I frowned at the phone when it rang, the caller ID giving me the name of my alma mater.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hi, Samantha," Scott replied. I glanced at the clock and did the math quickly.

"You're calling awfully early, it's just past noon here. School just let out?"

"Yeah, a bit ago. I just got out of a meeting with the principal," Scott was teaching math at our old high school. I grinned.

"You didn't blow up a toilet again, did you?" He laughed at our old private joke. He had never blown up a toilet, but my father had once told us that someone (he claimed that it was his ex-wife's brother) would drop cherry bombs into the upstairs toilets back in the day. After that, anyone who went to any of the principals had 'blown up a toilet'.

"No, no. Nothing like that. My contract was up at the end of the year, and we were meeting about that."

"It's been two years already?" I took the phone into the playroom and curled up on the couch with the phone.

"It has," Scott assured me.

"Wow. I've been living out here for nearly two years already," I looked out the window at the palm trees that lined the backyard.

Scott gave me a moment to myself.

"Sorry. So how'd the meeting go?" I asked.

"Very well. They're renewing my contract for another two years," he responded.

"That's awesome! You going to celebrate?"

"Maybe on Friday. Go out with a few friends for drinks."

"Sounds like a good time."

"Yeah, we usually have a good time. Listen, I called to ask you about the plans for the summer. My summer job is gone and I don't know if I'd be able to have the kids here while I'm looking for a new one and everything."

I sighed and rubbed my face. "Scott, you barely see them as it is. We all agreed when Josh and I moved out here that you get custody of them for the summers since I had them for the school year."

"I know, Sam. But I can't do it this year." We both went silent for a long moment.

"Come out here then," the invitation slipped out of my mouth before I had even thought it. Scott laughed.

"I can't afford to head off to Los Angles for the summer. Like most people, I have to work."

"Don't go there," I replied quietly. He didn't answer for a second.

"How is LA?"

"Hot. Sunny. Like July on steroids. I think I miss the snow sometimes." Scott laughed.

"Then you don't remember winter correctly."

"Suppose so. So what do you say? Coming out here then? You don't have to stay the whole eight weeks or whatever. As long as you want to though, you're welcome to come."

"I don't know, Sam."

"We'll pay for your tickets, pick you up at the airport, the whole shebang. All you'll have to do is pack," I tempted him.

"Wouldn't it be akward?"

"With who? Josh? He won't mind. What's happened in the past is the past."

"Alight, I'll think about it. I've got to go, I'm on a school phone. Can't be spending hours on it calling California."

"Yeah. Let me know what you decide. Later." Scott and I hung up. After replacing the phone on the charger, I headed into the studio. Josh looked up from his book as I walked in.

"You're cool if Scott comes out here for the summer, right?"

Josh's head creased as he wrinkled his nose. "What?"

I subconsciously nibbled on a fingernail. "I kind of invited him just now. Told him we'd pay for his tickets too."

Josh just stared at me.

"He was telling me he didn't know if he could have Celine and Scottie this summer. I had to do something. He never gets to spend time with him."

"I see," Josh studied me. "We paying for his hotel, too?"

"Well....I was thinking he could have the spare room." Josh raised his eyebrows. "It's not like I'd be creeping in there at night or something," I pointed out. "I only care for him as the father of my children."

"I know," Josh started. "Yeah, it's fine with me."

I gave him a smile, crossed the room and kissed the top of his head.

"What's this for?" he asked as I started to pull away.

"Because I love you."

He caught my hand and pulled it gently. I moved to stand next to him. He kissed the back of my hand and squeezed it. "I love you too."

I left the studio, leaning against the door for a moment, going ovoer the mental to-do list I had for the remainder of nap time.