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“Yes, he is.” I tightened the strap and shut the door, wondering how I got roped into this outing. At least Henry had my back and still wanted mac and cheese.
As I got into my driver’s seat and drove the short distance to the main road, the woman on the phone dug her way into my mind. I had probably sounded a little too gruff.
And my cousin was right. She did sound gorgeous, but that didn’t matter. What mattered was having kindness in a partner and the ability to see right from wrong. And obviously, I didn’t know how to figure that out when dating women.
I gripped the steering wheel a little tighter as my mom popped into my head. I’d done a great job of keeping her out of my thoughts most of my life, so it was a shame she’d been so front and center lately, and this call didn’t help matters any.
Sucking in a deep breath, I followed Lucas’ car into the gravel parking lot. It had been a minute since I’d been to this place. It was propped on a cliff overlooking the water and was the size of a shoebox. I wasn’t sure how a band and customers could actually fit inside at the same time.
I parked next to my cousin, and before I’d even turned off my car, he’d hopped out of his and rubbed his hands together as if he’d just ordered a full-pound rack of ribs. I chuckled to myself, knowing I’d be single for a long time.
“So, I’m not looking to find a wife tonight.” Lucas eyed me with a smirk as I unbuckled Henry from his car seat and grabbed some books and toys to keep him occupied. “But you know, I’d love to find someone to connect with, maybe travel places with, and you know…just have a good time.”
I smiled. “Ah, right. Simple as that. Snap your fingers, repeat your wish, and voila.”
“Uncle Luke is silly,” Henry chided.
“I think you’re onto something.” I glanced at my cousin. “You know, my son is highly gifted. He told me the same thing about ten minutes ago, and I think he’s right.”
Lucas bent over to Henry. “Just don’t tell any of the ladies here that. Okay, little man?”
Henry’s fingers wrapped around mine as we went into the restaurant.
We found a booth that faced an open garage door where the band was setting up on the deck.
“Nice.” Lucas nodded, taking a sip. “This will be great for music and scoping.”
Henry squeezed my hand before I lifted him into the booth as a bartender brought over a booster.
“What’s Uncle Luke scoping?”
I laughed and thanked the bartender, who took our orders. “Sealife out in the water.”
Lucas raised his brows up and down at a pair of ladies walking by, and I rolled my eyes.
When the bartender left, I leaned over and whispered, “You’re making this a really cringy experience.”
Lucas frowned. “I can’t help that I’m attracted to women.”
I glanced at Henry, who was flipping the pages of his picture book.
“So am I, but it’s not like I have to have my tongue hanging out wagging.”
Lucas took a sip of his beer and kicked his feet out the side of the booth. A breeze rolled in from outside, and I glanced over to see two women. One glanced over at us, cocked her head in confusion, and then frowned before tapping the woman in front of her, who wasn’t turned in our direction. The mystery woman’s dark hair cascaded down her back, and she wore a cute pair of worn jeans and a body-hugging red shirt. The two women could be sisters.
“What’s caught your eye?” Lucas asked, surprised.
I shook my head. “Nothing.”
He followed where my gaze just left and laughed. “Ah, nothing, huh?”
“You look a little tense there, buddy,” Lucas chided.
“I’m fine.” I looked down at the menu when I heard the women laughing. I picked up on a familiar tone and glanced over to see the one staring at me and the other, still turned away. But it was the one not looking that made every part of my body react. My gaze slid along her curvy body, and I held in a breath as her laughter drifted over.
“What’s on the menu, Henry?” I leaned down to my son. “Want some fries and a burger?”
“Mm-hm.”
