Chapter Five
CHAPTER FIVE
Eugene had spent the week in meetings and planning and writing code. He’d buried himself in his office, working on the calendar, meeting with his teams so they had the appropriate direction they needed, and planning out the next six months so everyone would know what they were supposed to be working on. So far, it was all going well.
He’d assembled a team of the best in the business, which had been one of his requirements. Fortunately, a lot of the best in the business had jumped right on board the project, which made his job a hell of a lot easier. And doing what he did was fun, too. He didn’t have to wander around, managing people. From art to production to code, everyone was more than competent at their jobs.
But he had to admit he was happy when they finished off the week. His brain was tired and he needed a break. He took his team out Friday night for dinner and drinks, where they all talked about anything and everything but work. They discussed movies and games and their families, giving Eugene a chance to get to know all of them on a more personal level.
He needed to know his people, not just wave and smile as they passed each other in the hall. Getting to know his team members had always been a priority.
After a very long dinner, he’d gone home, played a few games, then gone to bed, immediately passing out.
Saturday morning he got up and went to the gym for an intense workout, followed by a stop at the local coffee shop for a drink and a muffin. He sat in the shop and ate while scrolling through his phone, answering some emails.
He’d had his favorite locations for coffee and breakfast in San Francisco. Since he’d moved here, he’d tried a few spots, but this one seemed to be good. It was busy but not noisy, which meant he could kick back and conduct business while he enjoyed his muffin and coffee. Plus he’d always liked people watching, and this place provided plenty of that.
After he finished up, he headed to the grocery store to get some essential food items for next week. Fortunately, he didn’t have to clean since that service was one of the benefits of his executive rental, which he appreciated. But he did have to do laundry, a necessary evil.
When he finished folding the last load, his phone buzzed, and he picked it up to see a call from Natalie.
“Hey,” he said.
“Hi. I thought you should know the kids go to bed about nine. I know you wanted to play games and all, so I thought we’d do dinner around five, if that’s not too early for you.”
“It’s not too early. Can I bring something?”
“No, I’ve got it all taken care of.”
“Okay. Text me your address.”
“All right. I should warn you that the kids are very excited about tonight.”
He grinned at her warning, as if excited kids would be a problem for him. “Me, too. See you, Natalie.”
“Right. See you soon.”
He clicked off, laid his phone down on the desk, and wandered into the other room where he had his temporary office. He should have asked Natalie if they had any kind of gaming system. Judging from his prior conversation with her, he’d guess no. He grabbed a box and started piling in his favorite system, along with about five games he thought kids Camryn’s and Christopher’s ages would enjoy.
He loaded those up in his car and headed out, stopping at the liquor store to pick up a bottle of wine. She might not want to drink it tonight, considering the kids and all, but she could always have it another night, and his mother had taught him that when you were invited to someone’s house, you had to bring something.
Natalie lived about twenty minutes from his rental place. She had a really nice house—a craftsman in striking gray and blue colors, with a nice wide porch and white columns.
He made his way to the porch and rang the bell. He heard a voice through the doorbell camera.
“I’m unlocking the door. Just come in.”
It was Natalie’s voice, with kids yelling in the background. He grinned and turned the knob. The door opened to a large foyer. The place was wide and open, with sight lines all the way to the bifold doors leading out to the backyard.
Two beautiful children with Natalie’s dark hair came running up to him. The girl was older, and the boy had a cheeky grin as wide as the ocean.
“Mommy said your name is Eugene,” the girl said. “I’m Camryn but everyone calls me Cammie. I’m seven years old, but I’ll be eight in three months. I’m in second grade. This is my brother, Christopher. He’s four but he’ll be five next month. How old are you? Are you going on a date with my mommy?”
“Cammie. That’s quite enough of an inquisition.”
Natalie walked in, looking amazing with her hair falling in silken waves. She wore dark capris and a colorful sleeveless top, baring shoulders he wanted to—
Well, he wouldn’t think about her skin while her kids were present.
