How to Woo a Single Parent

Chapter 11

September 2047

. . . . .

Three weeks passed and Chris really just moved from day to day. He taught with less enthusiasm, tried to hide himself away from the prying question of the other teachers and his family and avoided so many of the things he used to love. Everyone could see that there was something seriously wrong, he just wasn't giving anyone the chance to ask.

And Gabi was sick of it.

She, for one, had never seen Chris so down. He'd worked hard at relationships in the past, but she'd never seen him with so much patience or determination either. This time, it hadn't just been about a woman and he'd known exactly what he was getting into. This time, it had been about family, one Christ had wanted so badly.

She left the kids with Jack one night and headed to her brother's apartment. He arched an eyebrow when he opened the door and noticed her solitary presence.

"To what do I owe this kidless visit?" he inquired, even as he stepped back. He'd grown up with Gabi, of course, and he was well aware that his sister was a force to be reckoned with when on a mission. Since she had that dangerous glint in her eye, he figured it was best to just cut his losses.

"You've been moping for three weeks," Gabi answered, not even taking the time to toe off her shoes before she started her interrogation. "Which is both new and unwelcome."

Chris sighed, heading back to the living room and leaving her to shed her coat. "Well, don't sugarcoat it for me, Gabs."

She shot him an irritated look as she settled primly on his couch. "Normally, we'd all let you go about your business and no one would think twice because, well, you'll get over it, but three weeks is verging on ridiculous for the moping stage."

"Okay, first of all, I'm not moping. I have no idea who gave you that idea, but I don't mope. Two, connected to one, you took the trip out here for no reason."

Gabi arched an eyebrow. "You've been cancelling on the kids, Chris. You're at home more than you're ever at Ashley's, in fact, I haven't heard you mention her since you starting this moping phase."

"Well, congratulations," he growled, running a hand over his head. "You hit the nail on the head."

Gabi barely blinked. How many times had she watched Chris struggle through a break up? It was the moping that was really bothering her. Chris had been in other relationships, even loved before if she expressed her honest opinion. Ashley was something else altogether. "So what are you going to do?"

"What?"

"You broke up. I'm assuming it was her decision."

Chris nodded.

"So what are you going to do?"

"Leave her alone."

"Really?" Gabi cocked her head to the side. "You're in love with this woman, completely and totally in love, the same way Mama and Dad love each other and you're just going to let that go?"

"I've been in love before-"

"Don't give me that," Gabi cut in fiercely. "Don't give me that crap. She was different. She was always different. She is different."

"You don't have to convince me," he said on a sigh, "but it's not that simple, Gabs. I- I tried."

When he didn't elaborate, Gabi asked, "Tried what?"

"To get her to change her mind!" he exploded.

Gabi settled back when he stood, when he started pacing. She felt an illicit thrill of success spread through her. She was getting somewhere.

"She wanted it. She really, really wanted it, and I tried to get her to see she could have it. We could have it. We could have it all and we could have forever. But she wouldn't listen, Gabi. She couldn't see that we were already making it work, that everything had already changed, that I wasn't going anywhere."

"Anyone with a brain could see you weren't going anywhere," Gabi offered, coating it in incomprehension. In reality, she was offended on Chris' behalf.

"I know. I know. And she knew it, I know she did. You could see it. She was scared, so scared and-" he sighed. "I gave up. I spent all my time with her trying to ease her into it, to show her that she could have someone to lean on, someone who wouldn't walk away and she-"

He was choking up. Honest to goodness choking up and it startled Gabi more than it probably should have. Sure, he'd cried when they were kids, but to see him this emotionally distraught as an adult made Gabi cringe. This wasn't him. He wasn't this man. She wondered what Gabi would think if she was ever confronted with this Chris, one so torn up over their separation he was in tears.

"She lied," he went on after a moment. "She lied to me. And I asked her if it was what she wanted, if she was sure about this. She was already packing my things. I made her stop because I couldn't do it. I couldn't let her pack up my things, put them all in a box and make me walk out with Bryce there. That kid deserves everything, not seeing another man walk out of his life."

Even if it was entirely against his will, Gabi thought.

Chris plopped down on the couch. "And you know what? I got a wedding invitation in the mail today from that couple that was driving her nuts. The Bevins."

Gabi remembered the little she'd been told.

"They invited me to their wedding."

"Have you sent your RSVP?"

"No," he admitted. "I- I don't know what to do."

Gabi pondered this for a moment, taking in his dejected face, his depressed demeanor. "You're going to go."

"She'll be there."

"She will. You're going to go because what better opportunity than a wedding to show her that forever is a thing."

Chris blew out a shaky breath. "She still won't believe me."

"Would you rather not take the risk?"

His eyes were clearer when he raised them to hers. "No."

Gabi nodded. "Then you go. Plus one. Take whomever you want. Take Tessa, she's never been to a wedding. She'll love it. You don't have to stay for the reception, you don't have to socialize more than you want, but go. Go and talk to her again. Because the last thing you want is that feeling that you let her go when she didn't want you to."

. . . . .

