“Don’t get mad, but I’m not upset about Nicky helping me. I know what I like now, so…. I wouldn’t have been able to be clear and tell you what I like before I thought about it. Nicky stayed up late nights with me, talking about things I think would have maybe worried you.” He shrugged.
“I would’ve done it anyway.”
His expression softened. “I know.”
“Oh, there you are.” Mom swayed through the door. “Oh good, a bed,” she said happily, and after a trip across the room that had me holding my breath, she almost missed sitting down on it. Z and I laughed our way through getting her farther onto the mattress. We folded one side of the comforter over her, and she was sawing logs before we even took a step away.
“Will she be all right?” Z stopped in the doorway to stare at her, then switched off the overhead light.
I shrugged, at a loss, and hooked an arm around his shoulders. “So, will you talk to me now? If we’re doing this together? Not Nicky? I mean, I get he’s your friend, but… I want to figure things out with you.”
“Yeah,” he whispered.
“Yeah, who?” I asked, enjoying being stern with him.
He practically radiated his joy and turned to snuggle his face against my chest. “Daddy. Yes, Daddy.”
“Your father is such an asshole” came from the bed.
I groaned as Z giggled his way out into the hallway while I lightly smacked his ass. He only sent a heated look over his shoulder at me, and I swallowed hard.Well, fuck. What else don’t I know about my Z?
12
Zayden
I wokeup to the smell of something delicious drifting through the house. The bed was empty, and as disappointing as that was, when Mrs. Darrow and Dare cooked together, I was in for a treat. The idea was exciting enough to have me on my feet and bouncing toward the bathroom for a quick shower. Once I was dried, dressed, and ready to face the day, I almost ran down the stairs.
Like I’d expected, Mrs. Darrow and Dare were in the kitchen. Dare leaned against the counter with his arms crossed, while his mom stood in front of the stovetop, flipping something in a pan.
“What are we having?” I asked as soon as I hit the bottom of the stairs.
Dare’s gaze shot to me and a grin spread across his face. The sight warmed my belly. I returned his smile as I came closer, sad I couldn’t kiss him like I really wanted. He did hug me, though, because we’d always done that around his mom and she didn’t seem to mind.
Mrs. Darrow winked at me. “Your favorite, Zayden. Cheesy bacon breakfast burritos with avocado.”
I placed my hands over my chest after I backed out of Dare’s hug. “Be still, my beating heart. No eggs in mine, right?”
“As if I would forget.” She chuckled and placed a burrito each on three plates. Passing one to me, she smiled. “It’s the least you deserve after allowing me to stay in your home and commandeer your bed.”
“You don’t even need to ask. You’re always welcome here.” I moved over to the table and plopped down on one of the seats. Dare came behind me and took the chair right beside mine. He looked good this morning, with ruffled hair and a smooth face. He’d obviously taken the time to shave. I didn’t care about his appearance, though, because he was always perfect to me.
“You’re such a sweetheart.” She gave me a kiss on the cheek before she took a spot on the other side of the table. Dare resembled his mother. She had the same build, with a height I’d never quite seen in a woman before. She’d told me once she’d played basketball and was good at it, and I could see why. Dare’s round face was inherited from her, and they had similar smiles, although sometimes Dare grinned like his father, too.
I grabbed my utensils and dug into the food, shoving forkfuls of the messy burrito into my mouth and chewing. The tastes exploded on my tongue, and I moaned, unable to quite get enough of it. Dare had learned to cook from his mother, and while she’d tried to teach me when I visited, I’d never been talented in the “food arts.” I could pour cereal, but never much else.
“I remember when you were a teen, you always popped over in the morning for one of these burritos,” Mrs. Darrow said, cutting into her food. “And Fern would make an extra one for you, so if you didn’t come around first, he’d take it to you at school.”
I laughed and shoved another forkful in my mouth, nodding at what she’d said. After I swallowed, I peeked a look at Dare and the embarrassment that flashed across his face. He ducked his head, and I swore I saw some pinkness on his cheeks. “I loved it when he brought me food. He had it warm and wrapped in foil and handed it to me like a present.”
“I did not,” Dare grumbled.
Me and his mom laughed harder.
“You most definitely did,” Mrs. Darrow said, shaking her finger at him. “You would not leave the house unless you had something for Zayden to eat. If we hadn’t cooked anything that morning, you would take an extra bag of chips or some cookies.”
My heart soared as I thought back to those days. Dare was always the happiest when he’d passed over the food to me, as though presenting me with the greatest gift known to man, and it’d been special to me. I’d always loved everything he gave me, but food felt likemore. He’d always provided for me, been the caretaker out of our friendship. MyDaddywithout even realizing what he was doing. Maybe that’s why I’d searched for that type of guy in relationships. I wanted Dare, and none of the other men were him.
“Mom.” Dare groaned.
