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Landon pressed his lips together to keep from laughing at how dramatic they were, as if the world might end because they had to walk next to their mom. He reached the door first and held it open for Hailey and the kids to walk through. Hailey passed close to him, and he could smell her perfume. The teasing scent of light floral wafted towards him, and he caught himself closing his eyes to breathe it in. Just as quickly, he chided himself for his response. He couldn’t be drawn to her. But he didn’t remember her ever smelling like that before. They’d sat next to each other at the house last week, and he could swear he would remember that. He shook his head as he let the door go and walked in after them.
Hailey had already told the hostess how many were in their group, and the woman was gathering menus and crayons before she asked them to follow her.
At the table, Hailey settled the seating argument by telling them all where to sit. She made Carter and Charlotte sit next to each other, which left Ellie on one side, and as Landon slid into his chair, he realized that meant Hailey was next to him. A small feeling of joy flickered through him.
“Mom, I want corndogs,” Carter said.
“Can I have grilled cheese?” Ellie asked.
“No, I’m not coming to a restaurant and spending seven dollars for you to eat grilled cheese,” Hailey said. “You can have chicken fingers, a cheeseburger, or corndogs,” Hailey said as she glanced over the menu.
“What am I allowed to have?” Landon asked, turning to look at her with sad puppy dog eyes.
She swatted at him. “Whatever you want.”
“Can I have a grilled cheese?”
She pointed an index finger in his face. “No grilled cheese,” she said. She locked eyes with him, and he watched as she held her serious face for just a second. Then she dissolved into laughter.
Landon started to laugh too. He grabbed at her finger in his face and pulled it away. “You said I could have whatever I wanted.”
“Nope, I changed my mind. You have to eat some kind of actual protein.”
“Aww man,” he whined.
“Just for that, you have to eat a vegetable too,” Hailey snapped.
“Fine, but then I’m getting dessert.” Landon smiled at her, suddenly realizing he was still holding her hand in his. He pressed his lips together and let go. Turning his attention to his menu, he could still feel where her hand had been in his for a brief moment. “Now then, let’s see here.”
He cut his eyes to Hailey, and she looked as affected by it as he felt. “What are you going to have?”
She held up her menu to block her face from the kids and whispered, “Grilled cheese.”
Landon’s lips slowly curved up into a smile. She was playing with him. Why did that feel so natural and so right? And at the same time so impossibly wrong? He couldn’t look away, and he didn’t want to. Finally, she broke contact.
“Just kidding,” she said. “I love their parmesan crusted chicken. I’ll have that and the sweet potato.”
“That sounds good. I think I’ll have the same.” He wasn’t sure he could focus long enough to pick something else.
“Really?” Hailey put her hand to her chest in surprise. “You’re not going to have a steak? I’ve never seen you not order a steak.”
“Well, you don’t always eat with me. I eat things besides steak.”
“Alright, then. Like I said, you can have what you want.”
Landon stared straight at the table. What did he want? His mind whirled. Why was he here? Was he really at a restaurant for lunch on a Saturday with a beautiful woman and her three children? Just the idea sounded crazy in his head. This was never part of the plan.
Landon was trying to process his thoughts when suddenly his lap felt cold and wet. He gasped as the sensation ran through him.
“Oh, Carter, no!” Hailey stood and moved quickly grabbing napkins and scooping ice into a cup.
“I’m sorry, Landon,” Carter was saying.
Landon held his breath and couldn’t utter a word as he looked at the now empty cup lying on the table.
Hailey waved down a waiter and asked for extra napkins. When she had them, she shoved them in Landon’s hands. He still hadn’t moved.
“I’m so, so sorry,” she said. “Are you okay?” Now she leaned down to look him in the face which finally snapped him out of his shock.
