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“That’s not on you and you know it. Derrick is an asshole. He was the day you met him. All that aside, I think this is good for Austin. He needs a man in his life.”
“I don’t know. I thought about it more last night and I think maybe it’s a mistake. I mean, he needs apermanentman in his life. This is temporary. We’re a project to Chap. That’s all.”
Grace huffs heavily into the phone. “Mister hot, sexy, priest man doesn’t have to leave. You know… you could convert him.”
“Convert him?What’s wrong with you? Did your mother let you play with the cleaning supplies when you were little?”
“I sound like a woman with a pulse on what’s happening. Maybe… he’s doing this because he has a thing for you too?”
“Too? Who said I had a thing for him?”
“You did!”
“When?”
“You spent the first five minutes of this call telling me how hot the man was.”
“That was my segway into telling you how off limits he was.”
“And by off limits you mean what? That you have to try harder? Sounds like a challenge to me. You love challenges.”
“I’m pretty sure you’re going to hell for talking like that.”
“Please. He’s not off limits yet. We already discussed that. You have to show him how good the dark side is!”
“Oh my god. I’m done with this phone call. I love you. Bye.”
“I love you more!” Her tone is upbeat. “I’ll be by at one thirty to pick up Austin.”
“Thank you.” My stomach turns as I hang up the call. I can’t figure why Grace is single. She’s outgoing, cute, sweet, and funny as hell. Maybe it’s because she has no boundaries.
I glance down at the time on my phone. It’s two minutes before eight. Austin is still eating breakfast in front of his television show. That’s the one good thing about mornings. I get about an hour of peace between Power Rangers and Batman. That probably makes me a horrible mother. I should have crafts up for us the second he wakes up. I should have him out in the garden pulling weeds or cleaning the pine needles out of the yard. Instead, I plunk him in front of violent cartoons and let him eat frosted flakes while I talk about a hot priest on the phone with my bestie.
The irony of my role in his behavior is not lost on me.
The door knocks and my chest tightens. I know this isn’t a date, but I’m nervous just the same. Chap might belong to God, but God made him insanely attractive. The man is big, wide, tall, inked, bearded, and I swear if the lumberjack portion of heaven had a mascot, he’d be it.
I drag in a deep breath and open the door, trying to act like a normal human being who does normal human things, but the second I open my mouth any sense I had left is lost to the past.
“You’re here. You look great. I mean, not great like hot, but great like good. Better than good.” I clear my throat. “Sexy. I mean not sexy… but like I like flannel. A lot. Not on you. Well, yeah on you. But not…” I sigh. “Would you like a cup of coffee?”
Chap grins ear to ear. I swear I’ve never seen a nicer smile. “Sounds like you’ve already had a few cups.”
“A couple.” I laugh under my breath. “I don’t know why I’m nervous. Last night was nice. It’s been a while since I’ve talked to a man that openly. Not that it matters that you’re a man. I just—”
His hand lands on my shoulder. “I know what you mean. Same here. Also, I brought coffee and donuts. Stopped at the diner on the way in.”
I blow out a heavy breath and nod, noticing now that he’s balancing a bakery box and two large cups in one hand.
What’s wrong with me? I grab the cups he’s balancing on the box and make my way toward the kitchen, trying desperately to shake off the crazy that has settled its way into me. Seems that I’ve put on my nicest pair of jeans and the most modest shirt I own, but failed to prepare myself mentally.
“You look great by the way. I like the kittens.”
I glance down at the blouse that I’ve buttoned clear to my neck. Usually, I let the girls air out a little, but today, like a psycho, I’ve buttoned this kitten blouse straight up and down.
“Yeah, I bought this on sale. Some online shop. I don’t remember the name, but the kittens are what got me. Which is weird because I’m not really a cat person. I like horses and dogs.” Why am I saying this? My face flushes with heat. Why do I care what he thinks of me? It doesn’t matter! I blame Grace. “Anyway, what’s your favorite animal?”
Oh my god, I didn’t just ask a grown man what his favorite animal is!
