The Wright One

HANNAH

I knew when I found out that it was Justin’s business that I should have just backed out. Even if it is getting harder to find a job in this town. I can’t help my mother without a job. That is the only thing that brought me to that interview or made me apply in the first place. I never wanted Justin to find out about Caden. As far as Caden knows, his father is gone. That is all he ever needs to know. Justin would have never wanted him in the first place. At least not then. I can’t say that I know him now after eight years, but still. Justin cared too much about his reputation and everything that was going on with all his friends that he didn’t even acknowledge me at school. It always made me feel like some secret. I quickly learned that was all I was. I didn’t want that for Caden.

Caden looks up at me surprised as I take his arm to take him out of the office. “Did you get the job mom?” He wasn’t listening in, thank God. With his headphones for his game in, he didn’t hear anything that we had to say.

I smile down at him. “This one just isn’t a good fit. I am sure the next one will be the best job ever.” I definitely do not want to explain more. I know that things might change and Justin may want to meet Caden, but I am not going to bring that up until I know for sure. I don’t want to get his hopes up.

He smiles up at me. “Ok, mom.” He always accepts everything that I say. Even when things are at their bleakest he takes what I say with a smile on his face. I love this little boy and I will be damned if that will change because of Justin Wright.

I honestly wish I could just get ahead so that I can be able to spend more time with him. I have worked his whole life. When he was a baby I was going to school and work. I did as much from home as I could, but that wasn’t always possible. I just feel like I have been failing him his whole life.

I could have done the bitch thing years ago and told Justin, then have him paying child support and easing my burden a little bit. But I always felt this was more on me then him. Don’t ask me why it doesn’t make sense, but that is how I felt. I guess since I was the smarter of the two of us. Not that Justin is stupid. We used protection, we just obviously didn’t notice that it had a hole or something. Because that is the only explanation that I can come up with.

And damn him for still being so damn attractive. While I am stuck with stretch marks and worry lines. That isn’t fair. I still had to catch my breath when I saw him. Why after all these years does he have to affect me so much? It’s not fair. He probably never even thought of me. I was probably just some footnote to his high school experience that he never even thinks about.

Caden pulls my hand. “Mom, can we go to the park?”

Shaking myself out of my head. I nod to him. “Yeah, that is a great idea.” We walk to the park from the office. We actually walked the eight blocks here. I figured it was better than wasting the gas money to get here. Every penny right? Seems stupid when I know how much money his dad has, but I am not going to take anything from him. I can do it on my own. Even if I have to bag groceries. Which is actually my next interview. Not the most prominent job out there. But it is what I can get. Or at least what I hope I can get.

When Caden sees the park he starts to pull out of my hand. “Just stay where I can see you. If you can’t see me then you have gone too far.”Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“Ok mom.” He runs off. He has so much energy. He reminds me of his dad when he acts like this. His dad was always on the go.

Watching him like this, I know I am making the right choice. We weren’t living in the best neighborhood in Fairview. I couldn’t let him play at the park because it was full of people not doing the best things in the world. This right here makes this move mean so much more to me. Sure I have to live with my mom, but this is what is best for us all. My mom needs help and I need a safe place to raise my son. I am sure I can make this work. No matter how hard it is.

I take a seat on a vacant bench and watch Caden play with some other kids his own age. They are in a game of tag and it looks like he is having so much fun. Someone takes a seat on the other end of the bench and I don’t pay any attention because I am just watching my son. It’s a public park so it could be anyone.

It isn’t until he starts talking to me that I take notice of him. “Which one is your boy?” Not sure how he knew I had a boy except that I am watching a bunch of boys play.

I look over at him and see an attractive man. He’s a little older than me but not too old. He is smiling at me. “Um, the one in the blue shirt.” He looks pretty well put together. His t-shirt tight and his jeans clean and not with all those tears that people do these days. I find it tacky. But what do I know about fashion?

He nods. “Mine is the one in the yellow shirt.” I look and I see the boy with the yellow shirt, he has a big grin on his face and he is chasing Caden up the stairs to the playground.

“He seems happy.” I say. I have no idea what else I am supposed to say. I mean I don’t know him or his son.

“Yeah, he loves the park. I don’t get him out as much as I like.” He’s watching me, it’s while we are talking so I don’t think it’s too weird. I am just not so sure why he is talking to me in the first place.

I nod. “Yeah, me too. I love taking Caden to the park but it just seems like it’s always the wrong time.”

He turns more on the bench so he is facing me. “Maybe we could arrange playdates. That way we can work together to get the kids to the park. They seem to be getting along great.”

Now, to me this sounds weird. We don’t know each other. I am not just going to let him just take my son to the park. I just nod to be polite. “Um, sure. We shall see.”

He backs off a little. “Crap. I just sounded like a creep didn’t I?”

I shrug. “Yeah, a little bit.”

He blushes a little. “Honestly I thought you were cute and I was using my kid as a way to ask you out.” He didn’t seem to have as much shame in that as I would think he should.

I laugh. “Really?”

“Yep. I know, cringe or whatever the kids say these days.” He takes a deep breath. “My name is Cole. What’s yours?” He puts his hand out for me to shake.

I take his hand with a small smile. “Hannah.” Just as I am pulling my hand back my phone starts vibrating. I look down and I don’t have the number saved, so I put my finger up to Cole to let him know that I need a minute. “Hello, this is Hannah.” I use my sweet business voice, because I am really hoping it is a call back from an interview. Maybe someone changed their mind.

