“You were talking about me?” she asks with stars in her eyes. If I’m not mistaken, Shelby has a crush on my man.
“He was. You want to be a lawyer when you are older, right?” I hold my hand out, unsure if I should shake her hand or do something else. I’m new to this and it’s hard to drop the professional behaviors ingrained in me from work.
“Yes, oh my god. He told me you’re the lawyer for his team. That’s so cool,” Shelby gushes and wraps her arms around my waist in a quick hug. “Oh my god, I’m sorry. I’m a hugger and I know I shouldn’t just touch people without permission, but I just got so excited.” She barely breathes as she rambles, and I can’t help but chuckle at her excitement.
“Do you want me to tell you about it? Maybe we can talk about your school plans and what you like to do.” I smile down at her where she bounces on the balls of her feet.
“You girls have fun. I’m going to talk to these guys.” Chase tosses a thumb over his shoulder as he walks backwards to where a group of boys have started a game of basketball. The hours pass quickly as Shelby and I sit on the bleachers and chat about what she wants to do with her life. When I ask why she is at the community center, she tells me her mom is a single mom and works two jobs, which leaves Shelby with a lot of alone time. Her mom dropped her off one afternoon a few years ago when they moved to town, and she’s been coming to the community center every day since.
As we watch the boys play basketball, she points outdifferent kids and shares some of their stories. Some of them aren’t as fortunate as she is to have a mom who cares. She’s a brilliant girl, full of light and energy, untouched by the evils of this world. I hope she can stay like this forever.
“You’re really great with them,” I say to Chase as we drive back to my house. He’s been quiet since we got in the car, and I wonder if it has anything to do with the boy who cried on his shoulder after they finished the game.
“I wish there was a way to make sure these kids are protected from the darkness in this world.”
“Was everything okay with that little boy?”
“Not really. He doesn’t have a great home life and he gets bullied at school. It’s sad.”
“That’s why you go, isn’t it? To show up for them when others don’t?”
“Yeah, Princess. They deserve someone to show up. I wish there was more I could do.”
“You’re doing it. Those kids adore you. I watched them hang on your every word today. You’re doing exactly enough.”
“Thanks, Princess. I’m happy you went with me today.” He squeezes my thigh.
“Me too.” Tangling my fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck, I try to offer as much reassurance as I can.
After he drops me off, I replay our day together. Seeing those kids at the community center today and seeing how Chase was with them, I can’t help but wonder if he wants kids of his own. I’ve always been career motivated. I’ve never thought about having children of my own. It hasn’t been in the cards for me, and being in my mid-thirties, I don’t know if it ever will be.
This is where the ten-year age gap makes things complicated. Chase has his whole life ahead of him and I saw a different, gentler side of him today.
If kids are something he wants, is that something I would want too?
The past two nights with Bree have solidified two things in my mind: One, I’m obsessed with her, and two, it gets better every time we’re together. I wasn’t kidding when I told her I wanted her in the worst way, like the song suggested. Sex with Bree is out of this world, but it’s not just about the sex for me. She has me hooked. From her brains to her beauty, all the facets of her personality pull me in, and I hope she never lets me go. It’s why I’m headed to her office early for our status meeting.
When I reach her office, I lean in the doorway and take her in. Her hair is piled on top of her head in a messy bun situation that manages to look sleek. She’s not wearing her glasses today, and the dress she wears is more casual than her usual business attire. I wonder if that has anything to do with how relaxed it feels in the office without the two dickbags here.
“You’re stunning,” I say, and she drops her phone with a shriek. “Even when you’re staring at your phone like it’s a complicated math problem.”
“What are you doing here?” She looks up at me and I don’t miss the way her eyes sparkle with excitement, even though she won’t tell me she’s happy I came by early.
“I wanted to see you.”
“I told you that you were the one obsessed with me.”
“Princess, I’ve been obsessed with you for a while. It’s about time you got on board.”
“Who said I was on board?”
“Your eyes and smile when you saw me.” Rounding the corner of her desk, I drop a kiss on her temple.
“But really, why are you here?” Her eyes dart to the door to make sure no one saw the kiss or how closely I stand to her.
“I came early to see you before the status meeting. I missed you this morning.” She rushed off to work after taking the day off with me yesterday, so I didn’t have the slow morning with her we usually do when I stay the night. She rolls her eyes, but her lips tip into a small smile and she laces her fingers through mine when I lean against the desk beside her chair.
“Why were you staring at your phone like it held all the world’s problems?”