“I wasn’t…in…questioning him,” Cammie said. “I was getting to know him.”
“That she was. Nice to meet you, Cammie. I’m not in any grade because I graduated. I am thirty years old, and no, tonight I am not going on a date with your mommy. But I am going to hang out with all of you if that’s okay.”
Cammie nodded. “It’s okay.”
He lifted his gaze to Natalie and gave her a smile. She looked decidedly uncomfortable. He meant to change that.
But for now, he crouched down to look at Christopher. “And what about you?”
“Momma said you brought games.”
“I did.”
“What kinda games?”
“Fun ones, of course. Do you like Mario Kart ?”
Christopher frowned. “I dunno.”
He grinned. “You’ll like it. Trust me.”
“Games later,” Natalie said. “Dinner first. And can we let our guest move inside the front door, please? Cammie, Christopher, go wash your hands. Dinner is almost ready.”
“Okay,” Cammie said, heading upstairs, Christopher trailing behind her.
Eugene followed Natalie down the hall and into a nice, spacious kitchen. He’d expected all white, not the dark wood cabinets and white counters, complemented perfectly by the décor. Definitely a modern farmhouse vibe.
“What would you like to drink?” she asked. “We have wine, beer, tea, or soft drinks. And water, of course.”
“I’ll have an iced tea.” He didn’t want to drink alcohol around the kids. Besides, he wanted to be clearheaded when he worked with them on games.
While she fixed him a drink, he took a look around the open area. It was perfectly styled, and yet didn’t feel like he had to watch everywhere he stepped or sat. It felt comfortable, like you could take your shoes off and relax.
“I can tell an interior designer lives here.”
She stiffened as she handed him the tea. “You think it’s stuffy.”
“No, I think it’s perfectly designed for a family. It’s thoughtful. Oversize island with appropriate stools for both adults and kids. I’ll bet the kids love sitting there.”
Visibly relaxing, she smiled at him. “They do. They help me whenever I bake. It’s a huge mess, but we always have so much fun.”
He could envision her standing at the island, laughing with her kids while they made cookies together. “That sounds awesome.”
“It really is.”
“The huge sofa is made for cuddling up with your kids, too. I imagine you do that on movie nights.”
She tilted her head to observe him. “Actually we read there together every night before bed. But, yes, there are plenty of movie and popcorn nights.”
He nodded. “My family always did Friday night movie nights when we were kids. With pizza, of course.”
“Of course.”
The sounds of pounding footsteps let him know the kids were coming back. “Mommy, look,” Cammie said, holding her palms out for inspection. “Clean hands.”
“Me, too,” Christopher said, mimicking his sister.
“That’s a very good job. Let’s set the table so we can eat.”
He also liked that Natalie let the kids help set the table, something he’d been taught to do at an early age. It had always made him feel important, like his mom trusted him not to break the dishes or stab himself with a fork.
And if the fork was on the wrong side of the plate, no one cared. Apparently Natalie didn’t, either. Eugene sure as hell didn’t. Getting kids involved was the important thing. Appropriate table settings could come at a later time.
“I hope you like salad and casserole,” Natalie said, placing something that smelled really amazing in the center of the dining room table.
After she brought over the salad and some freshly sliced bread, Natalie scooped the food onto the kids’ plates. Then Eugene cut a slice and offered it up to Natalie before putting some on his own plate. He filled up the salad bowls and grabbed two pieces of bread, helping Christopher butter his.
“It’s lazana,” Christopher said.
It took Eugene a few thoughtful seconds to realize he’d said “lasagna.”
Cammie nodded. “Filled with cheesy goodness.”
“You made lasagna?” Eugene asked after Natalie sat.
“Yes. Why? You don’t like lasagna?”
“I love lasagna. Thank you again for inviting me to dinner.”
She gave him a curious look, as if she couldn’t believe he was grateful to be invited over for a meal. “You’re welcome. Dig in, everyone.”
