Page 25 of Bless My Heart

CHAPTER ELEVEN

HAZEL

As much as I didn’t want it to happen, spending time with Wes is becoming a regular thing. After our pizza and Dancing night, he came over again the next night. I insisted he let me order takeout for us instead of him cooking again. Not because I don’t like his cooking, but I feel bad that he’s doing so much for me, and I just sit around like a sloth. I guess dialing a restaurant and ordering food isn’t really much better, but at least I put in some effort.

On Wednesday, I stayed late at work for a meeting with a few of the other Econ professors, so Wes spent the evening at his own house to catch up on his studies. I hate to admit that I was kind of sad coming home to an empty apartment. It feels lonely.

Even when I was with Jordan, and he came over, I wasn’t really excited about it. I’d stress and wonder if he felt inconvenienced by being here.

Wes never makes it seem like he’s inconvenienced. He seems perfectly content hanging out with me, like he’s genuinely happy to be here. It makes me sad that I’ve set my bar so damn low I’m now excited a guy—who I’m not even dating—is happy with me being myself.

Lexi asks me to meet her for dinner after work on Thursday, so Wes and I go another day without seeing each other. He isn’t in my Thursday classes, so I don’t get to see his eyes sweep up my body like usual or get any of his sly smiles when I catch him staring at me. I don’t get to hear him whisper, “See you later, baby,” as he leaves the room, which always makes my stomach flutter.

Once class is dismissed on Friday, Wes slowly packs his things, which is becoming his new norm so he can talk to me once everyone has left. Luckily, I’m not one of those professors who have a hoard of students crowded around after class asking questions.

I’ve noticed that I pack my things up slower than usual because I want him to come talk to me without actually looking like I want him to come talk to me. Yes, apparently, I’ve reverted to middle school and want all the attention from my new crush.

“Hey, Doc,” Wes says as he props himself against the desk. He’s started calling me Doc at school. I thought I would hate it, but I actually kind of like it. I figured it would sound disrespectful to be called me anything but Dr. Greenwood, but Wes makes it sound sexy. He makes everything sound sexy. “We still have that doctor’s appointment today, right?”

“Yeah. It’s at four.”

“Ok. I’m assuming you don’t want us to be seen riding together, so I can just meet you there. Can you text me the address?”

“Yes, I’ll see you there.” He smiles before heading for the door. Like always, I watch him go. Every part of his body is tight and sculpted, and I love watching it move. He’s like a work of art.

The appointment is quicker than I thought it would be. The best part was getting the ultrasound. Wes held my hand the entire time and even wiped away a stray tear from my face when the picture came up on the screen. He was totally calm and asked the doctor questions I hadn’t even thought to ask. He came into this more prepared than me.

After the appointment, we stood in the parking lot for a minute. We divided up the ultrasound pictures so we could both take some home. “So, can I come over tonight?” he finally asks before we part ways.

“Are you sure you want to spend your Friday night with me?” I ask without looking up from my things, mainly because I don’t want to look at him when he tells me he doesn’t want to hang out with me.

“I can’t think of anywhere I’d rather be,” he says. I feel my shoulders relax.

“Ok, then I guess I’ll see you later.”

“What can I make you? Are you craving anything?”

I think about it for a minute. “You know what sounds good? Steak.”

“I can do that. I’ll text you when I’m on my way over.” I nod my head, and he hops into his Jeep. Like a gentleman, he makes sure I’m in my car before he leaves.

A few hours later, he shows up with grocery bags and a box of different cake slices from a local bakery.

“I know how to cook, but baking is not my thing,” he says as I admire all the different cake flavors. My mouth is watering just looking at all the frosting. Sweets are my kryptonite.

Wes gets to work on dinner, and this time, I sit at the bar between the kitchen and the living room and watch him. He moves with such fluidity and confidence. I prop my head on my hand and watch him go.

He notices me watching him and gives me a little smirk. “You like the show?”

I clear my throat and sit up a little straighter. “Sorry, I was just daydreaming.”

“You can daydream about me all you want, baby.” I feel my face flush. I almost tell him I already daydream about him way more than I should, but I decide not to. I’ve got to keep a firm line between us. He’s been flirty with me, but I’ve been trying my very hardest not to flirt back.

He finishes the steaks, lemon butter orzo, and broccoli and plates it up for us at the table. We sit and talk about our day. I tell him how much I can’t stand Dr. Ellis, mainly because she can’t stand me. He tells me about his other classes, which professors he likes and which he doesn’t. It’s a nice, simple conversation over a fantastic dinner.

Afterward, he does the dishes because I think he can tell how tired I am. I sit down on the couch, and my phone immediately rings. It’s my mom. She always calls right when I sit down to relax, and it almost always ends up being a stressful conversation that gets me all wound up. I take a deep breath and answer.

“Hey, Mom.”