Chapter 10
Marcus
Every detail about Julia’s appearance had kept my attention today. The white T-shirt and jeans were simple and fit her perfectly. Her thick hair, pulled away from her face as usual, was styled in an Afro puff at the back, showing off its length and thickness.
I kept catching myself staring at her lips when she smiled or watching her eyes when she laughed at Noah’s antics.
Every time she crouched down to let him show her something, I focused on the curve of her neck and the way she tilted her head as she listened to him chatter on in detail about one topic or another related to the animals.
His love for animals made me think he was destined to become a veterinarian. But isn’t that what every parent did when their kid showed interest in a topic? They—
My thoughts screeched to a halt.
Noah wasn’t my kid, and in a few weeks, he would be traveling to Tennessee to live with family.
I ignored the sadness that engulfed me whenever I considered his departure and returned my attention to the gorgeous woman in my company.
For weeks I had been in survival mode, trying to keep myself and Noah afloat.
Today, watching how he interacted with Julia in a new environment and seeing how comfortable we all were together shifted my thought processes.
Noah was doing better, which freed my mind to contemplate other matters—specifically, Julia and the attraction simmering between us.
“Should we go see the sheep?” she asked, consulting the map.
“Sheep! Yes!” Noah pumped his fist in the air.
“Sounds like a plan,” I replied, as if we had a choice when he reacted so enthusiastically to the suggestion.
The sheep were significantly less aggressive about the food, which seemed to disappoint Noah. He fed a few of them and then said, “They’re not as much fun.”
“They’re definitely more polite,” Julia remarked.
We moved through the rest of the petting zoo, spending time with the chickens before heading to the pond to feed the ducks. Then we came upon the area where they gave pony rides. Behind the enclosure, two kids were already on the horses. They wore helmets, and employees walked beside them.
Noah turned hopeful eyes in my direction. “Can I ride a pony?”
“Sure.” I was starting to realize it was very hard to say no to this kid.
After I paid for his ride, one of the employees helped Noah onto a gentle brown pony named Chocolate. With his Robin cape draped over the animal’s back, he looked absolutely thrilled, flashing a grin in my direction.
Julia and I remained outside the fence and watched him go around the little track. Every time he passed us, he waved, and we waved back.
“He’s having the time of his life,” she said with amusement.
“I like seeing him enjoy normal kid stuff again.”
“He can because of you.”
I glanced at her. “You’re a part of this too.”
Instead of responding, she smiled softly and returned her attention to Noah, who was making another loop around the enclosure.
After the ride, we wandered over to the playground area, and Noah immediately wanted to get on a swing.
We had to wait for one of the kids to leave, and when they did, he rushed over.
I moved behind him and gently pushed, watching as he kicked his legs, trying to go higher. Julia remained off to the side, watching us.
“Higher!” Noah demanded.
He was freaking fearless.
“I think this is high enough,” I said. When did I turn into my dad? No, my mom. My dad would’ve pushed me higher.
“Miss Julia, watch this!”
Before I could stop the little nut, he jumped off the swing, which, fortunately, was not too high, and landed on his feet with his arms spread wide. “Ta-da!”
“Great job, Robin,” Julia said, clapping.
“Don’t do that again,” I said, knowing I was being a killjoy. But if I was going to send him to Tennessee at some point, I needed him to be in one piece. “Let’s go, Robin. Other kids want to use the swing.”
He raced past me toward Julia. “Did you see me?”
“I saw you.”
I shook my head. “Stop encouraging him.”
“I’m not!” she said.
“I’m not!” I repeated, mimicking the softness of her voice.
She slammed her hands on her hips. “Are you making fun of me?”
“No.” She was so cute, trying to act like she was mad.
While we were busy talking, Noah had climbed onto a colorful structure on the playground.
I didn’t know where he was getting the energy.
I glanced at Julia, who was watching him.
I didn’t want the day to end. I didn’t want to go back to the condo where it was just me and Noah.
I wanted more time with her and more time to explore whatever was happening between us.
Finally, Noah finished his climbing and came running over. “I’m hungry,” he announced.
I made a big show of checking the watch on my wrist. “It’s after lunchtime, and I’m getting hungry too. Are you hungry?” I asked Julia. “We could grab a bite to eat at the café near the entrance. My treat.”
I held my breath. I wanted her to say yes to spending a little more time with us.
“I could eat,” she said.
“Can we get pizza?” Noah asked.
“Let’s see what they have first,” I said, resting my hand on his head as he fell into step beside me. “We’ve had pizza twice this week. They probably have hotdogs and other options.”
“The two of you like pizza, I take it?” Julia asked.
“It’s an easy meal,” I explained.
“Uncle Marcus doesn’t know how to cook,” Noah said, putting me on blast.
“Damn, bro.”
Julia hid her laughter behind her hand.
“But you don’t. Can you cook, Miss Julia?”
