Chapter 15 Blythe
BLYTHE
I’m starting to think that my daughter has a big fat crush on the hot Canadian guy in a kilt. She waves at him every chance she gets, and without fail, he waves back with an added grin directed right at me. Or so I tell myself. His gaze lingers but maybe he’s like this with everyone.
I will say, one thing about having a five-year-old as my date: I won’t be hooking up with any groomsman tonight. She’s making it easy for me to stick to my no wedding hookups rule.
“Mommy,” Maggi whispers, tugging on my arm so I have to break away from the conversation I’m having with Martha.
“Roo, I’m talking to Nana.”
“What is this?” she hisses, pointing at her plate.
“Those are neeps and tatties. You like them. You’ve had them before,” I assure her before turning back to my mother-in-law.
“Neeps and tatties?” I hear Maggi repeat before the clink of her fork sounds on the porcelain plate. “Neeps”—clink—“and”—clink—“tatties,” she enunciates as she taps her fork. “I don’t like neeps and tatties, Mommy,” she whines.
“I’ll eat your neeps and tatties, princess. They’re my favourite.” Even if he had a thick Scottish brogue, I’d recognize the voice, and I force myself to not turn around as warmth spreads across my face.
“Really?” Maggi chirps.
“Oh yeah. How do you think I got so tall?”
“Neeps and tatties?” Maggi asks in wonder.
His warm chuckle caresses my skin, and I grip my fork tighter, desperate to keep my attention on Martha.
Unfortunately, Martha is not immune to the man’s charms and is smiling over my shoulder at Sam, which means I have to acknowledge him so I don’t seem rude.
Except when I turn around, he’s already walking away, raising bottles of beer high in the air as he approaches his table to cheers.
Good, I think. It’s good he didn’t stick around to chat. I didn’t want him to. He’s making it easier for me to ignore him.
“Mmmm,” Maggi hums, drawing my attention back to where she’s happily chewing the first course.
“I told you,” I gloat.
“I’m going to get tall,” she says with a mouth full of food.
“Don’t talk with your mouth full, Roo,” I scold halfheartedly, my gaze tracking across the courtyard and landing on Sam’s broad shoulders.
He’s sitting back in his chair, the picture of relaxation as he listens to the woman sitting beside him. I know that she’s the wife of the groomsman to her left, and yet envy pushes all rational thought out of my mind.
“He’s very good with her,” Martha says before taking a dainty bite of her food.
I’m starting to wonder if Martha and Thomas are in on something with their constant complimenting of Sam and how he is with Maggi.
I want to scream that I know he’s good with her.
I have eyes and ears and lie in bed next to my daughter as she talks about the man until she’s no longer making sense right before she drifts off.
He’s also a guy at a wedding who happens to live on the other side of the country from me. I am not going to entertain whatever it is everyone around me is trying to do.
“He seems to be.”
“His eyes are on you more than they’re on whatever or whoever is in front of him. Unless of course you’re what’s in front of him.” Martha laughs to herself. “I’m only sayi—”
“I know,” I snap, dropping my fork and wincing when it clatters against my plate. “Sorry.” I take a deep breath, making a valiant attempt to calm down. “I know what you’re saying. And I appreciate that you’re looking out for me. It means a lot.”
“If you’re not ready, I understand,” she consoles, resting her hand on my arm.
I turn so she can see my entire face when I reply in a low, measured tone.
“It’s not that I’m not ready. I’d just prefer not being manipulated.
I need to at least live in the same place as someone before I’d even consider pursuing anything.
There has to be potential for more if I’m going to change any aspect of our lives. ”
“So you’re not interested in…” She trails off, and I shift uncomfortably in my seat.
Of course I’m interested in what she’s implying. Very interested. In fact, I’m pretty confident that Sam would be an experience I’d be replaying for years. But I’d rather not have to think about him at all. I already spend too much time wishing for things that I want but can’t have.
“I’m not a fling person, Martha. I wasn’t before Eric, and I certainly can’t be after Maggi.”
Her expression softens and her lips pull up in a soft, almost pained smile. It makes me hope that I may have finally gotten through to her.
“I understand. Thomas and I thought that maybe you weren’t dating because of us.”
I snort at the notion. “No. I appreciate that you two recognize that I’m still here, relatively young and that maybe I don’t want to be alone for the rest of my life.”
“You’re not alone,” Maggi chirps. “I’m here.”
I expect to look down and see her beaming at me but she’s still focused on food, mashing and pushing it around her plate before taking a bite and happily shimmying around on her chair.
“I know, Roo.” I run my hand over her head, and she finally smiles up at me, mashed vegetables obscuring her teeth.
Before having a kid, that would have made me nauseous. Now I’m just happy it’s still in her mouth and not being spit out onto her plate. You take the wins however you can.
For the remainder of the wedding meal, I manage to stay focused on my food and table companions without looking over at Sam at every opportunity.
Unfortunately, my streak ends the moment our plates are cleared and it’s time for the best man’s speech.
Now if I don’t look at him, people will wonder why I’m so rude.
I can’t even use Maggi as an excuse because she’s enthralled by the man.
I haven’t seen someone hold her attention this fully since she discovered Bluey.
He’s wonderfully eloquent and mesmerizing the entire time he stands at the mic and I wish he wasn’t.
I wish he was stumbling over his words or making horrifically sexist jokes.
But no, he’s a perfect gentleman who manages to be funny while not putting either Colin or Sarah down.
He even includes his unexpected aisle mate, Maggi, who gasps when she hears her name.
“Maggi, I’ll walk down an aisle with you any day, princess,” he declares.
I need to be careful, or I’m going to start getting jealous about all the times this man entertains my daughter better than I do.
Sam wraps the speech up by encouraging everyone to have a good night and that he can’t wait to see everyone’s dance moves. Except when he says that his eyes are on me, as if implying that he can’t wait to see mine.
He’s going to be disappointed if he’s actually looking forward to seeing my moves. I haven’t danced to anything other than children’s songs since Maggi was one and I doubt that Baby Shark is going to be in the rotation tonight.