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I didn’t want to push, so I let it go. But I breathed a sigh of relief when the little girl came over after finishing her ice cream, and the two of them wandered to the playground.
While the kids played, Kyle and Rhett chatted about which NFL teams had the best shot to go far this season. When Bella mentioned having beef stew in the Crock-Pot at home, I told her I had BBQ pork in mine, and we found ourselves down a rabbit hole, comparing our favorite recipes. By the end of our visit, I’d agreed to attend a Crock-Pot freezer meal party if Bella put one together. Those would surely come in handy during the school year, so I was all for it.
And almost forty-five minutes later, when the kids were worn out and thirsty, I wondered if I was the only one who felt a little disappointed that it was time to leave.
Chapter Nine
KYLE
The car wasquiet as we drove back to Tina’s house. My thoughts, on the other hand, were anything but. It had been more than two years since I’d wanted someone like I wanted this woman. I couldn’t explain why I felt this way about her. But talk of Hughes quickly reminded me that Tina and her kids were still grieving the loss of him. I also had no intention of staying in this fucking town, so it was best not to get involved with anyone here.
I glanced in the rearview mirror, catching sight of Teddy. His head was slumped to one side, his eyes closed. He was going to be one of those boys who needed lots of activity to exhaust the amount of energy he had.
Was Tina planning to enroll him in a sport this fall? That would help. Soccer maybe?
I hadn’t even put the car in park when Callie jumped out and ran up the sidewalk. I got out and opened the back door, ready to unbuckle and lift Teddy out of the car.
Tina turned in her seat. “Oh. You don’t have to do that,” she whispered.
“I don’t mind.” Truly I didn’t. I’d do it for Bella if Rhett wasn’t around. “I’ll carry him in. You get the front door.”
She pulled her bottom lip into her mouth, and I couldn’t help but track the subtle movement. After a moment of hesitation, she exited the car and headed for the front door.
“He never naps,” Tina said, nodding at the couch.
I shuffled across the hardwood floor and laid him on the cushions.
“Between the pool and running around, he must have worn himself out.”
Callie stood off to the side with her hands on her hips. “Kyle’s leaving now, right?”
“Callie…” Tina sighed. “Yes, he’s leaving in a minute.”
I couldn’t be offended that she wanted me gone. I still didn’t know what I was doing here.
Callie’s heavy footfalls echoed through the house, followed by the slamming of a door. Tina was right. Her moods swung suddenly. This afternoon, while she laughed and smiled and ran around with the boys and her friend, an invisible weight seemed to lift from Tina’s shoulders. But the minute we were in the car again, Callie’s joy faded, and anger resurfaced. And now it was obvious it was because I was here.
I need to go. I don’t belong here.
Instead, I found myself following Tina into the kitchen and leaning against the far wall as she lifted the lid of the Crock-Pot and stirred the contents.
“And my mom wants me to start dating,” Tina muttered. “Yeah, okay. Like I don’t have enough on my plate, and obviously, Callie isn’t ready.”
My stomach lurched. Shit. The thought of her dating someone did not sit well with me.
I should turn around and leave, but when I pushed off the counter, instead of moving toward the door, my feet brought me closer to her.
The thoughts that were going through my head, the ones telling me to flee, and the words that came out were contradictory.
“Go out with me.”
Hell. What was I saying? I might have wanted it, but I sure as shit didn’t deserve it. I couldn’t go there with her, especially since she still didn’t know who I was or what I was responsible for.
Tina turned, eyes wide. “What?”
No turning back now. May as well own it.
I took a small step forward, crowding her space. When her breath hitched, I placed my hands on the bare skin of her upper arms. I meant it in a comforting way, but when I let my fingers travel down over her skin and a shiver rocked through her, I couldn’t deny the thrill that hit me.
