Better Than Before (RightMatch.com Trilogy) Read Free Page A

of her life, when she could be with her kids and enjoy them.
    Given that, she felt a bit bad of for starting a new job tonight at an upscale restaurant run by her best friend, Julia. Annie had planned to get a second job once she finished her graduate work. But after a vacancy on the staff had opened up, she’d had to take the spot before she finished her classes. Waitresses at Julia’s café made a good amount of money. That money would tide her over until she got the next thing she wanted most in life, a full-time, teaching job. As it was March, she’d already sent in applications.
    Alex sauntered in and dropped onto the couch next to her, his adolescent body gangly and awkward. She mourned the loss of his childhood. And she was worried about him. For the past few weeks, he’d been sullen, cranky even, which wasn’t like him. Her ex, Keith, thought his moods swings were because he was approaching puberty, but Annie sensed more was bothering him. He wouldn’t talk about it, though, when she’d questioned him.
     “How you doing?” she asked, mussing his hair, the same shade and texture as his father’s.
    “Okay. We gotta go to school this afternoon?”
    “Of course, why wouldn’t you?”
    “I dunno.” He stood. “I’m going outside and toss my ball around.” Alex loved baseball and hoped to try out for the seventh-grade team next year.
    “Put a jacket on honey. It’s cool out today.”
    For once, he didn’t argue and grabbed a sweatshirt from the arm of the couch.
    “Want me to pitch to you?”
    He assumed a male indulgent expression. How had he learned that so soon? “You throw like a girl, Mom.”
    “You can play for real with your dad tonight when you go over to his house.” The kids spent Wednesdays and every other weekend with Keith. He’d been a lousy husband, but he was a good father and rarely missed a set time with them. “Meanwhile, you could give me a chance.” She smiled at him. “I’ve been practicing.”
    When Alex agreed, Hope stood. “I’m coming, too, Mommy. You can play with me in the sandbox afterwards.”
    Willing away her fatigue, Annie followed them out, the dog in tow. Alex took up position at one end of the big backyard near a huge oak tree. Hope crossed to the sandbox, which Annie had filled yesterday with white sand. It was early in the season for that, but Hope had asked for it. Nudging away from all of them, Jake settled in the shade.
    Annie had improved, as she’d indeed been practicing with Julia’s boys, and made several acceptable catches. Her pitching wasn’t bad either. One caught a strike.
    “Hey, Mom!” Alex seemed startled. “You did great.”
    “I told you I was better.”
    After fifteen minutes of play, Alex lost interest. He’d taken a seat at one of the umbrella tables with his Game Boy, so she walked over to the sandbox. “Ready for a castle?”
    “Uh-huh. I got out the molds for it.”
    First Annie went to the house, turned on the water, then returned to Hope. Annie was really getting tired now, and the ache between her shoulder blades bordered on painful. “You make the turrets, Mommy.”
    Holding up the hose, she said, “That’s why I got this, sweetie.”
    Five turrets and one fairly lopsided castle later, Annie checked her watch. “Time to go inside and clean up, guys. Then I’ll fix you lunch.”
    “Will you take us to school, Mom?” Alex asked. “The bus is so lame.”
    “Sure.” Then she could get some sleep.
    Just as the kids got inside, the cell phone in her pocket rang. She kept it with her in case one of the principals called about one of the jobs she’d applied for. Sinking onto the padded chair Alex had vacated, she put her head back against the cushion and answered. “Hello.”
    “Annie?”
    She didn’t recognize the male voice. “Yes, this is she.”
    “It’s Spence.”
    Oh. Oh! “Spence, from online?”
    “Uh-huh.”
     Suddenly energized, she sat up straighter and tried to calm her pulse. “Hi.”
    “You