AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"I was thinking maybe we could go out for pancakes or something," I said. After all, it was the weekend. Not that there wasn't work I could do, because there was always work. But I really wanted to do better by Dean. "Maybe after that, we could go to the movies or something."
Dean tossed the spoon in the bowl and rose from his chair. "There's a livestream I want to watch." He took his bowl, setting it in the sink, and then walked out of the kitchen to his room. He hadn’t looked at me, but at least he said something to me in a slightly less dismissive tone. The kid was a lesson in contrasts. He showed me very little respect and yet would put his bowl in the sink. Then again, it would be better if he put his bowl in the dishwasher.
It didn't seem like a good idea to try and force my kid to have fun with me, so I let him go watch whatever it was he wanted to watch while I pulled out the ingredients to make an omelet. I had just finished chopping up some vegetables when there was a knock on my door.
I couldn’t imagine who would be here this early in the morning, but my mind went to Betts. She had no reason to come over here, and yet a part of me wished that she felt the connection between all of us like I had last night.
I went to the door, pulling it open. Not Betts. Levi.
He stood in a rumpled tuxedo, his hair spiking all around and in his face, looking like he hadn't gone to sleep yet.
He gave me an affable grin. "A few of us flew into Vegas last night, and I figured I couldn't go home without stopping by to see you."
I shook my head as I opened the door to let him in. "You look like you've been on a bender."
He laughed. "Close enough."
"Have you eaten? I was just getting ready to make an omelet. I’d be happy to make you one as well."
Levi patted me on the shoulder. "I would love an omelet."
He followed me to the kitchen. "I tried to call you when I got in yesterday, but you didn't pick up."
I frowned as I pulled out my phone, not recalling any calls or messages.
"I left a message, thinking maybe you were busy."
I saw his number in the missed calls. "I took Dean to a haunted house yesterday, and I turned off my ringer. I must have forgotten to turn it back on."
Levi made himself at home as he brewed himself a cup of coffee. "Dean? He's visiting you?"
"More than that. Taylor dropped him off and left town. Right now, he's living with me." I heated butter in the pan and sautéed the vegetables thinking I’d make a scramble instead.
"No shit. You’re a full-time dad."
I shrugged. "I don't feel like a dad. Or more accurately, I feel like a dad who fucked up and my kid doesn't want me to go a minute without knowing it."
Levi leaned against the counter and studied me. "You didn't fuck up. "
I cracked the eggs into the pan "I did fuck up. Taylor didn't want me around, and I guess I just thought it would be easier to give in to her. And before long, he didn't want me around either. And again, I told myself that if that's what they wanted, that's what I’d give them. But I can see now that it was the wrong response."
"And now you have the opportunity to make it right."
I pulled out two plates and divided the scramble between them. Grabbing a couple of forks out of the drawer, I put them on the plates and then handed a plate to Levi, who sat at the table.
I took the other one and sat across from him. "The kid doesn't want to give me the time of day. He was much more responsive to Betts. They bonded over TikTok or something."
Levi's fork stopped halfway to his mouth. "Who's Betts?"
I didn't want to get into too much detail about my relationship with Betts, such as it was. "She's just a friend."
Levi finished taking the bite of his eggs, but his eyes studied me as he chewed his food. Once he swallowed, he said, "Is she the flavor of the month?"
My gut clenched in annoyance that he would refer to her like that. "Not at all." But I wasn't sure I was ready to let him know my convoluted feelings for her. "She works for me."
His brows rose as he took a sip of his coffee. "You're dating someone who works for you?"
"I don't think I'd call it dating."