After that, there was eating and talking and laughing. Cammie told him about all her friends and her gymnastics class, and Christopher’s topics varied from his favorite soccer ball to something about a big bug he saw out in the backyard. Eugene promised they’d go out after dinner to see if they could find it.
Natalie engaged the kids with questions about what they’d done earlier today. Apparently she’d taken them to a nature preserve, so the kids talked about their favorite parts.
“I liked the butterfly garden the best,” Cammie said. “Did you know that there are over seven hundred and fifty types of butterflies in the United States? And that they start out as caterpillars, then spin themselves into a cocoon?”
Eugene was impressed. “I did not know that. How many butterflies do you think you saw today?”
“I don’t know. Maybe all of them. And I saw cocoons, too.”
“Whoa. What did you think of the cocoons?”
“I loved them. They’re like little cuddly nap spots where the butterflies get ready to show off how pretty they are.”
He grinned. Eugene could tell from Cammie’s wide eyes and look of excitement that she’d enjoyed the butterflies a lot.
Natalie gave him a warm smile and that made him feel good, though he had no idea why. He was just having a good time. Plus, there was no denying he’d enjoyed the food.
So far it was a great night.
Next up would be game time, and then the night would really be fun.
· · ·
After Natalie did the dishes—which, surprisingly, Eugene helped with—they all gathered in the living room to play games. She had planned to beg off and watch while she caught up on some work, but Eugene insisted this was a family event, and Cammie and Christopher insisted as well, so she joined in.
He’d brought everything, including the game console. The kids were so excited as they filed through all the games. It was clear he understood their ages. They started out with a hedgehog game, which both the kids enjoyed. It kept their interest, both of them laughing as they maneuvered the characters through jumps and obstacles. Natalie had to admit she found herself immersed in the colorful world along with her kids.
They played several more games, including a dance game that left them all breathless and laughing. She could have done this all night. So could the kids, but she could tell they were wearing down.
“Okay,” Natalie said. “It’s time to get ready for bed.”
“Aww.” Christopher looked disappointed.
“Hey, buddy,” Eugene said. “We’ll play games again. And if it’s okay with your mom, I’ll leave the game console here, and you and your sister can play anytime you want.”
Natalie looked at him. “Oh. You don’t have to do that.”
He laughed. “Trust me. I have a lot of these things. And I only loaded appropriate games for their ages on this one. I can show you how to navigate the system.”
“Okay. Give me a few minutes to get them ready for bed?”
“Sure.”
“Thanks, Eugene,” Cammie said, slinging her arm around his neck. “You’ll come over again, won’t you?”
Christopher climbed on the couch and sat next to him. “Yeah, you’ll come over and play with us?”
An unexpected rush of warmth fused through him as their small bodies pressed against him. “You couldn’t keep me away.”
He looked up at Natalie, who was giving him warm looks, too.
Well, hell.
“Okay, you two, let’s go,” Natalie said.
“G’night, Eugene,” Christopher said.
“Bye, Eugene,” Cammie said.
“Goodnight kids. See you soon.”
He leaned back and took a sip of his iced tea, totally thrown by these feelings.
He liked kids. Always had. He designed games for all ages, from kids to adults. He didn’t have children of his own or even nieces and nephews. Not yet, anyway. But he understood kids and what they liked. He’d done research studies and could design the hell out of a game that was age appropriate. And now he was designing a ride for kids of all ages.
He pulled out his phone and scrolled through his emails. Some of his staff had obviously been working today, because there were reports and questions about code and design that he’d answer later. But nothing urgent, so that was good.
He got up and went through the back door, wandering outside of the caged pool area to investigate the oversize backyard.
There was plenty of lawn area for the kids to play, lots of trees that provided privacy and shade, and even more space to the side to build out a guest house, pool house, or even a playhouse for the kids, if that’s what Natalie wanted to do.
“I’m sorry,” Natalie said, coming up to stand beside him. “The kids wanted two stories tonight.”
He turned to face her and smiled. “Hey, they come first. Besides, it gave me time to check out your awesome backyard.”
