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“I was just telling Ellie about this guy I met at the B&B,” April said, glaring at Ellie when she opened her mouth to speak up. Then she turned back to me. “He’s hot, he’s loaded, and he’s totally single.”
I grinned, grateful for the distraction of April’s love life instead of my impossible future we’d been discussing previously. “That’s great. You should go out with him.”
“Actually,” April said, appraising me with a gleam in her eyes, “I was thinking I’d hook him up with you.”
“With me? What?”
April held up her hands and then let them fall on the table with a smack. “Well, why not? You said it yourself that Will is off the table, and now that he’s around, you’re not alone in taking care of Jackson all the time. Maybe that means you can focus on your own happiness for once. And at least this way, you wouldn’t be dating someone who had anything to do withJackson’shappiness.”
I looked at Ellie, curious as to why April had wanted to silence her before. “What do you think?”
Ellie held April’s gaze for almost a second longer than I could stand, but then she turned me with a resolute smile. “She makes some good points.”
“So, you think I should go out with him?”
“I think you should do whatever would make you happy. April’s right. You should focus on that now that Jackson has two parents in his life. You deserve it.”
Her words had been said lightly, but they felt anything but as they chipped away at the walls I’d put up around my heart. Spotting another new customer in my section, I sighed. “I’ve gotta go, and the lunch rush is probably about to start, so you guys shouldn’t wait for me. But as for the guy…”
“Yes?” April asked, her shoulders lifting like an eager child.
“Set it up. You’re right. Worst-case scenario is I’ll tell you never to do it again.” And with that, I winked and headed to the foursome who’d just sat down, feeling mighty proud of myself.
That is, until I heard April’s singsong voice trailing after me, causing me to turn beet red right in front of them. “And thebest-case scenario is he’ll give you multiple orgasms!”
12
WILL
Jackson dove for the Frisbee with the abandon of a kid who’d never had a serious injury.
“Nice save,” I said, grinning at his doofy little fist pump.
He jogged back to me. “I told you. I’ve got good hands.”
I nodded. “Can’t wait to see you in action.”
He smiled. “You think you’ll really be able to come to games?”
“Hope so. I think I can build that into my contract.” I winked and sent up a prayer that Eric would go for it. First, I needed him to finally offer me the job, and second, I needed him to agree that I could have Friday nights off during football season so I could show up at his games. Not exactly ideal for a head chef at a place whose main service happened on weekend evenings, but I figured I’d help prep and do whatever.
After a beat of silence as we walked toward my car, he said, “Do you think the rest of your family wants to meet me, like, as your son?”
“Definitely.”
And as though he wanted to draw a line under how much calmer and even-tempered he was than me, he nodded. “I’d like to do that soon, if you think they’re ready.”
Me? I probably would’ve made a cutting remark. Or in my heyday, might’ve even claimed I didn’t want to meet them, just to be superior and show I didn’t care about anyone. Damn, what a fuckwit.
But that kid had grown up. Whatever phases I’d gone through in New York with sleeping around and being a little wild, all led me home. And it led me to this right here—an afternoon spent throwing a Frisbee with my son. It’d only been a few weeks since I’d first met him, but we’d seen each other as often as we could in that short time.
I patted his back when he looked over, searching for my response. “I’m sure they’re ready. They can’t wait to get to know you.” And to say my mother had been hounding me was putting it lightly.
He tossed the Frisbee in the back seat, then slid into the passenger side as I took my spot behind the wheel. It hit me as I pushed the ignition—he could learn to drive in this car.
These little things kept dawning on me—things I’d missed, but things I hadn’t. If I’d stayed in New York, I might’ve missed everything. Even though I hadn’t doubted moving back was right, being with Jackson confirmed it every time we were together.
“I don’t know if my mom will like me hanging out with everyone like that.”
