flashback for a second and I was transported back to my childhood, and that wasn’t fair to you.”
Antonio took her hand into his. “Since my wife died, I haven’t dated seriously. When I met you and felt a spark between us, I tried to fight it because I don’t want to be that father who brings too many people in and out of his son’s life. A.J. is the most important person to me, but I see that I can open myself again to find someone I can spend adult time with. I’d like that person to be you, but you have to accept every part of me and that includes my son.”
“I can do that,” she said. “But it’s going to be a process.”
Antonio nodded. “I know that. Like I said, I won’t be bringing A.J. around until I know where we’re going.”
“I wish my father would’ve had that same attitude,” she said. “He loved my mother so much that when she died, he hardened his heart and treated women as if they were disposable tissues.” Shaking her head, Serena realized she had never told that story to a man before. She normally shared her past only with her girlfriends or her diary.
The screenplay she’d been working on when she was in L.A. five years ago was loosely based on her father. Though she hadn’t thought about it in years, she wondered if she should revamp it and try to make her dream of getting it on the big screen come true.
“That must have been hard to watch, especially since you’re a woman,” he said.
Serena smiled, “I learned a lot.”
“Uh-oh,” he said. “So does that mean I have to reteach you how a man treats a woman?”
“Yes,” she said. “And just how are you going to do that?”
He winked at her. “I’m the teacher and you’re the student. Just get ready for some great lessons. First, we’re going to start with breakfast.” Antonio rose from the sofa and headed into the kitchen. Serena smiled as she followed him.
Chapter 10
After breakfast, Antonio decided he and Serena needed to do something that didn’t involve the bed—as much as he wanted to take her upstairs and feast on her some more. But hearing about her view of men and how she watched her father use women for his pleasure, he knew he had to show her something else.
They headed to Freedom Park to take a walk and talk. Antonio smiled as they pulled into the parking lot. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a simple date like this. Maybe in high school when he and Marian had started seeing each other.
“This place is pretty,” Serena said.
“I keep forgetting you’re not from Charlotte,” he said. “I’m going to have to give you a tour of some of Charlotte’s best kept secrets.”
“Sounds fun,” she said. “And one day we’re going to have to hit Atlanta.”
“Works for me,” he said as they climbed out ofhis truck. Antonio held Serena’s hand and they walked along the cement path leading to the pond. Antonio pointed out the soundstage where there were free concerts in the summer and the places where people played on the lawns.
“This place is huge,” she said as they finally made it to the pond.
“You should see it during Festival in the Park—in September. A.J. and I come out here and eat junk food for a few hours and look at art that he doesn’t like.”
Serena stroked his forearm. “That sounds like fun. You seem like a wonderful father.”
“I try,” he said.
“Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?”
Antonio turned to her and nodded. “Seems like that’s the tone of the day.”
“How did your wife die?”
He felt his heart drop to his stomach. Sure, he knew that question would come up one day, but today?
“Car accident on I-485,” he said. “She was hit by a drunk driver going the wrong way.”
“Oh my goodness,” she said. “What happened to the driver?”
“He died about two days later in the hospital, but Marian was killed instantly.”
She shook her head and said, “That must have been so hard to lose her like
Antonio took her hand into his. “Since my wife died, I haven’t dated seriously. When I met you and felt a spark between us, I tried to fight it because I don’t want to be that father who brings too many people in and out of his son’s life. A.J. is the most important person to me, but I see that I can open myself again to find someone I can spend adult time with. I’d like that person to be you, but you have to accept every part of me and that includes my son.”
“I can do that,” she said. “But it’s going to be a process.”
Antonio nodded. “I know that. Like I said, I won’t be bringing A.J. around until I know where we’re going.”
“I wish my father would’ve had that same attitude,” she said. “He loved my mother so much that when she died, he hardened his heart and treated women as if they were disposable tissues.” Shaking her head, Serena realized she had never told that story to a man before. She normally shared her past only with her girlfriends or her diary.
The screenplay she’d been working on when she was in L.A. five years ago was loosely based on her father. Though she hadn’t thought about it in years, she wondered if she should revamp it and try to make her dream of getting it on the big screen come true.
“That must have been hard to watch, especially since you’re a woman,” he said.
Serena smiled, “I learned a lot.”
“Uh-oh,” he said. “So does that mean I have to reteach you how a man treats a woman?”
“Yes,” she said. “And just how are you going to do that?”
He winked at her. “I’m the teacher and you’re the student. Just get ready for some great lessons. First, we’re going to start with breakfast.” Antonio rose from the sofa and headed into the kitchen. Serena smiled as she followed him.
Chapter 10
After breakfast, Antonio decided he and Serena needed to do something that didn’t involve the bed—as much as he wanted to take her upstairs and feast on her some more. But hearing about her view of men and how she watched her father use women for his pleasure, he knew he had to show her something else.
They headed to Freedom Park to take a walk and talk. Antonio smiled as they pulled into the parking lot. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a simple date like this. Maybe in high school when he and Marian had started seeing each other.
“This place is pretty,” Serena said.
“I keep forgetting you’re not from Charlotte,” he said. “I’m going to have to give you a tour of some of Charlotte’s best kept secrets.”
“Sounds fun,” she said. “And one day we’re going to have to hit Atlanta.”
“Works for me,” he said as they climbed out ofhis truck. Antonio held Serena’s hand and they walked along the cement path leading to the pond. Antonio pointed out the soundstage where there were free concerts in the summer and the places where people played on the lawns.
“This place is huge,” she said as they finally made it to the pond.
“You should see it during Festival in the Park—in September. A.J. and I come out here and eat junk food for a few hours and look at art that he doesn’t like.”
Serena stroked his forearm. “That sounds like fun. You seem like a wonderful father.”
“I try,” he said.
“Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?”
Antonio turned to her and nodded. “Seems like that’s the tone of the day.”
“How did your wife die?”
He felt his heart drop to his stomach. Sure, he knew that question would come up one day, but today?
“Car accident on I-485,” he said. “She was hit by a drunk driver going the wrong way.”
“Oh my goodness,” she said. “What happened to the driver?”
“He died about two days later in the hospital, but Marian was killed instantly.”
She shook her head and said, “That must have been so hard to lose her like
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