“Yes, I can cook since I’m not like your Uncle Marcus. I can’t eat anything I want and not gain weight,” she said.
“I was blessed with a high metabolism.” I patted my stomach.
Her eyes drifted to the same spot, lingered, and then skittered away.
Yeah, she wanted me.
Since we arrived at the café after the lunchtime rush, we were able to snag a table near a window. Noah decided on a hotdog and fries, and he attacked the meal as if I hadn’t been feeding him. Julia and I both had burgers and fries.
“So,” I said, keeping my tone casual. “How come you don’t have a man?”
I should probably mind my own business, but sitting across from her, with the afternoon light hitting her face and making her already burnished skin appear brighter, I couldn’t help myself.
She raised an eyebrow. “Why are you all up in my business?”
I laughed and shrugged. “I’m curious. You’re a smart, beautiful woman who is great with kids. I can’t believe someone hasn’t swept you up already.”
She shot a quick glance at Noah, who was preoccupied with his food and humming to himself. “I don’t want any.”
Kids?Shocked, I mouthed the word.
She confirmed with a nod. Honestly, I couldn’t believe it. She was so good with them. There was also another sensation coursing through me. Disappointment. Which was odd, because before Noah entered my life, I never considered being a father myself.
“Why not?”
“Too much responsibility. Don’t get me wrong, I love them, but... I see so much dysfunction all day in my work, I guess I don’t want to risk dealing with the same problems in my personal life.”
I didn’t understand. Few people were better equipped tohandle the challenges of being a parent than the woman sitting directly across from me.
“Is that why you’re single? You haven’t found someone who shares your view about children?” I asked.
Julia dipped a fry in ketchup and ate it. “It is hard to find someone like that, but I thought I had found him. We were serious for a few years and split a couple of years ago. He accepted a job offer in Portland and wanted me to move with him.”
“But you didn’t want to go?”
“I love Houston. My job is here, my friends are here, my whole life is here. I wasn’t ready to give all that up for a relationship where there was no certainty. He didn’t ask me to marry him. He asked me to uproot my life and come live with him, and there was uncertainty in that—at least for me.” She took a sip of Coke before continuing. “We tried long distance for a while, but it didn’t work out. Since then, I’ve learned to be on my own.”
“Lucky me.” The words slipped out. They should’ve stayed in my head, but I wasn’t sorry I had expressed how I felt.
When her eyes met mine, the current hummed between us again. Palpable. Undeniable.
“Uncle Marcus, can I have dessert?” Noah asked.
His question snapped the connection.
“Yes. What do you want?” I wiped ketchup from his cheek with a napkin.
“Ice cream?” he asked, his voice rising with hope.
I laughed. “Nice try. Remember our deal? You’ve had enough ice cream for the week.”
His face fell. “Okay,” he muttered, pouting.
“How about a cookie? They have chocolate chip.”
He nodded vigorously, perking up. “I like chocolate chip.”
As soon as he said it, I remembered chocolate chip was hisfavorite. Stacey always had chocolate chip cookies in the pantry. I made a mental note to buy some to keep at the condo as a treat for him.
