“I’m just looking for—” I made a show of reaching to the back of the pantry “—this.” I grabbed the chip bag.
“I’m off,” Bennett said, waving from by the door. “Have a good day, you two.”
“We will!” River grinned, then said, “Wait! I need another hug.”
“Of course.” Bennett waited patiently by the door, crouching down for another hug. He whispered something in River’s ear that made him giggle, and I melted a little more at the sight of them.
River—with his blond hair and blue eyes—looked like he could be Bennett’s son. Though Bennett’s hair was a dark blond with hints of red. And the beard that lined his jaw was darker still, darker even than the dusting of hair on his arms and legs.
When River tugged on my hand, I realized I’d been staring at the door long after Bennett had left. Fantasizing about my brother’s best friend. I shook my head as if to clear it.
“Shouldn’t we get going?” he asked. “I’m going to be late for school.”
Right.School.
“Do you have your homework?” I asked, needing to ground myself in the familiar.
We hadn’t seen much of Bennett over the weekend. River had hung out with my parents while I had several photo shoots. And then we’d spent the afternoon and evening with my family. River had passed out on the short drive home, and I didn’t hear Bennett return until late.
I’d lain awake for a long time, wondering where he’d been. Who he was hanging out with. My brother had been with us, which made me think perhaps Bennett had gone on a date. I hadn’t liked that idea, though I had no claim to him. Even so, I wondered who she was. What kind of woman was Bennett interested in? I’d never seen him with anyone, except the girlfriend he’d had in high school.
He’d come home during college, but at that point, my brother and all his friends were more interested in playing the field. Around the time Bennett had started veterinary school, his parents moved to Florida to be closer to his sister and her kids. And there’d been a gap of several years where I hadn’t seen him. Despite having known him my whole life, I sometimes felt like there was so much I didn’t know about him. So many things I wanted to know.
River returned, holding up a piece of paper. “Here it is!”
“Great. Let’s get going.”
He skipped out to the car, his pink button-up shirt tucked into the front of his jeans, his sparkly loafers catching the light of the sun like a disco ball.
I backed out of the driveway and turned on our going-to-school playlist. Apart from our dance-party favorites, it was the best. He wiggled and danced in the back seat, and I sang along as we drove through town.
“I’m really glad Bennett’s living with us.”
I smiled at him in the rearview mirror. “Me too, kiddo.”
“He let me pick out his clothes this morning.”
“Didhe?” I asked, touched that Bennett had taken time out of his busy morning to do something that meant a lot to my son. “That was nice. But you need to make sure you give him his privacy when he’s at our house. ’Kay?”
“He likes having me around. He said I’m his best friend.”
I bit back a smile, loving Bennett even more for the way he treated my son. While others in town stared or mocked River and me, silently ridiculing my parenting, Bennett had never been anything but supportive. Anything but accepting.
River wasn’t an ordinary kid, and some people couldn’t get past his colorful clothes or affinity for glitter. Which was why I was even more selective about the people he was around. And it was one of my biggest hesitations when it came to dating. Finding a man who was okay having a built-in family was one thing. But finding someone who would love River and appreciate him for the person he was without trying to change him was an even bigger ask.
I knew that, but I was tired of using River as an excuse not to date. Now that he was older—me too—I was even more determined to find a partner, someone to love. Even so, dating was still intimidating as hell. But I was trying. I’d never meet someone if I didn’t put myself out there.
* * *
When I walkedin the door after work, I thought I was dreaming. That, or someone had broken in but done the opposite of stealing. No. I blinked a few times. The house was immaculate. I could smell something cooking on the stove. Was that…tomato sauce?
I set my bag down by the door and walked farther inside as if under a trance. I discovered Bennett in the kitchen, sweeping.Sweeping!
I just stood there, mouth agape, watching him as he worked. The muscles of his back and arms contracted and relaxed from the movement, and he hummed along, completely oblivious to my presence. Why was watching a man do chores so unbelievably sexy?
I wanted to blame it on the fact that I’d never had a man to help around the house or with River, but I knew there was more to it than that. I couldn’t imagine just any man would provoke such a response in me. I’d always harbored a secret crush on my brother’s best friend, but I’d never had the opportunity to actually entertain the fantasy. At least, not like this.
And boy what a fantasy it was. Not just about what it would be like to sleep with him—though the thought had crossed my mind more than once. Okay, more like a million times. But the fantasy of having a family, a partner. Ever since Bennett had moved in, it felt as if he belonged here. He belonged with us.