“Hannah, I think we need to talk.” It’s not a call back. It’s Justin. Not so sure I am happy to hear his voice right now. But I have no idea what he is going to say.

My voice changes in a second. “I think it would be best if you just forget I ever came to the office today. It would be best for everyone.”

“Hannah, you can’t do that to me. I have rights too. You can’t just keep him from me. Even if you hate my guts you can’t do that to me.” He sounds like he is lost. I hate hearing him like that. Justin was never lost. He would always plow through even if he had no idea what the hell he was doing. He was sure of it.

“Just, I don’t know. Just let’s talk about this later.” I don’t want to start crying in the park in front of this perfect stranger that I was talking to a second ago.

“Can I talk to you tomorrow?”

“I am busy tomorrow.” I do have an interview tomorrow, but I could make time to see him. I just need time to deal with this.

Plus it is not lost on me that Cole is sitting next to me watching my one sided conversation.

Justin must sense my unease because he sighs. “Hannah, please just call me when you are ready, but if I don’t hear from you in the next couple of days, I am hunting you down and you know I will do it.” He will. He was never one to back down from anything. He would head straight into a fire if he knew that was what he needed to do. That was what I always liked about him. No matter how hard something was, he did what he needed to do.

“I think it would be best to just not.” I know it is pointless to say this. Justin will do whatever the hell he wants.

“I’m not letting this go. Don’t fight me on this, the sooner you accept it the better it is for everyone.” I do know him. He is like a dog with a bone when he is after something. I am sure eight years hasn’t changed that.

“Fine, I’ll call you tomorrow.” I sigh in defeat.

“You better.” It isn’t rude but a little like he is gloating.

“Bye.” I watch as Caden runs past me with his new little friend. How am I going to explain this to him? I honestly thought he would just accept my way out. I should have known that Justin was a stubborn asshole.

I set my phone back down and Cole waves his hand in front of my face. “Are you alright?”

I sigh. “Yeah, just bad news.”

He laughs a little. “It sounded like you were talking to an ex or something.”

“Or something.” I mutter. “It’s Caden’s dad. Only Caden doesn’t know who he is, it’s complicated.” I don’t know if I should go into any of this with Cole. I don’t really know him.

He leans back on the bench. “Is he a bad guy or something?”

I quickly shake my head. “Oh, no nothing like that. He’s a great guy. A bit full of himself, but he’s not bad.”

He looks confused. “Then why are you keeping his son from him?”

“Because he is the type of guy to drop everything for family. It’s just never a good time to tell him. I don’t want him to have to change his life for Caden. Only he found out and he doesn’t want to back off. He wants to know him. I can’t really blame him. But what we had was a mistake. It’s not something that either of us intended. I just never wanted him to be held back because of it.” Yep, here I am pouring myself out to this guy that I just met at the park. Can I get any lower?

He nods. “Oh, I see, a one night stand that lasted longer than it was supposed to.”

“Yeah. We were in high school. It wasn’t a good time. He had a future and I was going to be lucky to make it to college. So I made the choice to take it all on myself. I don’t regret it. I just wonder sometimes if it is hurting Caden.” I look up at him. He is laughing and rolling on the grass after him and another kid got tagged by Cole’s son at the same time.

He leans forward again. “Look, I know it is none of my business. You literally just met me. But I am kind of in the same boat. Only the man’s side of things. We had a one night fling and it turned into Brodie. I love Brodie, but I’m not in love with his mother. Never was. We are co-parents. Which is ok, but it’s hard sometimes too. But I will tell you this, I would never trade a minute I have with Brodie for anything. I didn’t know about Brodie for a couple of years. Then his mom got in a tight spot and needed some help. She called me and we worked it out together. It works, not the best thing in the world. Maybe this guy just wants a chance to be a good dad.”

I nod. “Maybe you’re right. I just want a little time to think about it. I don’t want to throw a wrench in his life. He has so much going on right now it would just be too much to add this on too.” It could deter from the business that he is trying to start and cause him trouble that he doesn’t need right now. Justin just has too much on his plate.

He smiles. “I think that ship has sailed. It might be better to just jump in the ocean at this point.” He passes me his phone. “Put your number in there. I promise I’ll just be an ear for you to talk to. If you ever want to go out, you can call me too. But for now, I know you need a friend. Someone who will understand.”

I smile. “That would be nice.” I take his phone from his hand. Putting my number in it before I can doubt myself.”

He takes his phone back. “Do you believe in fate?”

I laugh and shake my head. “No.”

He smiles. “Well, even if you don’t, I think it is perfect timing that we met right now. Right when you needed someone to talk about this. So, I believe it is fate.”

I giggle. “So, what does that mean?”

“It means either I am going to be your new best friend. Or you will take me up on my offer of a date.” He smiles confidently.

I shake my head. “You are pretty sure of yourself aren’t you?”

“Mostly, but there is doubt. It all depends on how the cards play out.”

Caden runs up to me, out of breath and the happiest grin I have ever seen on his face. “Mom, can we come and play with Brodie tomorrow?”

I smile. “I’ll see what we can do.”

Brodie looks over at his dad. “Can we dad?”

Cole leans back. “I’m sure we can work something out. I’ll call Caden’s mom and we can do something.”

Brodie and Caden both do this little happy shuffle with fists in the air and then they run off again.

Cole and I both laugh. I guess he is right about one thing. I do need a friend who would understand right now.