16. Gareth
Chapter sixteen
Gareth
"Ishould really get going," Trey says, as Lily puts her doll and book back in Micah's baseball bag. It's starting to get hot out, and I know they both need to eat.
"Wanna join us at The Diner? Man's gotta eat, right?
Or... if you have other plans, that's fine, too," I ramble.
His answering smile is full of knowing, and I'm not too proud to beg for more of his time.
Watching him with Lily dug a hole in my stomach - one that I wasn't expecting.
Dating as a single dad was always going to be difficult.
And if they hadn't walked in on us, I'd have been more conservative about introducing a partner to my kids, but he's just my friend... right now.
Lily takes this moment to yawn so hard I'm surprised she doesn't dislocate her jaw like a snake. Shit. That means we're on borrowed time to get her fed and in bed for a nap.
"The one on Franklin?" he asks.
I nod quickly, shouldering my bag, too. "Best pancakes in the tristate," I say, grabbing Micah's hand and heading to the entrance of the park. I expect Micah to grab Lil's hand like he normally does, but she clings to Trey's leg.
"Oh, honey," I say, rushing to peel her off of him, but she's blinking slowly and clinging to him like a teddy bear. "... Trey might not like that."
Instead, she lifts her arms for him to pick her up. She's fading fast. It'll be hard to carry both her and the backpack, but I've done it before. I go to grab her, but Trey beats me to it, lifting her easily up onto his shoulders, holding her ankles carefully.
I worry it'll be too high, or too scary, or he's still too much of a stranger, but the move has her smiling from ear to ear.
"You, okay up there, pipsqueak? How's the weather?
" Trey asks, heading to the exit, too. What in the world is happening right now?
His first time even meeting the kids, and Lil's already going to him for comfort?
I should be a little scared about how easily he slid into our domestic life, but it fills that hole in my stomach with hope – hope that this might actually happen.
It's not even something I'd ever let myself fantasize about.
I'd imagined cuddling on my couch, movie nights with him, lazy Sunday mornings, but I'd never imagined him with my kids.
Introducing them would have been something for six months down the road, when things were serious enough that they had a future, when our relationship had been through some ups and downs, and was tested to be solid.
Okay, one thing at a time. The Diner.
I position myself closest to the street, with Micah between Trey and me as we walk two blocks to Franklin Street, while Micah tells Trey all about his baseball team.
How this year, they all decided to name themselves the Bombers, but how Jaxson wanted to call the team the Green Beans but how that doesn't even make sense because no one likes to eat their vegetables, but they're not eating each other, in an endless ramble.
I guess his earlier reluctance to trust Trey is gone now. That didn't take long.
We get to The Diner quickly and find a booth in the back. Trey slides Lily off of his shoulders and into the booth before I panic. Do we put the kids on one side and sit side-by-side, like a date, or do we divide and conquer, a kid and an adult on each booth?
Trey decides for me and slides in next to Lil. This way, at least, I get to look at him while we eat. Micah slides into the booth, and I follow, knocking Trey's knees under the small table and apologizing.
The waitress takes our order before Lil yawns again and says, "Daddy, I have to go potty."
Trey slides out of the booth at the same time I do, leaving our faces too close for comfort to each other. I'm dying to kiss this man. To know what his lips taste like. Will he be a soft, sensual kisser or rough and demanding? I swallow thickly and focus on Lil, so I don't get a chubby.
"I'll take her," he says, and my eyes widen.
"Oh... okay..."
It's kind of nice having another adult to help. He pauses, though.
"Uh... does she… uh... need help? Sorry, I don't know kids."
I smile. "No. She's good."
"Uh... does she use the women's or men's?"
"Women's is fine," I reply, finding his fumbling a little adorable. I appreciate him worrying about her safety.
He nods before taking Lily's hand and heading to the back of the diner. He knocks on the door before cracking it open and saying, "Little lady coming in." I chuckle. He's surprisingly thoughtful when it comes to my kids, and that hope causes my stomach to flip.
Micah's still talking a million miles an hour about his school, his friends, and the field trip coming up.
I think he's probably over-tired, too. I shoot a text to Lindsey to make sure she's okay and doesn't need anything before turning to see Trey standing outside of the women's bathroom, arms crossed, like a damn bouncer or bodyguard.
I chuckle. If I were a woman, I certainly wouldn't use the bathroom with that Hulk standing outside of it.
Lil comes back out, the front of her shirt tucked into her shorts. She doesn't need help peeing, but that happens sometimes. Trey clocks it immediately and tugs her shirt back out before gripping her hand in his and leading her back to the table.
When the pancakes come, he doesn't hesitate to cut Lil's up first before cutting his own, and damnit, if it doesn't make me emotional.
Lunch goes quickly, and we find ourselves back out onto the sidewalk.
"Well, now I should probably go..."
"Want ice cream?" It's a desperate attempt to get more time with him, and he knows it.
"Ice cream!" Micah shouts, but Lil yawns again, eyes blinking slowly. Shit. I should really get her back home, but I can't take back the ice cream now...
Trey notices Lil and scoops her up, holding her to his chest so she can rest her cheek on his shoulder and nap.
"Ice cream it is," he says, smiling softly at me.
"If she gets too heavy, let me know, okay?" I add, worried about being a burden to Trey.
He dips a little to meet me eye-to-eye. "Let me help," he whispers, and I can't help that my eyes drop to his lips.
Oh.
I'm in love with this man. If I'd thought my crush in high school was only that, I know that ,in this, moment I'm completely in love with him.
So, I'm quiet as we get ice cream, buying a pint for Lil for when she wakes up, quiet as I watch my high school crush lay my daughter down for a nap, and quiet when he finally goes to leave and I don't stall again.
And when Micah stares at the door that Trey just walked out of and says, "I like him."
All I can say in response is, "Me too."