“Yes, I can cook since I’m not like your Uncle Marcus. I can’t eat anything I want and not gain weight,” she said.
“I was blessed with a high metabolism.” I patted my stomach.
Her eyes drifted to the same spot, lingered, and then skittered away.
Yeah, she wanted me.
Since we arrived at the café after the lunchtime rush, we were able to snag a table near a window. Noah decided on a hotdog and fries, and he attacked the meal as if I hadn’t been feeding him. Julia and I both had burgers and fries.
“So,” I said, keeping my tone casual. “How come you don’t have a man?”
I should probably mind my own business, but sitting across from her, with the afternoon light hitting her face and making her already burnished skin appear brighter, I couldn’t help myself.
She raised an eyebrow. “Why are you all up in my business?”
I laughed and shrugged. “I’m curious. You’re a smart, beautiful woman who is great with kids. I can’t believe someone hasn’t swept you up already.”
She shot a quick glance at Noah, who was preoccupied with his food and humming to himself. “I don’t want any.”
Kids? Shocked, I mouthed the word.
She confirmed with a nod. Honestly, I couldn’t believe it. She was so good with them. There was also another sensation coursing through me. Disappointment. Which was odd, because before Noah entered my life, I never considered being a father myself.
“Why not?”
“Too much responsibility. Don’t get me wrong, I love them, but... I see so much dysfunction all day in my work, I guess I don’t want to risk dealing with the same problems in my personal life.”
I didn’t understand. Few people were better equipped to handle the challenges of being a parent than the woman sitting directly across from me.
“Is that why you’re single? You haven’t found someone who shares your view about children?” I asked.
Julia dipped a fry in ketchup and ate it. “It is hard to find someone like that, but I thought I had found him. We were serious for a few years and split a couple of years ago. He accepted a job offer in Portland and wanted me to move with him.”
“But you didn’t want to go?”
“I love Houston. My job is here, my friends are here, my whole life is here. I wasn’t ready to give all that up for a relationship where there was no certainty.
He didn’t ask me to marry him. He asked me to uproot my life and come live with him, and there was uncertainty in that—at least for me.
” She took a sip of Coke before continuing.
“We tried long distance for a while, but it didn’t work out.
Since then, I’ve learned to be on my own. ”
“Lucky me.” The words slipped out. They should’ve stayed in my head, but I wasn’t sorry I had expressed how I felt.
When her eyes met mine, the current hummed between us again. Palpable. Undeniable.
“Uncle Marcus, can I have dessert?” Noah asked.
His question snapped the connection.
“Yes. What do you want?” I wiped ketchup from his cheek with a napkin.
“Ice cream?” he asked, his voice rising with hope.
I laughed. “Nice try. Remember our deal? You’ve had enough ice cream for the week.”
His face fell. “Okay,” he muttered, pouting.
“How about a cookie? They have chocolate chip.”
He nodded vigorously, perking up. “I like chocolate chip.”
As soon as he said it, I remembered chocolate chip was his favorite. Stacey always had chocolate chip cookies in the pantry. I made a mental note to buy some to keep at the condo as a treat for him.
We finished eating, and I bought the cookie on the way out.
“We’re going to walk Miss Julia to her car,” I told Noah.
“Why?” he asked, biting into the cookie.
“Because we have to make sure she gets to her car safely, which is the gentlemanly thing to do. We always want to be gentlemen when there’s a lady present. Got it?”
He nodded, immediately serious. “Got it.”
We made our way toward the parking lot, with me walking between Noah and Julia. In between cookie bites, he chattered about all the goats he had met and how he was going to draw pictures of them when we got home. I had snapped a few photos of him feeding the animals, which I would show him later.
He slipped his hand in mine, small and warm and trusting. Julia’s hand swung near mine on the other side. I longed to take it, but that would be too much. We hadn’t even gone on a proper date yet.
We arrived at her gray Nissan Sentra far too soon, and she unlocked the door but didn’t get in immediately. She gave Noah a hug, then straightened and looked at me. Our eyes held for a beat, a whole conversation taking place without words being exchanged.
“I enjoyed my time today,” she said in a soft voice.
The words I haven’t stopped thinking about you once this week, not even when we were apart were on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn’t say them. Not with Noah standing right beside us, looking at us with curious eyes.
“I did too.”
I pulled her into my arms and experienced one of the best hugs I’ve ever had. She was soft and warm, and even after half a day outside, smelled like heaven. I rubbed my hands up and down her back twice before letting her go.
“Drive safely.”
“I will.” Her voice shook a little, and I understood why. We were both falling. Whatever emotion she felt was also charging through me, leaving me a bit unsteady on my feet.
She climbed into the car, and as she started the engine, I placed a hand on Noah’s shoulder and guided him to step back. We watched her back out of the parking space and drive toward the exit.
When she finally disappeared from view, Noah slipped his hand into mine.
“I already miss her,” he said quietly.
With my chest tight, I squeezed his hand. “Yeah. Me too.”