“Are you having fun?” I ask Deaton a little while later. He’s been doing activities all morning; painting, playing games, we even did some track and field, of course I let him win.
“I’m having a great time, thanks, B.” He hugs me, and I feel that knot in my stomach again.
“Anytime, bud.”
“They’re great, aren’t they?” One of the dads, Hugh, says, watching Deaton and some of his friends.
“I can’t say I know what I’m doing, but yeah, they’re fun. They remind you to slow down and enjoy the little things.”
He looks at me. “You want kids of your own?”
Not until I realized I was in love with Chelsea. Now I want a bunch of them. “Yeah, for sure.”
He smiles. “All in good time. Chelsea’s great, I’m Sarah’s husband, by the way, she’s one of the moms who wasn’t trying to grope you at soccer practice.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. “You heard about that?”
He chuckles. “Yep.”
“Good news travels fast.”
“I think Chelsea has a way with words, doubt they’ll be bothering you again.”
“I take it you heard what she said?”
Hugh shrugs. “Bro code.” He slaps me on the back. “I got you.”
I grin. We exchange numbers because Hugh also likes golf, and though I don’t get out as often as I’d like, I accept the invitation. My friends would probably be up for a game too.
When we get back to Chelsea’s place after the buddy day, I frown when I see she’s asleep at the kitchen island.
I shake my head. She’s overworked. Then a wash of guilt flashes over me when I think about keeping her up late when she has a full-time business and a child. I need to stop being so selfish, but I can hardly help it when she’s a goddess.
Deaton, full of pizza and sugar that’s wearing off, takes off to have a shower, and I boil the kettle. Once she wakes up, I know she’ll want a peppermint tea to go to bed with.
When I stop and think about it, there’s a lot about her that I’m aware of. I know how she likes her coffee. Her likes and dislikes. Her favorite movie and what bands she loves. I’ve loved her for a very long time… I just had her on such a high pedestal, I couldn’t see what was right in front of me.
“Hey,” she whispers.
I turn around, “Well, hello there.”
She yawns. “I can’t believe I fell asleep.”
“I can, you’ve been working too hard.”
“You can talk,Mister workaholichimself.”
I hand her the tea I just poured. “Deat is showering, have you eaten?”
She nods, yawning again. “Thanks, B… listen, I know we didn’t get much time to talk earlier after telling Deaton everything.”
I pop a brow. “Are you regretting it already?”
“No,” she admonishes. “That isn’t what I was going to say.”
“Then I apologize for butting in.”
When she gazes at me like this, I feel my heart accelerate, my veins pop, my whole damn demeanor is on fire for her and only her. “I meant what I said, I really love you, Brad. Likethat.Not just as a friend.”
