what had happened. Or had nearly happened, and Carli suspected they thought her overzealous attempts at being the perfect mom and homemaker had something to do with Steve’s marriage, or maybe just her new year’s resolutions. Renee liked this version of Carli, and they’d spent an entire day creating decorative labels for her spice jars. And then alphabetizing them.

  But the whole time Carli was sitting in Renee’s craft room, she felt guilty and awkward and embarrassed. Everything about that night was so out of character. The blackout drinking, the throwing herself at Ben, the discovery by her kids. If word got out in the neighborhood, she’d never live it down. And everyone would think she’d gone off the deep end just because Steve got married, and she didn’t want anyone to think that mattered to her.

  Ironically, the one person she probably should talk to about all this was Ben. But for some reason, she just wasn’t ready. Because not all of that night was blocked from her memory. She had recalled a few things here and there. She remembered putting on her nightie and doing a little dance, lifting the hem to entice him. But all he’d done was wrap her in a throw blanket from the couch and get her a glass of water. And she remembered crying on his shoulder about how Steve had never found her special. Then, when Ben had tucked her into bed, she’d cried again and asked him to sleep with her. Just sleep. And he was such a good sport, he’d done it.

  He’d sent her text messages every day, asking how she was. And she’d say she was fine and that she was busy and that she hoped he was having a nice day. But every time he said he thought they should talk, she ignored him. And she wanted to ignore him when he showed up on her doorstep that Thursday, too. But she also wanted to see him. Because she missed him.

  It was a dilemma. She couldn’t hide from him forever, so she opened the door and saw relief ripple over his handsome features. Because he was, you know, really frickin’ handsome.

  “Hi,” he said, his voice a little breathless, as if he’d come from much farther than just next door. It was snowing behind him, and the wind blew right into her house. She’d have to let him in or freeze.

  “Hi,” she said with a shiver. “Come in.”

  He stepped inside but stayed on the rug by the front door. “Thanks. Um, I have something for you and the girls,” he said. “I think you’ll like it.”

  “Is it a time machine? Because I could really use one of those.”

  Ben chuckled, and the lines of tension on his face eased up. “Not a time machine. Sorry. But still good. You know that Nolan Hart concert you’re taking Tess and Mia
to this weekend? The one at the arena?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, I managed to upgrade your tickets a little bit. I know some people.”

  “You didn’t have to do that.”

  “I wanted to. In fact, as soon as you’d told me where the concert was, it got my wheels turning. Like I said, I did this a couple of weeks ago. I got tickets for me and my kids, too, and I know you’re upset about . . . stuff, but I hope you’ll let me do this for you. And for Mia and Tess.”

  That was a mean trick. Making it about her kids so she couldn’t say no.

  “Thank you. That’s very nice of you. I accept on their behalf.”

  A smile lit up his face, and she wondered how she’d ever found him unfriendly. “Awesome. I’ll drive. Be ready to leave by two o’clock on Saturday.”

  “Two o’clock? The concert doesn’t start until 7:00 p.m.”

  “You’re right. It doesn’t. But I thought the kids might enjoy getting a tour of the new arena. Addie, Ethan, and I are going to do it anyway, so you may as well join us. My kids will have more fun if Tess and Mia are with them. And honestly, I’ll have more fun if you come, too. Please?”

  How could she resist that?

  “Okay. Two o’clock. Just a couple of friends and their kids going to a concert, right?”

  “Sure,” he said. “See you Saturday.”

  Chapter 34

  “I thought you guys might want to check out one of the suites,” Ben said after they’d visited the executive offices and the main lobby. “It’s nothing fancy, but I figured we could grab a bite to eat before we go on the rest of the tour. Sound good?” Ben asked, leading them down a wide hallway full of oversize black doors with big metal numbers on them.

  “This is already so cool,” Tess said, nearly skipping next to Addie. “Thank you so much for bringing us.”

  “My pleasure,” he said, pushing open a door, and Carli was halfway inside before she realized the sign on it had said THE WILLIAM GEOFFREY CHASE SUITE. Ben’s father. That was pretty swanky. She nearly joined Tess with the skipping. The older kids were playing it much cooler, but Mia’s eyes sparkled as she looked at Carli.

  “Right in here,” he added, herding them inside before letting go of the door. It closed softly behind them. The suite was nearly as big as Carli’s bedroom and decorated in various shades of creams and whites with rustic accent pieces and comfy leather seating. One full wall was made up of sliding glass panels that looked out into the arena, providing a perfect view of the stage. Outside that was another private seating area. Best seats in the house, other than the front row. The kids all rushed to the glass to peer out over the arena.

  “This is awesome,” Mia said, giving up on trying to be reserved.

  “Right?” Ethan said. “Privilege has its privileges, I guess.”

  Off to the side was a table laden with mini sandwiches, cookies, bags of chips, and other assorted goodies. There was a soda machine, a coffee bar, and a refrigerator with a clear glass door to display bottles of wine and beer.

  “This place is nicer than my house,” Carli said, turning slowly in a circle to see everything at once.

  “It’s very nice here,” Ben agreed. “But not nicer than your house. I like your house.”

  She blushed under his gaze, because it seemed as if he wasn’t talking so much about the aesthetics of her house as he was referring to the cozy hominess of it. He’d been respectfully flirtatious all day, and she was starting to feel very much noticed, and very much appreciated.

  “Oh my gosh,” Tess murmured to Mia. “Can you imagine what it would be like to watch the concert from here?”

  “Would you like to?” Ben asked.

