I nod, my cheeks heating.“I knew you’d want to be here for it.”
Our faces feel so close.His gaze falls to my lips.
My body aches for him, to have his hands on me again.But neither of us has brought up messing around with each other and it feels irresponsible now.But at the same time… just once wouldn’t change anything, right?
His eyes slowly rise and meet mine.
I quickly divert my attention to Tanner.“I’ll get some more grapes from the freezer.”I stand, the chair scraping along the floor, and go to the freezer and stick my head inside in an effort to cool myself down.
ChapterTwenty-Five
Hadley
I’m surprised that Easton kept today to just the three of us.That it’s not the entire friend group joining us at the zoo.
As we walk into Lincoln Park Zoo, Easton’s hand lands on the small of my back while he pushes the stroller with one hand.I’m not sure if it’s just because we haven’t gone many places together since the wedding announcement, but it feels as if everyone turns to look at us.
“I apologize in advance,” he whispers, seeing three kids with Colts shirts running toward us.
“Easton Bailey?”one of them asks, missing his front two teeth.
The other little boys stand next to him, their eyes looking as if they have hearts in them as they stare at Easton.
How does he not have a hero complex when he has kids coming up to him thinking he’s the best thing ever?
“How are you boys?”Easton asks, so casual.
The parents meander over, as if not wanting to intrude.Easton’s hand falls off my back, and he crouches next to the stroller and takes their pen and zoo map.He signs the maps, and one boy asks him to sign his shirt, which he does.
Then the parents peek their heads into the little circle.“Would you mind a picture?”
Easton stands and ushers the boys in around him.
“Here, I’ll take it,” I say, offering to take the phone so the mom and dad can get into the picture.
“Oh, thanks, Hadley,” the mom says.
I freeze for a moment.Then I remember, if they keep tabs on Easton, I’m on that feed now too.Of course she knows my name.I’m not used to being recognized.
I keep the stroller by me and take the picture for them.Easton smiles big and wide and doesn’t look the tiniest amount of pissed off that he’s being interrupted on his one day off with his son.
I hand the phone back to the mom, and they graciously thank Easton before moving on, but the boys continue to look over their shoulders.
As I think we’ll move ahead, more kids and adults come over.
It’s a half hour before we get away from the zoo entry area.While we’re stuck there, I’ve taken so many pictures that one group of women asks me where they pick up their pictures after I take them.I have to disappoint them and say I don’t work for Lincoln Park, but I’m happy to take a picture with their phone.
Eventually, Easton has no choice but to walk away.As I hand the phone back to the last person, his hand goes to my back, and he pushes the stroller again.Tanner’s being a trouper, mostly because kids kept kneeling down and talking to him the whole time.
“Let’s get to the Reptile House,” Easton says and turns us abruptly to the right.
“I don’t want to see the reptiles.”
His fingers flex on my back and he smiles.“No one wants to see the reptiles.”
My head tips back.“Oh, gotcha.”
We walk ahead, and a few more people glance and point, some taking out their phones to snap a picture, but thankfully no one stops us.
