The Switch by Heather Justesen

really so naïve I had no idea what was going on in our home.” Tears prickled Tia’s eyes and she willed them away. She was tired and vulnerable, which meant it was time to leave. “I better take the girls home.” She stood and Danny joined her, stopping her with a light touch to her shoulder before she could move to the kitchen to collect her things.
    “I’m glad you came over.” Danny searched her face. “I’d like to see you again sometime.”
    Her heart fluttered again at his words, part of her longing to shout out her agreement. The rest of her wasn’t ready to get involved with someone. She really liked him and wasn’t sure they could keep it casual. The emotions he stirred up in her definitely weren’t platonic. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”
    “Why not? Didn’t you have a good time? The girls seem content.” His eyes switched to flit over them before returning to her face, a smile growing on his mouth. “Besides, you need to give me a chance to weasel the pie recipe out of you.”
    Tia chuckled. “You don’t have to spend time with me to manage that. Watch my show on Thursday and you’ll get it all step by step.”
    “That’s something anyway,” Danny murmured low so she doubted Samantha could hear him. “But it’s not quite enough.”
    His request was more tempting than she wanted to admit. “I think I’ve got plenty going on right now without throwing a relationship into the mix.”
    “Maybe you’re right.” But he didn’t look convinced. Danny moved to the kitchen and picked up her pie plate with the two remaining pieces. “I make a great friend. If you change your mind, you know how to reach me.”
    Tia seriously doubted he’d be contented with friendship for long. Or that she would. “You can keep those last two pieces if you like. I do need the dish back, though.”
    With a grin he pulled a plate from the cupboard and slid the rest of the pie onto it. “If you insist, who am I to argue?” He washed the pie pan and Tia moved to gather their things.
    As she pulled out of his parking lot a few minutes later, Tia told herself she’d made the right decision, even though she couldn’t help wondering what might have happened if she’d agreed to go out with him.

Eight
    Tia arrived home to find Mona on her doorstep, tapping her toes. Though she wanted to snarl, Tia composed herself and greeted pleasantly, “Hello, Mom.”
    “Where have you been?” When Tia didn’t respond, Mona asked, “Are you going to let me hold my grandbaby?”
    Glad to put the confrontation off for a few more minutes when she still had Danny’s smile lingering in her mind, Tia passed Tristi to Mona.
    They went through the evening routine, getting the girls through baths, stories, prayers, and into bed. Tia was amazed Mona managed to hold her tongue until the girls were tucked in for the night.
    When they sat in the living room afterward, however, the politeness came to an end. “Where were you? I waited for over an hour,” Mona complained.
    “I told you I had plans.” Tia fidgeted with a bottle of water from the fridge, grateful to have something to hold.
    “I thought you made that up.” Mona’s eyes narrowed, studying her.
    Irritation rushed through Tia. “You were wrong.”
    Mona clasped her hands on her lap in the way she always did when she was tired of being put off. “Where were you? I called Nichole and she said you weren’t over there.”
    “I wasn’t.”
    “Obviously. You wouldn’t have driven across the street.”
    Tia didn’t feel like explaining her actions. Telling Mona that she had enjoyed dinner with a handsome man would only prolong the conversation. “I was going to call you tomorrow.”
    “I know you were, but you know as well as I do, you won’t be able to see my face over the phone, so you won’t believe me when I tell you the truth.”
    Surprised at her mother’s comment, and thinking she was probably right, Tia nodded. Though she was not entirely