The Divorce Club by Jayde Scott Page B

her
messages and she not acknowledging them. I snap into professional
mode, because that's what he signed up.
    "You must be Chloe," I say as I walk toward
them, holding out my hand. "I'm Sarah."
    Chloe gazes at me for a moment, then shakes
it lightly, surprised. "You know who I am?"
    "Jamie's told me so much about you." My laugh
sounds superficial, alien in my ears.
    "I hope he left out the bad things," Chloe
says.
    Jamie grabs my upper arm and gives it a light
squeeze as he pulls me back from the door. "Actually, Chloe was
about to leave, weren't you?"
    I see how he squints at her. He's sending
another message, but will she listen? Holding my breath, I peer at
her and notice how she glances from Jamie to me and then back to
Jamie. She could be starting to shout and swear any second now, but
at least a minute passes and nothing happens. Whatever she's
thinking she's doing a great job at keeping her composure.
    Eventually she winks and says, "Talk to you
later, then. It was nice meeting you, Sarah."
    "My pleasure," I say as she walks down the
path, then disappears from sight. Jamie slams the door, jaw set,
and accompanies me back to the living room.
    I touch his forearm. "Are you okay?"
    Jamie nods. "Just a bit shaken. Listen, why
don't we go to the cinema tomorrow? I don't feel like being on my
own."
    Pulling back, I brush imaginary fuzz from my
jeans. "Uh, sure, why not?"
    "Great. I'll pick you up. Let's say
seven?"
    I cock my head and shoot him a doubtful
glance because I don't like where this is going. My heartbeat
speeds up again. I must be imagining things. As a single divorcee,
talking to men seems weird and awkward, but one of them actually
showing interest is too much for me. It's not that I don't find him
attractive; it's just that I'm not like I used to be when I dated
Greg. My body's changed after giving birth, and I'm no longer the
happy-go-lucky twenty-something whose only responsibility is to
ensure she doesn't miss the after-Christmas sale. Besides, I
haven't dated in years. What do women wear nowadays? How are they
supposed to behave around men? I don't want to do this and yet I
hear myself say, "Maybe a bit earlier, or I'll have to find a
babysitter."
    "Why doesn't Sam come along?" Jamie jumps up
and retrieves a remote control, then presses a button. A glass
window slides open on the other side of the wall, revealing a huge
plasma TV. I wonder whether he's about to fall into a motionless TV
coma now to signal the end of the conversation when a cultural
webpage pops up. "She's thirteen, isn't she?"
    "Yes." So I was imagining things. He's just
lonely and trying to amass a clique after Chloe persuaded all their
friends to take her side. I clear my throat and peer at the various
film titles as he scrolls through them.
    "This sounds like something she might like."
Grinning, he highlights a title and I nod even though I'm not
paying attention. Unless, he's bipolar or overplaying his true
feelings, how can he change moods so quickly? "We could go to McDonald's afterwards. Kids like that."
    "She's more into pizza," I say.
    "Pizza, then."
    "I've got to go. Thanks for the coffee and
cake." Grabbing my bag, I jump up and head for the door without
waiting for his reply.
    He catches up with me before I've even
reached the hall. "Oh, come on. You just got here."
    "You're not ready for this."
    "I'm not ready for what?"
    Sighing, I turn to face him. "For the club,
for my services. What else?"
    "Oh." He seems taken aback, even contrite, as
though it's not what he wanted to hear. "Sarah—"
    "Yes?" Our gazes lock. For a brief moment I
hold my breath, waiting for what he has to say.
    Jamie breaks off first. "Thanks for sorting
things out with Chloe. I really appreciate it. She might've made a
scene without you here. I'm so grateful you saved me from
that."
    "It's my job, but you're welcome." A pang of
regret hits me. What did I expect? That he'd ask because he wants
me? The guy is off limits; I knew it all along. But that