Page 86 of Holden’s Resurrection

He’d planned on it. Holden wanted to soak up as much of Faith’s attention as he could.

“Told you we needed to hurry,” Faith noted the crush of people inside The Freeze.

They’d waited in line, ordered, Faith paid, then she took her time counting out her change while a group of teenagers stood behind them in line. Holden waited for one of them to complain, but when Faith dropped some change, Zack Wilson, McKenna’s younger brother, gathered up the coins and handed them over.

That led to Faith telling Zack and his girlfriend about their “date”. As Holden listened, his heart swelled some more. He knew right then he was ass over teakettle for the little girl.

Once they’d been served their sundaes, they’d taken them out to his SUV and sat in the parking lot to eat them.

“You were right,” he agreed.

“Zack brings all of his girlfriends here.”

Holden didn’t doubt it. McKenna’s brother was a good-looking kid and seemed to always have a new girl when he saw the kid.

“Is Mom your girlfriend?”

Faith’s inquiry both surprised and worried Holden. He hadn’t thought about what he’d do if Faith rejected the idea of him being with her mother. Frankly, it never dawned on him that Faith would have a problem with him being around.

But what if she did?

Uncertainty crept in and suddenly Holden was sweating.

Shit.

He looked over at Faith and took her in. She didn’t look worried or uncertain as she shoveled a huge spoonful of ice cream in her mouth. If Charleigh were here, she would likely tell her daughter to slow down, or at least remind her to wipe the chocolate off her chin.

Shit, again. He didn’t know anything. He was the fun “uncle” who tossed a ball with Caleb, gave Zack condoms when he’d asked, played dolls with Rory, and spun Joss around in circles until she laughed, and he’d do the same with Holly and Dylan when they got bigger. But playing with kids and parenting were two different things. Worlds apart from each other.

“I mean, she is, right? Only boyfriends and girlfriends kiss. Andy asked me to be his girlfriend so he could kiss me. But I told him no because he smells funny.”

Who the fuck was this Andy kid and why did Holden have an overwhelming need to find the boy and tell him to stay the hell away from Faith?

“Who’s Andy?” he grumbled.

“A boy in my class. He’s nice but I don’t want to kiss him.”

“Of course you don’t. Boys are gross.”

That was what he was supposed to say, right? That was better than telling her boys were horny little fucks with one-track minds and she was staying away from all boys until she was twenty-five. At that time, they’d reevaluate the situation, possibly extending the ban on penises until she was thirty. Yeah, that was better. Thirty. She could date when she was thirty. Most guys had their shit together by then.

“You’re a boy and you kiss Mom.”

Damn. That backfired.

“I’m not a boy, doll. I’m a man.”

Faith tilted her cute little head in confusion and Holden quickly changed the subject, not wanting to explain the difference.

“Is it okay with you if your mom is my girlfriend?”

“Sure.” Faith shrugged and Holden released the breath he’d been holding. “I heard Uncle Jameson tell Aunt Kennedy you’d make Mom happy.”

It amazed him that just a week ago, he’d been deliriously jealous of his friend’s relationship with Faith. Now he was eternally grateful she had good men in her life who would look out for her. And as it were, help pave the way for him being in Charleigh and Faith’s lives.

“I’ll make you happy, too, Faith.”

An odd expression marred her pretty face, and when she averted her gaze, Holden started to worry.