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Although, to stay true to this, I should have walked out of this diner when I first saw her. “My mother raised me on her own as well,” I tell her, the words seem forced out of me. “I have a lot of respect for single mothers.”
She gives me an assessing look before her shoulders relax. “I see. And your mother—”
“She died thirteen years ago,” I say my tone a little hollow now.
“I’m sorry.” Tracy’s voice is soft.
I look up surprised. “You don’t have to be. It was a long time ago.”
“Not for you,” she says calmly.
It surprises me how she just saw right through me with just a few words and I turn my gaze away suddenly feeling more exposed.
“Max is a good kid,” she says, looking to the side as she sips her coffee, clearly giving me the space I need to compose myself. “Thankfully, he doesn’t take after his father.”
I decide to change the topic to a lighter one. “So, with you here all night and Kendall at work all day, how do you two manage around Max’s schedule?”
“He’s five. What schedule?” Tracy grins. Her whole face lights up when she smiles.
I find myself staring at her. When describing a woman, I usually use adjectives like cute, sexy, or hot. But the only word that comes to mind when I look at this woman is ‘beautiful.’ “You’re very pretty,” I blurt out.
Tracy blinks as a soft blush covers her face. “Thank you.”
When she doesn’t say anything further, I calm myself down. She’s not for you, I hiss to myself. “Kendall told me that you’re a very good cook.” I say, out of nowhere, looking for a way to disperse the sudden awkwardness between us.
Tracy looks pleasantly surprised. “She did?”
“Oh, yeah. She brags about it all the time. She said that once you two move into the new place, she plans to have you cook all the time.” I have no qualms about throwing my new friend under the bus. Tracy scowls at this. “All the time?”
I nod eagerly.
However, just before Tracy can get out a few choice words, the bell dings at the kitchen window, indicating the food is ready. A woman’s head pops up in the window. “Another hour and I’m taking over the front.”
“Gotcha.” Tracy nods to her.
The woman glances over to where I’m sitting and wolf-whistles. “Got yourself a nice beau there, Tracy.”
Tracy laughs at the comment.
When she doesn’t seem very fazed by it, I have to wonder how many men express an interest in her on a regular basis. She does seem to be the kind of woman who attracts a lot of attention from the opposite sex but she seems to be able to handle it just fine like she showed me when we first met.
Tracy puts the two skillets in front of me.
I push one towards her. “It’s for you,” I tell her, and then go on to lie through my teeth, “I hate eating alone.”
She looks surprised.
I don’t miss the hungry look in Tracy’s eyes before she pastes a smile on her lips and shakes her head. “I can’t afford thi—”
“It’s on me. After all, we're going to be neighbors soon, and hopefully, friends as well.”
When she stares at me, baffled, I smile, “The apartment you’re moving into is right next to mine. Consider this a ‘welcome to the building’ meal.” I wink at her.
She gives a helpless little laugh and picks up a fork. “Well, if you say so. Far be it from me, that I refuse free food.”
She’s refreshingly honest in her interactions and I like it. She’s so different from all the women I’ve interacted with. But that may be because I’m not hitting on her or at least trying my best not to think how she would look like while splayed in my bed as I take her hard and fast, my hands tracing those voluptuous curves.
She digs in.
