Bennett rolls to his back, his hand flopping on the side the bed. “What time is it?”
“5 a.m.”
“Fuck. I have to get home. I’m going to owe Dolores so much money for staying the night. And I’ll have to call in to Ridge since I have no one to watch Liam today.”
Bennett sounds as defeated as I am tired. It can’t be an easy job being thrown into full-time dad lifestyle. If possible my heart simultaneously breaks and yet fills with love and respect for the man lying next to me. There’s so much talk about single moms out there but what about the single dads? The one beside me is doing a spectacular job on his own with a little bit of help from the team he’s built up around him.
“Bring him to the bakery. He can help Tabitha and me make desserts.” I mean really, he can’t be worse than Tabitha when it comes to cooking skills. I won’t let either of them near an oven.
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, you know, if you’re sure.” I didn’t give a lot of thought when I made the offer. It’s possible Bennett won’t trust me to take care of Liam. I’ll be the first to admit I don’t have much child experience. “I mean I’m sure you don’t let him stay with just anyone.”
He smiles, rolls back over and gives me a quick kiss on the cheek. “I guess that means you aren’t just anyone.”
“I guess not.” My smile grows.
“I’ll let you in on a secret. I think my son may be falling in love with you.”
“Really?” Liam is now my favorite kid on the entire planet. Forget my nieces and nephews. He’s my new favorite. There’s a lifetime supply of cookies in store for him.
“He talks nonstop about when you’ll be over again. Normally two minutes after you leave.”
“He does?” If possible my smile gets bigger, taking away some of the pain from my lack of sleep headache.
Bennett leans in, giving me a closed mouth kiss on the lips. It’s tender and sweet, nothing like the sex we had last night. “Don’t tell Liam, but he’ll have to fight me for you because I’ve already made my decision. You’re mine.”
Okay, that’s it. I’m done for. Tell me, what woman could resist the man lying in her bed saying those words? No one. Bennett Walker can boss me around all he wants from this moment on.
He sits up, totally oblivious to the fact I’m staring at him like a love-stricken psycho person.
“I have to get home before Dolores hunts me down, but I’ll bring him by in a few hours. Does that work?”
“Uh-huh.” Hey, don’t judge me. A hot guy basically told me he’s falling in love with me. I’m allowed speechlessness. I’ll get it together eventually.
**
“When is he dropping him off?” Tabitha asks as she restocks the bakery case after our morning rush ended a few minutes ago. The hour between nine and ten is consistently slower, giving us time to prep to do it all over again at the lunch hour.
She’s mostly forgiven me for walking into the woods with Frankie Zanetti and out of it with a bunch of bikers last night. I’m waiting for it to be brought up at random times for the rest of our friendship.
I smile, my gaze locked outside the front window. Now that the front glass has been replaced, I have a clear view of Bennett’s large truck parked in the space right out front. Liam stares at my store while Bennett unbuckles him from the back of the extended cab.
“Right now.”
Bennett opens the door and Liam jumps out not waiting for his father before he makes a mad dash across the sidewalk and barrels through my front door. The bell rumbles like it’s facing cardiac arrest.
“Lessa,” he slaughters my name in his hurry, “can I eat all the sugar?”
His excitement makes me excited. It’s impossible not to smile when a happy child is around. “Of course! You can eat all the sugar you want.”
“He can?” Bennett asks, dropping a Lightning McQueen backpack on Pearl’s favorite table.
Liam wastes no time, stepping right up to the display case and leaning in. His hands and fingers are pressed against the glass and his little nose is making smudges. I cringe internally but keep the smile on my face. When Liam steps away, there’s a perfect outline of all ten of his little fingers, but I shrug. There are worse things in life than a little dirty glass.
“I brought his tablet and a coloring book with some crayons because we need to practice coloring in the lines, right, Liam?
Liam tilts his head back. “Yeah. Can I have the chocolate donut?”
