Daddy’s Picky Eater (Blue Collar Daddies in the City #8)

3. Dexter

3

DEXTER

I ran my hand through my hair and glanced in the mirror after pulling to a stop in front of Augie's apartment building. My carefully packed picnic basket was secure in the backseat next to the kites I’d spent all morning assembling.

There was no real reason for me to be so nervous for our date, but I totally was.

Maybe it was because Augie was so close to Ethan and Brayden, and if things went south, that could be awkward. But I had a strong suspicion that the reason my heart was racing with anticipation was because Augie was special. He was sweet and kind and…Little. I was trying not to put so much pressure on our first date, but I hoped everything went well because I really wanted Augie to trust me enough to fully open up around me so we could get to know each other on a deeper level.

I'd barely put the car in park when a blur of green caught my eye.

I hit the window button on the passenger side as Augie came bounding down the steps toward my car.

His face was lit up with an eager grin that made my chest tighten. Damn, he was adorable. "Hi, Mister Dexter. I was looking out my window so you didn’t have to wait for me." He yanked open the passenger door and tumbled inside, breathless as he reached for his seatbelt. “Thanks for coming.”

“Of course.” I reached for his wrist and gave him a gentle squeeze before restarting the car. “And you can call me Dex or Dexter.” Or Daddy. But that would take time and more getting to know each other. “Unless you prefer the mister.”

He cocked his head as he buckled in. “I think I do like it. For now, at least.”

For now. That was promising. I could work with that. “Okay.” The rest of what he’d said finally sank in. “Wait, how long were you watching out the window?"

"I've been ready for hours because I’m so excited. I’ve never been on a kite date." His head snapped toward me, and he bit his lower lip. “This is still a date, right?”

"Of course, sweetheart. I've got everything packed up for a nice picnic lunch too."

His eyes went wide, but instead of the joy that had been oozing off him, he looked slightly terrified. "Oh, you did? That was nice of you."

"You bet. Turkey-and-swiss sammies." I smiled and pulled away from the curb, proud of myself that I’d remembered some of the lingo Brayden liked to use. "And I brought some other snacks too, in case you're not in a sandwich mood."

“Oh, yay!” Augie clapped his hands, his happy demeanor instantly back. “Thank you.”

Warmth bloomed in my chest from his genuine enthusiasm. “It’s my pleasure.”

As we drove, Augie asked a hundred questions about the kites we were going to fly, which one was my favorite and how high I thought we could get. He was practically vibrating with energy, and it was contagious.

I answered each question, laughing when he did, while sneaking fond glances at Augie. He looked absolutely precious in his pastel-blue sweater and gray jeans with his hair slightly tousled.

When we arrived at the park, Augie was out of the car before I could even unbuckle my seatbelt. He licked his finger as if testing the direction of the wind. "Oh, it’s perfect right now. We should hurry!"

I grabbed the picnic basket and kites from the backseat and hurried to catch up as he headed to the large field. "I'm coming, I'm coming. Don't get too far ahead or I might get lost."

As the weatherman predicted, the day was perfect for flying kites. A nice breeze while the sun shone, keeping us warm when we stopped to rest and cool as we ran behind our strings. More than an hour passed of us running and laughing and racing across the grass before we decided to take a break and dig into our lunch.

As we passed the playground, Augie's steps faltered slightly. The area was packed with shrieking children and watchful parents, all enjoying their playtime.

I gently steered us in another direction. "Hey, buddy. Want to eat in the gazebo? There's a nice bench swing we could try."

Augie's face lit up. "Ooh, yes please! Can you push me super high?"

I chuckled. "I’m not sure if it’ll go very high, but we can try."

The gazebo was empty when we arrived, so Augie immediately plopped onto the bench swing with his legs swinging. "Push me, push me!"

I set down our things and moved behind him, giving a gentle push to start. My heart swelled seeing him so carefree and happy, especially since he’d seemed so nervous most of last night. Now that he was comfortable with me, he was a completely different person. Like he trusted me even when he was in a more vulnerable state.

