“I wanted to see you.”
Youas in Mia and Arne, or just Mia?
“Arne is in school.”
“We could do dinner, the three of us.When you’re off work, that is.”
Now I had to let Mia leave or look like a jerk.“I’m good if you want to go, Mia.”
“Let me make sure everything is ready.”She went through the front door, the screen slamming behind her.There was nothing she needed to do, but if she wanted to prove a point to this guy, I wouldn’t get in her way.On the other hand, I had no desire to spend more time with him.
I stepped toward the porch, then he held out his hand.I stopped.I wasn’t supposed to risk my hand, but if this guy wanted to prove something…
“You hurt her, really badly,” he said.I froze.“When you left, it almost destroyed her.”
Not just her.I bit back telling him it was none of his damn business, but it was, wasn’t it?If it affected the woman he’d apparently loved and had a child with.
“I asked her to come with me,” I growled.
“But her family, right?”
I nodded, slowly.I didn’t want anything in common with the guy, but yeah.Her family.
“They’re damned leeches.I couldn’t take it anymore.”
So that was twice now Mia had lost a relationship because of them.
Erik shot a glance at the house, where Mia would soon emerge.“I wanted her and Arne to come to LA with me.She said no.”
“You had to go?”I wasn’t sure what made him leave.
He looked over the street.“It was my job.I wanted to be an actor, like you wanted to play hockey.”
“I didn’t want to play hockey.At least, not enough to go.My family needed the money.”Yeah, I hadn’t gone just because I wanted to be a hotshot hockey player or actor.
His cheeks were a little pink.“Fucking families.”
I might not like the guy, but I couldn’t argue with him.
Mia
Arne’s face lit up when he saw Erik waiting with me at the bus stop.
“Daddy!”
Erik pulled him into a hug.“Great to see you, Arnester!”
It was difficult not to resent how Erik got smiles and hugs but didn’t have to deal with the everyday problems, including money.But I refused to hurt Arne by telling him everything.It was hard enough that he rarely saw Erik.Arne’s needs before mine.
When Erik released him and we turned to the house, Arne asked, “What are you doing here?How long are you staying?”
Erik flinched and a part of me saidgood.Arne didn’t expect him to be here permanently because he never was.
“I’m shooting a TV series in Vancouver, so I’m around for a while.”
Arne considered.“A grown-up one or a kid’s one?”
“Ah, a grown-up one.”