Chapter 20 #2
I pulled the steaks out of the fridge to rest before I put them on the grill and checked the macaroni and cheese.
Grilled asparagus was the last item on the menu.
Reegan offered to bring dessert, and I tried to refuse, but she insisted.
She asked what Evie liked, and I was more than a little appreciative that she wanted to make sure my kid was happy.
“I’m going to start the grill,” I told Evie as she tucked the aluminum foil ends around another ear of corn.
She nodded and focused on her task.
I walked outside and stopped. Reegan was standing on the edge of Ashlyn’s property and appeared to be talking to herself. The door closed behind me, and her gaze snapped to mine, color staining her cheeks.
“Hey,” she said, sounding less sure of herself than I’d ever heard her.
I closed the distance between us and reached for her.
She jerked away from my grasp.
I growled.
“I’m sorry,” she hissed. “But what if Evie sees us?”
I chuckled. “First, she’s already seen us. She saw us kissing, and she knows you spent the night. I don’t ask about my daughter’s sexual activity, but she’s nearly an adult, and she’s very aware of how things work.”
“She knows we had sex?” The panic in Reegan’s eyes would have been laughable if it wasn’t so endearing.
“I’m guessing she assumes we did. She didn’t ask, and I didn’t volunteer that information. I’m not ashamed of it, though. I want my daughter to have a good sex life. When she’s my age.”
A laugh popped out of Reegan’s mouth. “How old are you?”
“What?”
“How old are you? I never asked. Am I allowed to ask?”
I took a tentative step closer to her. She didn’t retreat, so I took another step and lifted my hand to her cheek. She nuzzled against my palm, her eyes falling closed as a look of pure pleasure relaxed her features. “You can ask me anything you want to know, Reegan. Anything. I’m forty-six.”
She drew a breath. I wasn’t sure what it meant, but I didn’t have to wait long to find out. “I’m thirty-seven. I don’t really think age is a big deal at this point in my life, but I don’t know how you feel about it.”
“Your age is the least important thing to me. Everything I need to know about you, I already know.”
“Like what?”
“Like you’re someone who is there for the people who matter to you. You’re kind and thoughtful. You aren’t afraid to stand up to a rude stranger when he’s telling you to get off his dock.”
She chuckled at the mention of our first meeting.
“You want people to feel comfortable and cared for.” I moved closer, bringing my lips to her ear. “And you taste like the sweetest honeysuckle I’ve ever had.”
Her hand tightened on my biceps.
I flexed, loving the way she gasped when I did. I’d intentionally worn a shirt with short sleeves so my arms were more exposed than usual. The feel of her warm hand on my skin had my cock stirring.
Hell, everything about Reegan made me hard. I wanted her. It wasn’t just sex. It was everything about her. I wanted to know about her past, her dreams for the future. I wanted to sweep her off her feet and carry her to my bed and keep her there for the rest of our lives.
I was done falling for her. I was already there. In love and fantasizing about a future we couldn’t have unless one of us gave up something major.
With that thought in my head, I forced myself to take a step back.
She lifted her brown eyes to mine, and I saw all the things I wanted reflected back at me. But I couldn’t ask her to give up everything about her life for me if I wasn’t at least willing to think about doing the same for her.
So I tore my gaze from her and kissed her softly, hating myself for it. “Evie’s inside if you want to go in. Or you can wait for me. I’ll only be a second to start the grill.”
She nodded, sadness in her gaze that wasn’t there a moment ago. “I’ll wait for you. I don’t know how Evie would feel about me walking into your house.”
I focused on the grill, turning on all the burners. I closed the lid and turned to Reegan once more, gesturing for her to go ahead of me into the house.
I was so damn screwed. I was in love with a woman I couldn’t have, a woman I would have to give up. A woman who might feel the same way about me but had a job, a life, hours away.
“Dad, what time is Reegan going to be here?” Evie asked when she heard us walk in. She turned and saw Reegan in front of me. “Oh, hi! You’re here.”
Reegan didn’t have a chance to say anything before Evie rushed over to her and hugged her tight.
“I’m so happy to meet you. Again. I know we already met, but not as my dad’s girlfriend. Is that a word you use?”
“Girlfriend?” Reegan asked.
Evie nodded, leading the way into the kitchen. “I mean, you’re not a girl. You are, but you’re a woman. An adult. But woman-friend sounds like you’re a hooker.”
“Evie!” I barked.
“Shit.” Evie’s cheeks turned red. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for it to sound like that.” She rolled her lips in. “I’m nervous. I’ve never met anyone my dad’s been dating before.”
“I heard,” Reegan said, sliding a glance to me.
Evie shook her head. “He never dated a bunch, I don’t think.
But anytime I heard about someone he was dating, it wasn’t long before it was over.
I’m happy I got to meet you. I just wish you weren’t leaving Amethyst Bay.
You make him really happy. Even with Coach dying, my dad’s been smiling more the last few weeks than I’ve ever seen him smile. You’re really good for him, Reegan.”
Evie hugged Reegan again, and Reegan shot me a look, one I thought read as regret. But why?
“Is the corn ready?” I asked Evie.
She released Reegan and picked up the tray with the wrapped corn on it. “All done. And I did the asparagus.” She turned to Reegan again. “He made all my favorites so I would be happy, but I’m already happy to meet you. I hope you like all the same things I do.”
“It all looks, and smells, amazing.”
“That’s the macaroni and cheese. We use three different kinds of cheese. Mouse Trap is so good for cheese. A lot of it is local.”
“I’ve been there,” Reegan said. “I’m a fan of cheese.”
“Who isn’t? I guess if you were lactose intolerant, but God, I would be so miserable. I can’t imagine not being able to eat cheese.” Evie was talking a mile a minute.
“Same,” Reegan said, laughing with Evie.
“I’ll get things started on the grill. Evie, do you want to get Reegan a drink?” I picked up the tray of food and turned back to Reegan. “Is Ashlyn coming?”
Reegan shook her head, offering me a wry smile. “She had plans tonight.”
Plans that didn’t include being in the middle of our weirdness, I guessed. But that just meant more time for Evie and Reegan to get to know each other. So far, so good.
I walked outside, setting the tray down next to the grill. It only took a minute to get everything on there, but I didn’t rush to go back inside. My kid and the woman I was in love with were bonding. It was good.
Too good.
Maybe Evie would convince Reegan to stay in Amethyst Bay. With us. With me.
I snorted at the thought. One of the things I loved about Reegan was no one could convince her to do anything she didn’t want to do. She and my daughter had that in common.