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In another life I should be getting married and acting like an adult. Instead I’m stalking an eighteen-year-old and leaving notes on his car. What has become of my life? “Okay, but do not leave me. No matter what, okay?”
    “I won’t, promise.”
    I get out and run to his car, thankfully parked in the street. I lift up the windshield wiper and, “Crap!” I shout. The envelope blows out of my hands and lands under the car. I’m going to lose my job. And my reputation and all sense of face I’ve ever, ever had.
    “Hurry,” Finley whisper shouts from the car and I’m on my knees reaching for the stupid en velope. I grab it and tuck it in the windshield, running back to the car like my pants are on fire.
    “Go! Go! Go!”
    Finley guns the car, peeling out of the cul-de-sac the squeal of her wheels drowning out our laughter.
     
     
     

 
    Chapter 10
    Betsy asked me to babysit while she and her husband have a ‘date night’.
    I agree because, sadly, I haven’t had a date in months and have little else to do during my time off. I try not to let it bother me. Being single is part of learning who I am after so many years of being part of a couple, but really, I’m starting to get horny. Okay, I’m past starting. I am horny.
    “I think that’s enough,” I say to Claire. We’re at the yogurt place and she’s piled three flavors into her cup. “You won’t have any room for toppings.”
    I pay at the counter and follow the girls outside. This place is nice and has a big patio, and the girls like to sit on the benches against the window. I take a seat at a small table and frown at my cup. It’s hot out here and my yogurt has already melted. Tiny gummy bears drown in the muddy chocolate.
    The chair next to mine scraps against the cement and I look up.
    Aqua-Man.
    “Hey,” he says, plopping into the seat. I grunt back because I’ve got a mouth full of gummies and yogurt.
    “I saw you sitting over here.”
    I swallow. “How you feeling?”
    “Better. Man, I’ m not doing that again.”
    “Yes , you will, but at least now you know how to make it go away.”
    “Where did you lean such magical knowledge?” he asks.
    I hold up my pink spoon like a wand. “I’m a wise woman. It comes with age.”
    He licks his lips and stares at me with that look he gave me before, the one he gave me after we kissed and boy, do I want to do it again. I want to taste the sweet sugar lingering on his mouth and run my hand through his hair and to see him naked.
    He looks over at the girls. “So you guys are just hanging out?”
    “Yep, big night. Yogurt and Disney movies.”
    “Sounds fun.” He smiles wide and for a split second I almost ask him to come with us, but that must just be the intoxication I feel from his nearness.
    “What about you?”
    “Carter!” A girl shouts his name and we both look up. I see now that he’s here with a group of other kids and I feel incredibly stupid. And old.
    “Just chillin’ with my friends. We’re going to a party later. See you tomorrow?” He’s halfway out of his chair. “Oh,” he says. “I like your hair like that. Down. I’ve never seen it that way before.”
    I nod, afraid to open my mouth. He walks past Claire and Harper, tugging on both of their ponytails. They giggle at his attention, knowing it makes them special. When he joins his friends, I focus back on my yogurt, pretending that my stomach isn’t in knots over some kid.
    *
    “God, he’s bouncing off the damn wall,” Finley says, lowering her glasses like she needs to see this in real-time or something.
    Aqua-Man, it seems, has some pent up energy.
    “He’s been moving non-stop for ten minutes.” As if on cue, he bounces off the board in some kind of wild, uncontrolled dive. He disappears under the water and emerges on the shallow end of the pool where he immediately starts rough housing with some kids.
    “Jesus,” I say. His energy is making me crazy. It’s like lightning bolts shooting off his