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Ever since he’d seen Jordan’s name on my phone screen three nights ago, he’d been standoffish and short. Still polite, but at a distance. Even after his television interview yesterday, which had gone so well I couldn’t help but hug him when it was over, he’d merely stood there, arms at his sides. As if he didn’t want me touching him.
He opened the door for me, murmuring a quiet, “Be safe.”
I tried for one more smile before heading outside to settle into Jordan’s passenger seat. As I clicked my seat belt, I noted Liam still standing at the door, watching.
“You look sexy as shit,” Jordan said, drawing my attention away from Liam.
“Sexy as shit. Always what I’d hoped to hear,” I joked, and he toyed with a lock of my hair, tugging on it.
“You want a love poem instead?”
“It wouldn’t hurt.”
“Sorry, baby. You know I’m not good with words.” He pulled away from the curb and settled his right hand on my thigh. “I’m starving. If you woulda taken any longer, I would’ve gone inside and thrown you over my shoulder.”
I ignored that comment and asked, “How was the drive down?”
Jordan lived in the Poconos, about two hours away. I still couldn’t believe he volunteered to make the drive. “I can’t wait until you’re done down here, and you can move back with me.”
I’d given him no indication that I wanted to move back to the Poconos, let alone in with him, but instead of starting this date off on the wrong foot, I avoided the topic entirely and asked him about his upcoming snowboarding season on the mountain. Over dinner, he asked about my show and sat patiently while I showed him pictures of Finn from my phone.
“Who’s that?” he asked, pointing to Liam. “The kid’s dad?”
“Yep.” I quickly swiped left to the next picture of Finn and me at the park.
“You’re gonna be a good mom,” he told me once I put my phone away.
I wrinkled my nose. Jordan and I hadn’t talked a whole lot about the future, but when we did, it was never about kids. “I’m not sure I want to have kids.”
He jerked back. “Since when?”
“Since…” I shrugged. “A long time, I guess.”
“Why didn’t you ever tell me?”
“It never came up.”
He sighed as if I was the cause of all his problems. “Wow.”
“That a deal-breaker for you?” I asked, trying not to sound hopeful. I wasn’t good at breaking up with people…not that I was breaking up with him. We weren’t even in a relationship, but I didn’t like hurting anyone’s feelings.
Jordan shrugged and stood up. “You wanna go to a bar or something?”
“I should head back.”
His brow crimped. “Really? It’s not even ten o’clock.”
“Yeah, I know, but I’m really tired.”
“From doing what?” He huffed. “You didn’t do anything today.”
It was true. I’d spent the day lazing in my bed while Liam and Finn ran errands. I always had the weekends off, and while I knew I could do whatever I wanted, I liked being there. Beinghome.
“I have a lot going on, and I’m tired.”
Jordan rolled his eyes. “Too tired to spend time with me? Come on, I’ve been waiting so long, and now you’re gonna ditch me? After I came all the way down here?”
Rather than answer and piss him off more, I put on my jacket, and swung my purse over my shoulders. We walked out to the car in silence, but by the time he was back behind the wheel, he seemed in a better mood, talking about his friends and a party they threw the other week that got out of hand. The cops ended up being called. He thought it was hilarious. I thought it was stupid.