“Oh, thanks. It is nice, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, it is. Do you like it?”
She let out a short laugh. “You know, no one ever asked me that. Sean chose the house. The location. It came with a membership to the country club. Status symbol, of course. Important for his business. I thought the house was nice, the pool awesome for the kids, and lots of space for them to play.”
“But you didn’t get input.”
“No.” She wandered around the yard, her thoughts obviously somewhere else before she turned to him and smiled. “But it’s fine. The kids love it here, and the schools are outstanding.”
“That’s good.” She looked so wistful, and he figured her heart was still hurting over the divorce. All he wanted to do in that moment was pull her into his arms and let her know everything was going to be all right. “You miss him?”
She frowned. “Miss—oh, my ex? No. I miss the life I thought we were going to have, way before we got married. But do I miss him, the person? No. He wasn’t who I thought he was going to be, husband-wise. I wanted a partner. He wanted something else entirely.”
“Wanna talk about it?”
She shook her head. “Not tonight. But thanks for the offer.”
He followed her inside, sat with her, and showed her how to work the game console. Even played a game together from start to finish so he could make sure she had a handle on the buttons.
“Oh, that’s pretty easy.”
“Yeah, it is.”
She laid the console on the sofa. “The kids had fun. I appreciate you showing them these games. We’ll have fun doing this together.”
“I know you will.”
Their gazes met, and something electric passed between them. They had chemistry. An energy he felt even without touching her. He wanted to explore that.
“Go out with me.”
He wasn’t sure how to read the surprise on her face. Hopefully it was a good thing.
“Excuse me?”
“A date. Dinner, or something.”
She shook her head. “No. Thanks, but no.”
That was pretty definite. He stood. “Okay. Thanks for dinner, Natalie.”
She looked pissed as she walked him to the door. “Sure.”
“I’ll see you later.”
She nodded and held the door open while he walked out.
He half turned and gave her a smile and a wave as he walked down the steps toward his truck. She gave him a short wave, then closed the door.
Frowning, he stopped at his truck, leaning against it, sending her a text.
Why did you say no?
It took her a minute to answer. Are you texting and driving?
He grinned and answered: No. I’m standing in your driveway.
A minute later she opened the door and came outside, walking fast. She stopped inches in front of him. “I said no.”
“I got that. I respect it. But there’s this chemistry between us, and you can’t deny it.”
“I—” She paused, looking at him, and there it was again. An invisible string of heat flowing between them. One step and she’d be in his arms, his mouth on hers. It vibrated between them.
“You feel it, don’t you?” he asked.
She breathed in, then out. “You’re younger than me.”
He rolled his eyes. “Like that matters. It’s a few years at most, Natalie.”
“You walked out after I said no.”
“What was I supposed to do?”
She threw her hands up. “I don’t know. Ask me again.”
Okay, he was starting to understand. She wanted to be pursued. Maybe her ex hadn’t done that. Maybe the dude had the expectation that she’d fall all over herself to be with him. Eugene had no such illusions.
“I don’t know if you realize this, but you are beautiful. Intelligent, sexy as fuck, and, Natalie? You’re a damn catch. Any guy would be lucky to be with you. Would you please go out with me?”
She blew out a breath. “Yes.”
“Great. You let me know your schedule, and we’ll make plans that work for you.”
“Okay.”
He reached out, his fingers touching hers, and…
Zap.
His lips curved. There it was. And from the way her eyes went wide, her breathing quickening, she felt it, too.
He curled his fingers around hers, leaned in, and…
“Mommy?” Cammie stood on the sidewalk looking half asleep. “I need water.”
Natalie jerked her hand away, and he took a full step back.
“Coming, baby.” She gave him a regretful look. “I’ve gotta go.”
“No problem. We’ll talk later.”
She headed to her daughter, putting her arm around Cammie, who turned and waved goodbye to him before Natalie closed the door.
Eugene smiled as he climbed into his truck.
Yeah, that was a much better ending to the night.