Ty allowed her gaze to shift back up to Memphis as he moved in for a handshake.
“Strong grip,man,”Eric said through clenched teeth. Veins bulged along the back of Eric’s hand before he rather yanked it from Memphis’s grip.
Great. Perhaps it would be best to send Eric on his way right now. Of course, with Lucas nearby, she wouldn’t be able to explain a whole lot to Memphis, but he needed some answers, and quick.
Memphis rolled his shoulders as he took a step back, eyes moving to Ty once more. He looked hurt, confused, betrayed. But there was something more there. Something oddly familiar. A beat passed between them as a need struck. A desperation to explain all of this away and put him at ease.
If she told Eric goodbye, she and Memphis could let Lucas play on the jungle gym for a while and keep an eye on him while they talked… Yes, that would work.
But suddenly Memphis spoke up. “Do you want to just…keep Lucas now and call me later?”
“No,” Lucas whined. “We’re going to get root beer floats, aren’t we?”
“Maybewecould take him for root beer floats,” Eric offered, pointing a finger between himself and Ty.
A branch snapped. From the corner of her eye, Ty saw a twig from the nearby tree in Memphis’s fist.
Ty was on the same page; she gave Eric a stern look. “I’lltake Lucas for floats.” When she set her eyes back on Memphis, that same expression was there. Eyes wide, glancing from Eric to Lucas to her. As if they’d all become one unit on the other side of the fence and he was an outsider looking in.
Her heart flooded with fire as it pumped out an extra beat.
“Memphis, I’ll meet you at Holly’s at 7:00, okay?” she said, inwardly knowing she’d need to text Memphis before then and give him a brief rundown. Ty turned to Eric next. “I’ll touch base with you a little later.”
Eric plucked the notepad off the bench and nodded. “Thank you, again, Ty. I think this could really work out. I do. I won’t let you down. Either of you. See you later, Lucas,” he added with a nod.
Lucas gave him a rather half-hearted wave as he bent down to tie his shoelace.
Memphis, however, had already backed out of the tight spot. Ty watched through an opening in the brush as he hurried away, shaking his head as he went. Surely he was mumbling something under his breath. Something to match whatever emotion she’d seen play over his face.
And that’s when it hit her. The familiar look in Memphis’s eyes as he witnessed the meeting between Lucas and Eric. One that grew more severe as he then spotted the paper on the bench.Fear.Horror.
It had to be the exact expression on Ty’s face the day after she brought Lucas home from the hospital, when he was crying beyond control. It was a look that saidwhat have I gotten myself into?Andjust where can I buy a ticket out?
A miserable ache tore through Ty’s center as she considered further. It was one thing to get involved with a single mom and her child. It was another to bring in the full circus of an ex-husband, ex-in-laws, and visitation rights. It was more than Memphis had bargained for, and he wanted out.
As much as Ty wanted him to push past it, to be with her and Lucas as they weathered this storm too, she couldn’t blame him for wanting to leave before he got in any deeper.
She gulped as a horrible flash of heat pulsed through her blood, causing her skin to break out in a sweat. It was the second time today she’d had that impression. Was Memphis secretly looking for a way out? Regretting the day he ever got involved? Perhaps he’d been subconsciously looking for one all along. If so, it was only a matter of time before he found one.
An inner voice told her that perhaps this was all for the best. Shedidwant Lucas to have his real father in his life. And having Memphis around might just send him packing. Though that wasn’t Eric’s personality. He always did love a good challenge. Having a man to contend with—one as handsome and strong as Memphis was—would only make it that much more interesting for him.
“Mom?”
Ty’s gaze drifted back to Lucas as he pulled her from those musings. “Yeah?”
“Are we going to get floats now?” He blinked up at her, his innocent green eyes wide with hope.
Her heart tore a little more as she nodded. “Yep, we sure are.” She wrapped her hand around Lucas’s small fist. “Let’s go.”
