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"My son took one look at you and you were his, he’d have moved heaven and hell to make sure of that."
My body had tensed at the word seduction but faded away when I realized it wasn’t meant as something bad. As if he'd viewed me as a joke—something to possess and use then discard when I was no longer useful. An instant guilt hit me at judging him by past experience. Stanton hadn't done anything but adore and focus on me, even when I knew he was too busy to think some nights.
"I've never seen Stanton like he is with you. He's trying so hard to get you to love him as much as he does you."
"I'm sure he doesn't love me. It's too soon for that." It took everything in me to push those two short sentences past the lump in my throat at thinking Stanton had fallen in love with me. I'd started to fear that was happening on my side. The younger man was so different from what I was used to, but he also showed me in a hundred small ways that he'd do anything to make me happy.
"People have this preconceived notion that time has anything to do with love. There's people together for fifty years and can't stand each other, but meet someone, the instant your eyes connect and there's nothing you wouldn't do for them."
As I was about to ask what she meant, the doors slid open and I motioned for her to go first. Instead of saying goodnight, I walked with her to make sure she got to her vehicle okay. Our steps echoed in the cavernous space—a hollow sound that rang off the cement floors and pillars. The spots were almost all empty.
"Do you have an issue with Stanton dating someone so much older than him?" I asked because as much as I didn't feel I needed her approval; she was someone I respected for what she'd accomplished since her husband passed. Dating Stanton was different. That broke the barrier between professional and personal lives.
"Of course not. He's sometimes impulsive but in a fun and quirky kind of way, but he's always smart about important decisions. Admittedly, I may have tried to talk him out of seducing one of my employees. Yet I could see how much he wanted a chance. Although, me being me, I had to give him shit."
"Can I be honest with you?"
"I'd prefer it."
"I was insecure about holding Stanton's attention, but he's proved with every action that he wants us to work."
"He's an adult with a successful business and a fulfilling life, but I've seen a change in my son since you two started seeing each other. Make sure he brings you by for dinner or something soon. He's been keeping you to himself."
"I'd started to wonder if he was embarrassed to bring me around." There'd been a few dinners at her home, but something always came up and he just wanted to spend time with me.
We stopped beside a luxury vehicle, shiny and top-of-the-line. My boring sedan looked shabby beside it. I'd never been the type of person who spent much on material items besides my suits for work and the occasional splurge item that I absolutely didn't need.
"Hush, \ he's been telling anyone who asks what's new about his amazing boyfriend. He's an extremely busy man who doesn't like to share. When he gets alone time with you, he wants you all to himself. Give it time to fall into a routine." She dug into her bag for her keys and I stepped back as she unlocked her door. "Get home. Thanks for walking me to my car."
"Stanton and I are having dinner, I'm headed straight there."
"Have fun. And just relax. My son adores you and is so proud to have you for his."
I didn't know how to answer that, so I pushed out a ‘goodnight’ and a ‘stay safe going home’. Once she was on her way, I headed off in the direction I'd come from to get to my own vehicle and reminded myself to text Stanton to let him know I was on my way.
He loved to know where I was. The old me would've found it stifling, but as Daddy's boy I felt treasured and needed. All the dreams I had in my twenties about that man who'd be mine started to come back. Even closeted, I’d had an almost fairy-tale-like vision of the person I'd find and spend the rest of my life with. At thirty, I'd felt I'd found that in Tanner, but I'd seen my ex-husband through some distorted lens—the crack in the closet door.
My phone started to ring in my pocket, and I pulled it out to check the display to see Stanton's name, along with a picture of him smiling at me. I connected the call.
"Hey, Daddy," I whispered, smirking as I heard his groan.
"Baby, that's mean. Are you on your way home?"
"Yes, I was about to send you a message that I was pulling out of the garage in a few minutes. Your mother was leaving the same time as me, so I walked her to her car."
"Such a gentleman. Did she try to talk you out of continuing to date her annoying son?"
"No, she didn't. She told me that you needed to bring me for lunch or dinner soon."
"I will, I plan on it, but summer is always a crazy party season, even more so than holidays. Christmas time is always a nightmare. I'll finish up dinner for when you get here. Be careful okay? No using your phone while you're driving."
"Promise. I'll be there in about thirty minutes. Do you need me to stop and pick anything up?"
"Thank you, but no, I have everything I need except you."
My face flushed and I felt a silly grin pull at the corners of my mouth. My man was almost sugary sweet. I'd never thought that would be a surprising turn-on for me. I told him I was getting in my car and I'd be there shortly. When I disconnected the call, I instantly missed his voice.
Was Clora right? Did Stanton love me? I knew damn sure I was falling for him and hard. The walls I'd always kept in place to protect myself weren't there with him. He made it safe. I felt as if what I had with Stanton was the chance I'd never had with Tanner. It was a love in the open. It was filled with communication and honesty, trusting my complete well-being to him because he'd never abuse the bond I felt with him.
