Chapter 5
Chapter Five
DEREK
“ A m I going to have to share my toys?” Troy asks, putting away his most prized fire truck.
“You’re good at sharing your toys.” I hand him the last set of building blocks to put in his toy chest. “Why wouldn’t you share with Lydia?”
It’s the first free day that Sutton had off from the hospital and she’s spending it here with us. I made sure the entire house was spotless. Not an easy feat with a preschooler. It’s hard for him to do much with his arm, but he can put away his toys with one hand.
“What if she doesn’t like them? Girls are weird.” He screws up his face like it’s the worst offense in the entire world.
Laughter rumbles out of me. It shouldn’t surprise me that’s his biggest concern.
“Maybe you can draw pictures if she doesn’t like your toys.”
“I guess.” Troy shrugs his shoulders and runs to get his coloring books out.
I even let him choose what he is wearing. As much as I wanted to put him in his best outfit, I wanted him to be comfortable today .
He picked out his favorite blue shorts and an orange T-shirt with a hockey player on it. Not even close to matching, but not something I’m going to worry about now.
Because as much as I’m telling myself this is just a playdate with our kids, I want things to go well with Sutton.
I’ve never brought anyone to meet Troy. I’ve dated a few women here and there throughout the years—I’m not a saint—but I didn’t want my son to have to deal with women flitting in and out of our lives. He didn’t deserve that. Not after having a deadbeat for a mother.
Sutton is different. From the moment she got down on Troy’s level, I felt it. And maybe I’m kidding myself thinking so, but I want this to work.
The doorbell rings, breaking me out of my thoughts.
“They’re here!” Troy runs to the front door, his tennis shoes squeaking on the tiled floors.
“Wait for me.”
He’s bouncing on the balls of his feet by the time I get there.
“Can I open the door? Please?”
“Go ahead.”
Troy swings open the heavy front door and there they are.
Sutton takes my breath away with how beautiful she looks. Her blonde hair is hanging down around her shoulders. She’s wearing a simple black T-shirt and jean shorts.
And the little girl hiding behind her, peeking her head out, is the spitting image of her.
“Hi.” My smile is bright, because how could it not be?
“Hi.”
“Are you Lydia?” Troy asks. He’s never met a stranger in his life. Always one to go up and talk to anyone we meet.
She gives a small nod of her head.
“Do you want to come see my toys?”
“Can I?” She looks up to Sutton, asking permission.
“Of course, sweetheart. ”
Lydia pops out from behind Sutton and follows Troy into the living room.
“Do you like fire trucks?” I hear him ask. “Or want to color?”
“I like coloring.”
“Well, that should keep them occupied,” Sutton laughs. “Can I come in?”
“Shit. Sorry.”
“It’s a good thing Troy didn’t hear that.”
“That kid will have college paid for by the end of the year at the rate I’m going.”
Sutton nervously tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. “Not one to mince your words around him?”
“More like years of playing football didn’t teach me the best habits.”
Sutton follows me into the kitchen. “You have a great place.”
“Thanks.”
For an ex-NFL star, it isn’t the biggest. When Troy came around, I had to ditch the bachelor pad and the lifestyle that came along with it. My old place had too many stairs and sharp corners that he could hurt himself on.
Instead, I left the NFL and moved back to San Diego. I wanted a quiet place in a good neighborhood for Troy to grow up in.
A ranch house with three bedrooms and a backyard with a pool. The living room is small, but the ceilings are high, making it look bigger than it is. Which helps when there are now two tiny humans spread out with their toys and coloring books.
“Do you want anything to drink?”
“Water would be great.”
Sutton is nervous. I can tell that much as she twists her hands together as I pour her a glass of water.
“Thanks. ”
She takes the glass, her fingers lingering over mine. It sends a bolt of heat racing through me.
Wow. That is not something I’ve felt in a long time. And based on the way she’s looking at the smallest point of contact, she felt it too.
Sutton
I shouldn’t be as taken with Derek as I am. Watching him listen to both kids while eating lunch might just be the best thing I’ve ever witnessed.
This man, this big and broody man, is talking to both kids about the latest cartoon they’re watching and discussing their favorite characters.
“Why’s the blue dog your favorite?” Lydia asks, chomping away on her grilled cheese. “I like the green one.”
“Because blue is our favorite color!” Troy yells, a ring of tomato soup lining his mouth.
“The green one has a cool collar. What about you, Sutton?” Derek eyes me, a playful gleam in his eyes. “Who’s your favorite?”
“I like the mom dog. The pink spots make her look cooler.”
“I don’t know. I think she is pretty cool even without the spots.” Derek winks at me.
“But she can’t take her spots off, Daddy. Duh!” Troy chides him.
“I know, buddy. I’m just saying I like her too.”
“Oh.” Troy shoves the last bite of his sandwich into his mouth. “Can we go play now? ”
“Are you done, sweetheart?” I ask, eyeing Lydia’s mostly empty plate.
She nods at me while getting up and chasing after Troy who has bolted into the living room again.
“I guess it doesn’t matter what we say,” Derek says with a laugh.
“At least they’re getting along.”
The two of them have been happily playing all morning, chattering away about their favorite cartoons and books and toys. If only making friends was that easy as an adult.
“Were you worried they wouldn’t?” he asks, clearing the table.
“Lydia can be painfully shy, so I always worry about her.”
“Tagline for parents everywhere.”
“Daddy.” Troy comes running back into the kitchen, Lydia at his side. “Can I show Lydia my soccer ball?”
“One second and we can all go outside.”
“Yes.” Troy pumps his uncasted arm. “It’s really cool.”
“What color is it?” Lydia asks, as they wait by the back door.
Derek grabs their juice cups and opens the door for them. A small swing set takes up the corner of the yard with toys strewn about.
It looks like my backyard—minus the pool.
“Seems like those two are fast friends,” Derek points out as Troy starts showing Lydia around. “We’ll have to have another playdate.”
“Only a playdate?” I ask.
As far as good days go, this one has been pretty close to perfect. Being a single mom, most days, I’m run into the ground. Between twelve-hour shifts and then taking care of Lydia, I’m exhausted.
I wouldn’t trade my daughter for anything, but it’s nice to have days like this. Where I can spend time with her and someone who gets it .
It doesn’t hurt that Derek is easy on the eyes.
It’s what has me taking a risk I usually wouldn’t take.
“What are you thinking, Sutton?”
Derek shifts next to me, shielding the sun from his eyes to look at me. I don’t know how he looks like that and is still single, but I’m glad for it.
“A date.”
“A date? Without the kids?” he asks.
“Exactly a date.” I smile up at him. “Dinner, drinks. Just the two of us. You know, normal date things.”
Derek laughs, a deep and throaty sound. Something that I could easily become addicted to. “I know what a date is, Sutton. I wanted to make sure we were on the same page.”
“So, what do you say, Derek?”
“It’s a date, Sutton.”