Chapter Twenty-One
RIVER
I duckedmy head for what seemed like the hundredth time.
It was a teeny-weeny kiss, and I was acting like some blushing schoolgirl instead of a grown woman.
I was pathetic.
Every time I took a peek at the man eating breakfast at the table across from me, my heart fluttered just thinking about his sweet lips touching mine. And then, my pulse raced with anticipation of it possibly happening again.
Bre had been eating quietly but kept looking back and forth between me and her hero, studying us like a bug under a microscope. While she and the rest of us were still shaken over the incident the evening before, it was the undercurrent between Huntley and I that was grabbing her attention more.
My daughter seemed to be picking up on the change between us. But Lennon, more worried about his food, was shoveling his heaping plate of eggs, bacon, hash browns, and toast down like it was his last meal, oblivious to it all.
That was until Huntley opened his mouth, shocking the crap out of us all.
“I need to run something by you kids,” he said, grabbing not only their attention, but mine as well.
What was going on?
When we all looked his way, he briefly glanced at me and smiled, before focusing on Bre and Lennon. “I wanted to take your mom out on a date and was hoping to have both of your guys' permission?”
Gah, this man was killing me. He had so many amazing qualities but thinking of my kids the way he did now, and always had, made me believe that honorable men truly existed.
Lennon and Bre whipped their heads in my direction, both clearly thrown a bit for a loop. My guess because he was asking them and also maybe because I hadn’t immediately protested. There was a small smile playing on my daughter’s face, where my son wore a completely serious expression.
Always the one to take the lead, Lennon asked me, “Do you want to go with him on a date?”
If I thought they’d been thrown for a loop when Huntley asked his question, I knew my answer was going to send them spinning. My eyes flicked to the man who kept changing my life one day at a time, and I bit my lip.
I may know my answer. I mean I’d already given it to him the night before, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t nervous.
Huntley gave me a grin. “It’s always your choice, sweetheart.”
How is it that I found someone like him?
At the start I’d wanted to push him away, thought he was irritating, but that was the fear talking. He’d shown me so many times that he could be an exceptional friend, protector, and more if I let him.
Huntley was beyond patient too.
Looking back at the kids, I nodded. “Yes, I do.”
Bre relaxed, her smile blooming bigger at my answer.Lennon still looked a bit worried, but I knew he liked Huntley and while he was always trying to look out for me, he still respected me as an adult. One who could make my own choices.
My son glanced at his sister who was shaking her head up and down before looking back at the large man sharing breakfast with us. “If that’s what mom wants, then we approve.”
I thought that was the end of it and then of course my son had to add more.
“But don’t you dare hurt her in any way.”
“Thank you. And you have my word that I would never do anything to hurt her,” Huntley said. “Your mother is special and you two are too. I will never hurt any of you.”
The man was slowly killing me.
With kindness.
“Thank you,” Bre whispered, and her brother returned her sentiment.