October 2047

Dear God, Ashley thought as she peeked into the tiny chapel. He was actually here. Seriously, here.

Here, of course, was Natalia Bevin's wedding. She should have known really. Both Natalia and Quinn had taken to Chris at that first dinner. He'd been the one to encourage Natalia to put her foot down with her tyrannical mother. She should have known they'd find a way to invite him. And she should have known he would accept.

It wasn't out of narcissism or presumption either. Chris believed in true love. Plain and simple. The idea that Natalia had overcome the overbearing Bevin matriarch to have her happily-ever-after with the man she loved would tug on those romantic heartstrings. She wouldn't be surprised if he'd taken one look at the invitation and excepted on that alone.

Regardless, seeing him made her chest ache.

It had been a month. Just a month. A measly four weeks. She'd known when she'd broken it off that he would be hard to get over, but this had been something else entirely. She ping-ponged between gladness and utter despair because Chris had managed to entrench himself so completely in her life and in her son's life that it was more than a discernable absence. It was stark pain every time she looked at the crafts he'd done with Bryce. Every time she opened her closet to find it half empty. Every time she found a recipe that he'd left behind.

She felt broken, but more than that she felt weak. It wasn't a normal position for her. She was strong, because she had to be, because she had a son that relied on her. Said son was also barely speaking to her, even after a month, but Ashley had vaguely anticipated that. It sure as hell didn't make her feel less alone.

"There you are!"

Ashley spun quickly. Natalia was there, in a simple white dress that she'd picked out herself at a tiny little boutique in Georgetown. Immediately, she pasted on the best smile she could. "You look gorgeous. Quinn won't be able to look anywhere else."

"Of course not," Natalia said with a confident wave. She knew her almost-husband wasn't going anywhere, and Ashley could tell by the joy sparkling in the bride's eyes Natalia was sure in it for the long haul.

Whatever the hell that meant.

"Is something wrong?"

Natalia seemed to both pause and consider her, like she was nervous about what was about to come out of her mouth, but determined to say it nonetheless. "You've done a lot for me here. You've been through a lot with me in these last two months. You're utterly indispensible."

"Thanks," Ashley said tentatively.

"I like to think we're friends. Or at least we could be friends."

Ashley thought so too, now that Sydney Bevin wasn't hanging over her head. "Yes."

Natalia nodded once. "Then I'm going to say something that a friend would say." She gathered herself. "You look like hell. And I think I know why."

Ashley's stomach flipped. She had a sinking feeling she didn't like where this was going. "You do."

"Of course I do." Natalia rolled her eyes. "You've been like this for a month. Which means something happened. And since you've not spoken of Chris in those four weeks, nor have I seen you as surgically attached to your phone as you were when you were juggling him and your absolutely adorable son, I'm betting he broke up with you."

Ashley gritted her teeth, but said nothing. She didn't want to talk about it. She hadn't wanted to talk about it with anyone. Least of all Natalia at the other woman's wedding with the man in question just inside the sanctuary doors.

"He's in there. He sent is RSVP and a plus one. And I'm sorry because I didn't know. It took me a while to figure it out."

"Don't worry about me," Ashley said gamely, reaching out and readjusting the veil, just for something to do with her hands. "You're getting married today. That's what matters."

Natalia huffed. "What matters is that everyone has a good time. Quinn and I would have been happy at a courthouse. I like this better, but still."

Yeah, Ashley got the point and that vibe.

"And if you're going to mope around for my whole wedding I'll get Quinn to ask him to leave."

"No," Ashley replied, immediate and firm. She wasn't going to add drama to this day. She didn't have to speak with Chris. She wouldn't really have to interact with him at all. "This is your wedding. It's not about me."

"Are you sure? It's no problem. What an ass."

She was the ass and she knew it. She wasn't naïve enough to think that her current state of affairs didn't like on her shoulders. She'd made her bed and while Washington was a big city, the circles she ran in, she was pretty sure she'd be running into extended members of his family at some point. He wasn't just going to disappear, even if she wanted him to. And she was more mature than that.

Steadfastly ignoring the pounding of her heart, she forced a brighter smile. "It's your day, Natalia. Let's focus on that."

She was saved from further discussion by the father of the bride, beaming and proud as he stepped up beside his daughter. "Ready, Pumpkin?"

Natalia transformed completely, her face bursting with the love and joy the day was supposed to represent. "Definitely."

She slipped into a back pew as Natalia made her way up the aisle, her eyes finding the back of Chris' head despite herself. She took a deep breath, forcing her heartrate down. She could do this.

She could do this.


One more chapter, then I can check Chris off my list. Which is cool 'cause there's this cute little one shot I've started based on an imagineyourotp prompt on Tumblr and I've been wired about it. Kept it back because this wasn't finished yet.

BUT, for those of you who care, the next chapter is close to complete! Much more than this was. I couldn't get a handle on that first scene then there was a whole battle between whether or not I was going to actually write Ashley's POV for that September, but it fit with the October and the wedding... *sigh* I shall not bore you with the perils of writing.

Thanks for reading!