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“Do you want to talk about it? Sometimes talking helps.” Lucan’s voice is low and gentle, and I cannot help but feel safe in opening up to him.
“That was my ex.”
“I figured as much. And you broke up fairly recently?”
“Just about a month now, actually. I just didn’t expect to still feel so hurt,” I say.
“A week, a month, a year, a decade. There’s no schedule for when a broken heart is supposed to heal. You just have to pick up the pieces and move on with your life. Shit happens, you know?”
I place my finger on my lips. “Don’t swear around the child.”
He laughs softly. “You just did. Besides, he’s sleeping, remember?”
“Yes. But still.”
“Okay, mama bear. No swearing around the child. So, what did your ex want?”
“He sounded pretty drunk just now. He kept saying he wants to come back. But he’s also insulting me. I’m confused.”
“How long were you together?” Lucan glances at me.
“We were childhood sweethearts. It was expected that we would have been married by now at least.”
“Ahhh. I see. And when he got to the crossroads of having to man up and propose, he balked.”
“Something like that.” I twist the piece of tissue between my fingers. “Anyway. That’s fifteen years of my life down the drain. I just have to pick up the pieces and move on.”
“You are a very attractive young lady in every aspect, Summer. You’ll be beating off the beaus in no time.”
My face grows warm at the compliment and am glad for the dark interior to hide my cheeks. “I’m not so sure I want to go back into any sort of relationship. Maybe I’ll remain single for the rest of my life and just be Ryan’s nanny.”
He snorts with laughter. “And deprive some well-deserving gentleman of the privilege of having you as his woman, his wife, the mother of his children? That’s a hard no. I think that’s just the hurt talking. Women are far more resilient than men and you will bounce back. It’s only been a month. And all he did was dump you. Suppose you were the man in the situation and your girlfriend didn’t dump you, but did something far worse, like cheating on you with your business partner? And you found out by coming home from a business trip early only to find them inyourbed?”
The car goes silent for a few moments. I turn to examine his profile as he drives. In the shadows, his silhouette appears to be carved from granite.
“How long has it been for you?” I ask softly.
“Ten years. But let’s not dwell on the failed relationships of a self-confirmed forty-one-year-old bachelor, shall we? We’re talking about you getting over this hurdle and finding someone who truly deserves someone like you in their life.”
My response is cut short as he pulls up to the gate. A quick press on the dashboard and the gate swings open.
Together, we get Ryan out of his car seat and into the house. I walk ahead of him and into Ryan’s room. It feels like the most natural thing in the world for Lucan to undress Ryan while I get a warm washcloth to tidy him before slipping on his pajamas. He barely stirs when we tuck him into bed. I watch as Lucan ensures that moogie is safely tucked into his arms as well. He kisses him on the forehead and I feel a warmth flow through me at the tenderness of the gesture. He checks the night light and baby monitor before slipping out of the room.
I go next door and collect my belongings and find him standing in the corridor waiting for me.
“I’m sure Sylvia won’t mind if you use her bed tonight,” Lucan says.
“I didn’t make any arrangements to spend the night.”
“Perhaps you could? Just to see what a night time routine is like?”
I cock my head to the side. His eyes are boring into me and the dream from a few nights ago comes rushing back. I suddenly feel nervous in his presence and very aware of the fact that we are alone in the corridor.
“I’ll give it some thought. But definitely not tonight. I didn’t prepare for it,” I say instead.
He nods, “Okay. As long as you think about it. Can I drive you home?”
“You could. But then how would I get back tomorrow if my car is left here?”
