It wasn’t good. It really wasn’t.
Belle tilted her head toward him. “You don’t sound convinced.”
“I meant what I said. You need to be careful. People aren’t always what they seem, especially online.”
“I know that, Victor.” Her words were spoken with conviction.
He studied her…and something shifted again. Not just awareness or attraction but something deeper and way more complicated. Because that was the moment when all the lies he’d told himself about Belle and her Mary Poppins personality faded away. She wasn’t just easy smiles and soft laughter and loudsinging and the kind of warmth that filled a room without even trying.
She was strong and intelligent and intentional. She’d dedicated years of her life to his family because she was compassionate, empathetic, and downright wonderful.
Victor leaned back, staring across the pool, as jealousy sat in his chest. “So that’s what you want? A relationship? A husband? A family?”
She nodded. “Yes. That’s what I want.”
He could feel her gaze on his face, but he didn’t turn to meet it right away. He was too afraid of what she’d see. After a moment, he was able to school his features enough to look at her. “You deserve that, Sunshine.”
He wasn’t sure where the nickname came from, but it fit.
Then he wondered if anyone had ever used a term of endearment with her, because the way her cheeks flushed bright red made him think not.
“Sunshine?” she whispered, more to herself than him.
If she was looking for an explanation, she was going to be disappointed, because he couldn’t tell her without giving away a bunch of shit he shouldn’t. Instead, he just shrugged.
Silence settled between them again, but it wasn’t easy like before. This time, it hung too heavy, weighted down, something unspoken threading through it.
Because while Victor had been sitting here, fighting hard to deny his feelings, he couldn’t help but wonder if Belle had been doing the same.
In some ways, it felt as if she’d been feeling him out. He recalled the way her gaze lingered hungrily on his bare chest when he was working out or playing in the pool with Pip. The way she’d run her tongue over her lip that night he foolishly let his own gaze drift lower, considering how it would feel to kiss her.
For the first time, he began to worry this attraction he felt wasn’t one-sided.
If so…
That was a big fucking problem.
CHAPTER FOUR
Belle sat at the island,fighting the nervousness in her stomach. Though she wasn’t sure what was making her more anxious. The fact that she’d set up a coffee date for later this afternoon or that she had to ask Victor if he’d be okay watching Pip on his own for a couple hours. She probably should have checked with him before accepting the date, but after three weeks of living in his house, she’d gotten to know his postseason workout schedule pretty well. Originally, he’d been working out at home, but that changed recently as he started driving into the city more often. She knew that today was an “off” day in terms of him driving into Baltimore and training with the team.
She wasn’t sure why she was so nervous about mentioning the date. After all, she hadn’t taken any time off since Vivian had left for Africa, so she was definitely overdue for some free time.
Maybe it was because he seemed so anti-online dating. Or maybe it was because ever since the first time he’d invited her to join him on the porch for a drink, they’d made a nightly habit of it. For the past eleven evenings, they met up in the hallway outside Pip’s bedroom prior to walking to the kitchen for beverages. She always had a glass of wine, while Victor wasmostly partial to Guinness. He’d claimed after so many years celebrating wins and losses at Pat’s Pub, it was no wonder he was fond of the stout beer.
If Belle had a brain in her head, she’d put the kibosh on the patio nights. They were not helping keep her crush on Victor under control. If anything, those quiet evenings merely fueling the attraction. The two of them were capable of sitting in solitude, simply drinking in the night sounds, without the need for constant conversation.
Which was strange for her, because Belle had been blessed with the gift of gab. She and Vivian typically had to pause whatever they were watching on TV because they’d start talking and lose track of the plot. Her mother had affectionately nicknamed her Cathy when she was growing up, short for Chatty Cathy. There weren’t too many things Belle couldn’t talk to death if given an opening, but with Victor, she was content to sit quietly.
“Hey,” Belle said, when Pip escaped to the living room to start the new puzzle Victor had brought home with him yesterday after practice, finally leaving Belle alone with the girl’s uncle. “I need to ask you something.”
She rose from the island, carrying her cereal bowl and Pip’s to the sink to rinse out before putting them in the dishwasher.
Victor topped up his coffee cup, adding cream. “What’s up?”
“You weren’t planning to go anywhere this afternoon, were you?”
Victor turned to face her, his ever-present scowl firmly in place. She used to be so intimidated by his dark looks, used to jump whenever she heard that deep bark of his, but now that she knew him, she understood that while he took resting bitch face to the next level, he was rarely truly angry.
