Clover turns to Iris, who is now her new best friend. "What's your favorite flower?"
Kass and Clover put together bouquets for Iris, Fia, and me. I would be lying if I said it wasn't super freaking adorable to watch. While Kass pays the lady running the flower cart, Clovers delivers our customized bouquets to each of us.
"Thank you, little miss," I say as I take my flowers from her. "Did you have fun today?"
"So much fun! Can we do this again?"
"Maybe." I don't want to make any promises I can't keep.
I did have a lot of fun with them today, but I still don't know how I feel about Kass and whatever this is betweenus. Him having Clover definitely makes things more complicated. Breaking a grown man's heart when I inevitably get freaked out and run is one thing, but a young girl... That's not fair to her.
Clover tugs on my shirt, indicating that she wants me to bend over to her height. I oblige, and she leans in to whisper in my ear. "I thought of something silly today." She giggles, and I can't help but crack a smile.
"What's that?"
"Maybe you and my dad could be like a boyfriend and a girlfriend."
I clench my teeth together. When I finally unclench them to speak, I ask, "What gave you that idea?"
"I don't know. I know he gets lonely, and you said you didn't have a boyfriend."
"Well, that was a very silly idea." I'm trying my best to keep this light. It's not her fault that she dreams about her dad finding someone.
"And I saw you guys smile at each other. Likea lot."
"I smile at a lot of people."
She scrunches up her little nose. "No, you don't."
Well, she's got me there.
"Especially not like that."
"Since when did you become an expert smile reader?"
"It's the way he used to smile at my mom." Her expression is still playful, but something has changed. I've noticed she gets this way whenever her mother gets brought up.
I quickly stand up. One, because I'm deeply uncomfortable, but two, because Kass has now rejoined the group.
"It was fun running into you guys here." He winks at me. "Clover and I have to get home now."
"Do we haaaave to?" Clover whines.
"We sure do. Now say goodbye."
Clover goes around the circle, giving each of us a hug. She hangs onto me a little longer than the others, or maybe that's just in my head.
Fuck. What did I get myself into? What I thought would be an innocent day at the farmer's market has turned into the start of something that can only end badly. I thought having the other girls here would help make things more casual, more platonic. But even an eight-year-old can see the chemistry between Kass and me.
I shouldn’t be doing this to her.
Chapter Twenty-One
KASS
It's a little past 1:00 when we finally get home, exhausted but happy from our day at the market.
"You hungry?"
