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“Can you make them look like footballs?” Oliver asked.
“Ooh. Or a flower? I want a flower,” Olivia said.
“I think I can knock that out.”
“Really?” I asked, intrigued.
Nathan ladled some of the batter. The griddle sizzled and smoked as he formed the shape.
“I have this girl living with me who refuses to eat traditionally shaped pancakes, even though I know she eats them for everyone else. I’ve seen her do it.” He glanced up. “I’ve had to get creative so she doesn’t starve.”
Olivia giggled, covering her mouth. “He’s talking about Marley,” she whispered.
“Duh, Livvy.” Oliver side-eyed his sister, then stood on his toes to watch Nathan flip the pancake. “Can you show me how you do that, Nate?”
“Yeah, it’s easy. Come here.”
Nathan made another football, this time letting Oliver hold the ladle with him. The next pancake he made was for Olivia, and he picked her up when she requested so she could watch him form the flower petals.
“How’s that?” he asked her.
Olivia held tight to his neck and grinned at his creation. “Really good.”
We moved to the table when all the pancakes were finished. Nathan took the seat beside me so we both sat across from the twins. We talked and ate, getting five minutes into the conversation before Olivia brought up my night with Travis.
I was surprised she’d made it that long.
“Are you going out on a second date?” she asked, grinning with syrup-covered lips.
I wiped at my mouth with a napkin. “No, sweetie. We had a nice time, but we’re just going to be friends.”
“Oh.” Olivia pouted at her plate and forked another bite.
I looked down when I felt Nathan’s touch on my knee.
Slipping my hand underneath the table, I gently squeezed his thumb, smiling when he turned his palm over and pushed his fingers between mine. My skin tingled all over.
How could I keep something that felt this amazing a secret for long? I couldn’t. I didn’t even want to. I vowed to give this a week. Or, who was I kidding, at least a couple of days. Maybe that would be enough time for my kids to understand. I had no idea how they would react to Nathan and me when I’d just gone out with another man the night before. What was the correct way to navigate this?
When we finished eating, the kids cleared the table, showering Nathan with pancake compliments. Apparently they’d never tasted so good.
“Must’ve been the fancy shapes,” I said, getting to my feet.
“Must’ve been.” Nathan stood behind his chair and yawned beside me, rubbing harshly at his face. He looked ready to drop.
I felt the same way. The only difference was, I had the entire day off and Nathan didn’t.
“How are you going to get through work tonight?” I asked him, smiling at the kids when they returned to the table.
Nathan didn’t speak. I felt his touch move across my lower back and barely registered the two pairs of eyes widening behind glasses before my face was being turned.
Nathan kept one hand on my hip, slid his other over my cheek, and bent down, gently kissing me.
What the fuck! I froze against his mouth.
“Jenna,” he murmured, his voice sleep heavy. He pressed his lips against mine once more. “Come on…”
I felt that “come on” everywhere. My toes curled against the kitchen floor.
“Oh my gosh,” Olivia whispered excitedly. “Ollie, look!”
“Nathan,” I grumbled, pulling away from his mouth and gripping his waist. “What are you doing?”
“Yeah, what are you doing?” Oliver asked, sounding a little grossed out.
“Nate, you totally just kissed my mom!” Olivia shrieked.
Nathan blinked at me. His eyes focused on my face. Then he blinked again and quickly turned us so his back was to the table and the kids and I were being completely shielded by his body.
“I am so sorry,” he whispered, still holding my face and hip. His gaze was now mildly panicked. “I think I’m still asleep.”
“How are you still asleep? You just made pancakes. And ate them.”
“I’m so tired…I closed my eyes for like an hour last night. I think my brain just shut off for a minute.” He did this thing where he tried to look back at the kids without turning his head.
I cracked up then. I couldn’t help it. “Oh my God.” I laughed.
“Do you think they saw anything?” Nathan asked loudly on purpose. He was smiling now.
“We saw everything!” Olivia answered.
I shook my head at him. “You’re unbelievable.”
Screw waiting a couple of days. We’d barely made it a couple of hours.
I held his arms and peered around him. Both the kids were smiling now. Maybe this isn’t the big deal I thought it was going to be.
“Do you guys want to sit down and talk?” I asked.
“Are you boyfriend and girlfriend or something?” Oliver studied me.
“Yeah!” Olivia giggled. “Are you? Say yes! Say yes!”
