“Oh, I brought Mia to a petting zoo.” I widen my eyes, and Will nods, smiling, agreeing with me. I figured we’re telling enough lies as it is, and the fewer we have to tell, the better. I simply omitted the fact that her dad had planned our excursion.
“Fun. How was it?”
“Really fun. Mia loved it. We should bring the girls back together.”
“Yes!” Bellamy agrees. “Coral would love that.”
“What are you doing?”
“I just got back from the grocery store. We’re in for the night, as Reid’s getting ready for training camp. He says he wants all the time with us that he can get. I thought I’d offer to keep Mia, and you could have a night off.”
“I love you for that, but you enjoy the time with your family. Maybe give Coral a little brother or sister,” I tease, then panic when my eyes find Will’s. He’s still smiling, but he’s also shaking his head. Mia crawls into his lap and rests her cheek on his chest, and I know she’s ready for a nap. She’s had a pretty eventful day.
“Not a bad idea.” Bellamy laughs. “Well, I’ll let you go. Be safe, and I’m glad you got some time with your girl outside of the house.”
“Thank you. I’ll call you tomorrow.” We say goodbye, and I end the call, dropping my phone back into my purse. “Sorry about that.” I wince.
Will chuckles. “It’s fine, Mandy. I know my daughter is a married woman, and I’d love more grandchildren.”
It’s weird that the man I’m dating is not only my best friend’s dad but also a grandfather, but his salt-and-pepper hair is sexy as hell, and he’s in shape. His body is sculpted. He’s taken very good care of himself over the years. My body heats thinking about how it feels to have his body pressed to mine.
“What are you thinking about?” he asks, reaching over to run his thumb over the apple of my cheek. “You’re blushing, baby.”
“Nothing. It’s the sun.”
“We’re sitting in the shade,” he says, leaning over for a kiss. Mia wiggles in his lap and grunts at being disturbed. “Are you ready to head home, baby girl?” he asks Mia.
“Yeah, it’s been an exciting day, huh?” I ask, brushing her hair out of her eyes. “Thank you for today, Will. It was perfect.”
“Next time, we’ll invite the others and the kids to join us,” he tells me.
Next time.
I smile and nod. I want that. I want more of these kinds of moments, and I don’t want to have to hide them or have him bribe the staff so we can have some time together. This life, the one Will keeps presenting me, is what I’ve always dreamed of—a good man to stand beside me through life, raising our kids, and just being happy.
I crave that life with him. I know he said he wants us, and I believe him. I’m too afraid to ask him what happens if Bellamy hates us both and insists that we end this. What happens then? It’s the fear of that answer that has me continuing to beg him to keep this quiet, but we’re in this now. So far in, there’s no turning back.
I can only hope that, in the end, I have both my best friend and the man I’ve fallen madly in love with still in my life.
Twenty-One
Amanda
* * *
Mia is asleep on my chest, and we’re both wet. It’s the middle of August, and it’s hot as hell in Tennessee. We’re all outside at Baker and Sloane’s house for Camden’s fourth birthday party. Mia ran and played until she crashed. I don’t want to move her, so instead, I sit here in the shade, holding her, while we both get disgustingly sticky with sweat where she lies against me.
My phone dings, alerting me to a message, so I grab it off the arm of the Adirondack chair I’m sitting in, and I smile when I see a message from Will.
* * *
Will: How’s the party?
Me: Hot.
* * *
I look around me, and no one seems to be paying much attention to me, so I quickly snap a photo of a red-faced, sweaty Mia in my arms and send it to him.