Page 26 of Snowballing

I checked my phone again. He said he was close.

“Dad! There’s the guy that traded me the Snorlax,” he half-yelled, tugging me out of my seat.

The least I could do was thank him for being nice to my kid. Although, I was expecting more of a teenager than an adult. This guy had a beard and looked to be in his twenties.

The closer we got, the more he seemed familiar.

“Hey!” Trey got his attention.

As soon as he turned, I saw his face.

It was Jayden.

SIX

GARETH

“Jord-” I shut up before I made a fool out of myself.

What are the fucking chances?

This random kid’s dad is the one who railed me senseless last week. Not that the kid needed that bit of information. And of course, I was wearing tight sweatpants today.

Do not get hard. You don’t need to think about his criminally attractive dick.

“Dad, this is the guy that traded me the Snorlax.”

His hair looked even more perfect than I remembered, and that jawline, those pecs…my eyes traveled down his front to his hands. He was wearing a baby blue sweater and carrying a reusable green tote bag, like…the…client’s text said he would be.

My heart started to race. I felt my armpits start to sweat. There’s no way.

“Eli?” I asked, trying to keep my voice calm.

“How did you-”

I watched the recognition dawn on his face, and his lips in slow-motion sound out my name. My real name.

“Gareth? The manny?”

He looked floored. I held it together a little better. I mean, his kid was right here.

“Do you two know each other?” the kid asked.

I recovered faster. “Trey, is it?”

His head whipped towards me. “How did you know my name? I didn’t tell you ‘cause you’re a stranger.”

I had to laugh. He went from adoring my generosity to playing that I was a threat.

“Well, I’m the manny that your neighbor, Nancy, wanted you and your dad to meet. I’m Gareth,” I said, holding my hand out to Trey to shake, which he did. “Gareth Thomas. Nice to meet you.” Eli seemed to still be in shock, but I offered him my hand as well.

I’ll admit it was a first for me. I’d never bumped into any of my adult clients before.

“Eli Giordano.” He snapped out of it and met my hand with a firm grip. My body remembered his touch well, and I tried to keep my breathing in check.

“But you guys seemed like you knew each other.”

This kid didn’t miss a thing, because that wasn’t a question.