After a few minutes of swinging, Augie hopped off and leaned against the wall of the gazebo. “That was fun.”

“You hungry yet?” I pulled the tablecloth from the basket and spread it on the floor beside him before unpacking the food.

“Yep.” Like a switch was flipped, his smile immediately dropped. “I mean, a little. Not super hungry.”

That wasn’t convincing at all. "Well, we've got turkey-and-swiss sandwiches, some chips, grapes, and sodas. What would you like?"

Augie bit his lip, looking uncertain. "Um...can I just have some grapes, please?"

I frowned. "Are you sure? I thought you said you like turkey."

“I do like it.” He nodded but averted his gaze. "But I'm not very hungry. Just grapes is okay."

Something felt off, but I didn't want to push him. Not when he was just starting to open up to me. "Alright, if you're sure. I brought some crackers too if you want something salty."

Augie perked up at that. "Ooh, crackers too, please!"

I passed him a handful of grapes and some saltines, trying not to worry over the fact that he didn't want a proper meal.

As we ate, I recounted a funny story from the bakery around a fallen souffle that looked suspiciously like a cow patty, hoping to push Augie back into his happy place. He giggled in all the right places, but he was popping grapes into his mouth almost faster than he could chew.

"Whoa there.” I reached for his elbow to remind him to breathe. “Slow down there, champ. I don’t want you to choke."

Augie ducked his head sheepishly. "Sorry. They're just really yummy."

I ruffled his hair affectionately. "I'm glad you like them, but if you’re that hungry, maybe a few bites of a sandwich would fill you better?"

“No, thank you.” He shook his head but continued eating the grapes until the entire bunch was gone. Then Augie reached for more crackers.

"Hey now, I think that's enough for now. We don't want to get tummy aches before taking out the kites again, right?"

Augie sucked in a deep breath and pushed the package of crackers away. “Yeah, you’re right.”

We packed up the basket and headed back to the field with the kites.

As I was showing Augie how to make the kite dive and soar, I noticed he was rubbing his stomach with a grimace.

I reached for both strings and held them still. "You feeling okay?"

Augie nodded but turned his head away from me. "M'fine."

“Augie?” I waited for him to turn back to me and studied him for a moment, concerned by the pallor of his face. "Are you sure? We can take a break if your tummy is bothering you."

"Yeah, maybe.” Augie’s shoulders dropped, and he looked miserable. “I don't feel so good."

Guilt filled me as I placed my hand on his cheek. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. Let's get you home, okay?"

Augie nodded and his lower lip trembled.

I gathered our things and led him back to the car with one arm around his shoulders. He leaned fully into my side, gripping the side of my shirt in his fist as if it were the only thing keeping him upright.

The drive home was quiet, with Augie curled up in his seat and his eyes tightly closed.

I kept sneaking worried glances at him, guilty because I'd screwed up our first real outing together.

When we got back to his apartment, I walked him inside and got him settled on the couch with a glass of water.

"I'm sorry you're not feeling well, sweetheart. Is there anything else I can do?"

Augie shook his head, not meeting my eyes. "No, thanks, Mister Dexter. I’ll be fine in a little while."

My heart sank at his subdued tone. "Are you sure? I don't mind staying in case you need anything."

He shrugged listlessly. "I’m sure. Thanks for taking me to the park. I had a lot of fun."

I hesitated, unsure what to do next. I wanted to stay and make sure he was alright, but Augie seemed to be shutting down, and I didn't want to overstep. "Okay, then. You get some rest, alright? Text me later to let me know how you're feeling."

Augie nodded, already curling up on his side. “Bye, Mister Dexter.”

I barely heard his goodbye as I let myself out. Something was clearly bothering Augie beyond just an upset stomach, but he wasn’t ready to open up to me, and I respected that. I didn’t like it, but I respected it.

I texted Ethan to let him know I’d just left Augie because he wasn’t feeling well, and then I drove myself back to my empty house. My empty life.