  She turned around, eyes round, and nodded as if he’d just asked if she’d like to ride a flying unicorn.

  “Okay, then. Let’s watch it from here.” He tried to sound nonchalant, but Carli could see he was pleased with himself—as well he should be. That was a pretty amazing offer.

  “Seriously?” Mia and Addie exclaimed in unison, their voices each raising an octave.

  “No way,” Tess added, her voice going low in disbelief.

  Ben shrugged. “Sure, it’s the Chase suite. We can use it whenever we want.”

  The three girls jumped up and down, their giggles so loud they nearly didn’t hear the soft knock on the door.

  This was the pièce de résistance of Ben’s assault of awesomeness, and he could hardly wait to open the door. All day he’d been by Carli’s side, watching her enthusiasm grow and her defenses come down. He’d reveled in the sound of her laughter, and his heart sped up every time he caught her eye, reinforcing his recent realization that he was falling for her. He’d suspected it for a while now, but having her avoid him these last two weeks just made him more certain than ever that he needed her in his life. He’d missed her like crazy since the fiasco on New Year’s Eve, and the more he tried to convince himself that what he felt for her was just biological, the more he realized it was oh-so-much more than that. If today went according to his plan, she’d realize that she was falling for him, too. God, he sure hoped she was.

  “Hey, guys,” he said, trying to calm them down for a millisecond. “There’s someone you might want to meet.”

  Ben opened the door, and in walked an enormous hulk of a man with a bald head and a sleeve of tattoos, but right behind him stood pop sensation and infamous heartthrob Nolan Hart.

  “Hi. How’s everybody doing?” Nolan stepped inside with a small wave and a surprisingly shy smile. He had swoopy blond hair and a Disney-prince jawline. Honestly, Ben had to hand it to the kid. He really was dreamy.

  A silence so complete you could have heard a feather falling against a cloud was followed by a collection of teen-girl squeals so high-pitched that Ben thought the bulletproof glass of the suite was going to shatter. The kids were shocked and amazed, and he was going to live off the goodwill benefits of this moment for years. He’d keep it in his pocket for times when Addie was giving him grief.

  “Remember that time I introduced you to Nolan Hart? Good, now go do the dishes.”

  That wasn’t why he’d gone to all this trouble, of course. He looked over at Carli and thought she might be on the verge of shattering, too. But she wasn’t staring at Nolan Hart. She was staring at Ben with a look of such joy and disbelief, he knew he’d hit the mark. Because he’d made this happen. He’d created this moment for her, and she seemed to understand that’s exactly what he’d wanted. He’d wanted to make her smile, and to make her happy.

  Tess was the first to approach the singer, her voice barely a whisper. “Hi. Um, what are you doing here?”

  Nolan chuckled and pointed at Ben. “I came in early for sound check, and this guy invited me. He said there were brownies in here and that I should come have lunch with you guys.”

  “Ohmygosh,” Addie said, hopping forward. “You should totally have lunch with us. You can have all the brownies, and the cookies, too, if you want.”

  “Just a couple of brownies ought to do,” he answered. “But thanks. So where do you guys go to school?”

  Mia and Ethan stepped forward, and before long they were all asking him questions, and he volleyed back just as many. He wasn’t much older than they were, and if you didn’t know the circumstances, you’d think they were just a group of friends hanging out on a Saturday afternoon. In a really expensive suite.

  Ben walked over to Carli, his heart racing. “So do you like the surprise?”

  She beamed up at him. “Very much. Well done.”

  “You’re welcome,” said the tattooed hulk, Nolan’s oversize bodyguard, who was just a few feet away.

  Ben laughed. “Thanks for getting him here on time, Hank.”

  “Sure thing. Thanks for the hundred bucks.”

  Carli laughed. “Is that the going rate? A hundred bucks and some free brownies?”

  Hank the Hulk nodded and plucked a cookie from the table. “Yep, as long as it’s for a good cause.”
r />   “Oh really? What’s the good cause?”

  Hank smiled and nodded toward Ben. “This guy said he’s trying to impress a lady. I’m guessing that might be you.”

  Chapter 35

  “You really didn’t have to go to all this trouble just to impress me,” Carli said later that evening as Nolan Hart sang an up-tempo yet ridiculously romantic love song from the stage and all the kids sat in rapt attention in their seats. Ben pulled Carli into the shadows in the back of the suite, then pulled her, unresisting, into his arms.

  “It wasn’t so much to impress you, although I’m certainly glad if it did. I just wanted you to know . . .” His voice faltered, and she leaned against him.

  “Wanted me to know what?”

  “That you’re special. And special to me in particular.”

  “That’s a really sweet thing to say.”

  “Well, it’s true. I know that New Year’s Eve was . . . not ideal, but for what it’s worth, I had a lot of fun spending time with you. I always have fun spending time with you.” He lifted a strand of hair from her shoulder and twirled it around his finger. “And Ethan thinks you’re pretty cool, so there’s that.”

  Carli smiled. “Oh yeah? Well, my girls have said they don’t ever want to see you in your underwear again, but in spite of that, they think you’re pretty cool, too. And besides, after this whole thing?” She gestured toward the suite. “I’m fairly certain you’ve won them over.”

  “I’m glad to hear that, but it’s not the kids’ affection I’m after. It’s yours. I could say I like you, Carli, but it’s so much more than that. I’ve been trying to make that obvious, but either I’m really bad at this or you’re really resistant.”

  She wondered if he could see her blush, even in the dim light. “I was resistant, but I think you might be starting to win me over.” He was totally winning her over. She was halfway in love with him already.