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“This is so cool. My mom told me you’d be nice to me, but I thought she meant lots of hot dogs and maybe some chips. I didn’t know she meant a bed for myself.”
Mike and I shared a look, and I knew he was thinking the same thing as me—how much we have taken for granted in our life.
CHAPTER TWENTY
MICHAEL
Monica had grilled me for a few minutes when I went down with my bag packed, but I honestly didn’t have much to tell her. Yes, I remembered his mother, and I was with her for a few months before she decided to move back to her home closer to Philadelphia. That was the last time I had heard from her, and my phone number had never changed.
On the way to Candy’s house, I kept wondering how I would make this work. How could I afford a house or an apartment and pay for the tavern? That was the plus of buying the place. I didn’t have to pay the monthly rent I was paying. Not that it was much. Now, I’d have to shell out a lot more, but what other choice did I have?
I couldnotbuy the tavern, or maybe I could ask Laney to put in a bit more, so I could lower the loan I had to get. My head was a mess, and nothing made sense. I just kept going around in circles.
When I pulled up in front of Candy’s house, I paused. Maybe one day I could have something like this. Perhaps not as big, but something in a decent neighborhood with a yard for my son—my son—to play in. I could not thank Candy enough for what she was doing for me—especially after hearing how Harley had been living in squalor. There is no way I would have wanted him to stay in my one-room above the noisy tavern for even one night.
Candy showed us our rooms, and I was almost as excited and surprised as Harley was. Although sharing a room with her would have been nicer, I had to remind myself that she was doing this as my friend, not for other reasons. Whatever relationship we had before was over.
Except it wasn’t for me. Whenever I looked at Candy, I wanted to pull her into my arms and smother her with kisses. I wanted her legs wrapped around my waist and to lose myself in her velvety softness.
“Candy, can you see if you have hot dogs?”
She snickered, and I snapped out of the sexual delusion that I was in. “Sure, let’s go check the fridge and freezer.”
“What’s a freezer?”
“It’s a place to keep food cold like it’s winter.”
He asked her a dozen more questions as they entered the kitchen, and I was in awe of how easily she fielded them. Finally, he wandered into her living room and pointed at the television. “Is that a TV?”
“It is. Would you like to watch it?”
“Yes, please!” he said with wide eyes. Candy collected the controller and then told him to sit on the sofa beside her as she turned it on. She flipped a few channels, and then a child’s station came on. Harley was instantaneously sucked into the program.
“You watch this for a little while so I can put the other stuff away.”
He didn’t even acknowledge her as she got up and walked past him. I observed him for a few moments and then went to talk to her in the kitchen.
“You are very good with kids. Why don’t you have any?”
She shrugged. “I haven’t found the right man to give me any.”
“You don’t have any nieces or nephews?”
“Yes, Ethan and Riley have a daughter, but Riley’s siblings have plenty of kids. I have watched a few of them before, and of course, I am around them when our families get together.”
“You will have to teach me a few things. I have no clue what I’m supposed to be doing.”
“I think you will find it easier than you believe. You give them structure, food, safety, discipline, compassion, and above all else, love.”
“I keep trying to figure out if this is the universe’s way of telling me not to buy the tavern.”
She turned to me. “Why? Why would you even suggest that?”
“Why? Because how am I supposed to buy that place, run it, pay for it and a house, and take care of him?”
“Um, Mike, you know you have partners that can help you with this, right?”
“I have a partner who is a very busy woman,” I stated, and she shook her head.
