Hayden was a sweet kid.
I didn’t know what I thought my first family dinner would be like. Maybe I expected to be annoyed, but I ended up surprised. I laughed more than I had in months. Liz laughed so hard at a story Grayson told that she choked on her wine. The boys told us about the happenings that day, which girls they were picking on in school, and what the lunchroom gossip was about. It was real. This was how people—real people—actually lived.
The boys excused themselves from the table, each one taking his plate to the sink. I’d become so used to Maria doing this for me, that I’d almost forgotten my manners.
“Let me help with the dishes.” I stacked a pile of dirty plates and placed them in the sink and then cleared the table.
“You’re a guest here, Reynolds. No way are you doing the dishes.” The laughter and conversation at dinner had relaxed Liz, too. She pressed her lips together and glared at me with mock outrage. I wanted to laugh. Maybe it was only the wine talking, but she was acting more comfortable around me. This would make working together much easier.
“Let me do my part and help you!” I laughed as she pushed me out of the way.
“Next time. You helped clear and that’s enough for tonight. Baby steps. I don’t just hand over my kitchen to anyone until I’m sure they can handle it.” She raised her eyebrows in challenge, and I threw my hands up in defeat.
“Okay, okay! You win. For tonight only.” I walked into the family room where the boys played video games.
“Goodnight, guys.” I crouched down by the couch to say goodbye.
“Night,” Grayson responded with a grin. “Nice beating you in soccer.”
I laughed at his response and then high fived Hayden. I was purposefully ignored by Griffin.
I popped my head in the kitchen. “I’m heading out.”
Liz wiped her hands with a towel and looked up at me as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Let me walk you out.”
As we headed to the door, I struggled to find the words to express what tonight had meant to me. I wasn’t sure I understood it myself. All I knew was that I’d had a great night, in the tiny town of Jacksonville. It wasn’t fancy. It wasn’t sexy. It sure as hell wasn’t cool. But damn if I didn’t like it.
At the Atwater dinner table tonight, I felt grounded for the first time I could remember. I grasped both of Liz’s hands in mine and glanced away, searching for the right way to thank her for everything. At the point of contact, her body stiffened. My eyes darted to her widened stare, but she stood still and didn’t pull away. “Thank you for tonight….” My words trailed away.
Liz looked up at me and smiled, nodding while biting her lip nervously. I could blame it on the wine, the way my heart was rapidly beating, or the way her huge brown eyes studied my face, but I went ahead and asked her the question that had been on my mind since earlier today. “Liz, I’m curious. Did I make your list?” I couldn’t keep the amusement off my face as she blushed and then laughed as she studied the floor.
She stretched onto her tiptoes, and her lips came close to my ear. Her warm breath made my pulse race. “Number one.”
Having her so close to me shocked me. My body ignited, as if she had been pressed against me. In my profession, I had encountered impressive and exotic women every day, but I’d never met a woman whose mere proximity made my body react so quickly.
She took an immediate step back and looked away. I rubbed my chin, swallowing roughly and managed to choke out, “Tomorrow, ten o’clock?”
She nodded, staring at the floor, and whispered good night. I walked to my car, feeling a strange combination of pride, confusion, and total arousal.
Fuck . I could see it coming. Shit was about to get complicated.
“I TOLD HIM.” I whispered into the phone, lying in bed and staring at the ceiling.
“Told who, what?” Cindy yawned loudly.
“Reynolds. My
I didn’t know what I thought my first family dinner would be like. Maybe I expected to be annoyed, but I ended up surprised. I laughed more than I had in months. Liz laughed so hard at a story Grayson told that she choked on her wine. The boys told us about the happenings that day, which girls they were picking on in school, and what the lunchroom gossip was about. It was real. This was how people—real people—actually lived.
The boys excused themselves from the table, each one taking his plate to the sink. I’d become so used to Maria doing this for me, that I’d almost forgotten my manners.
“Let me help with the dishes.” I stacked a pile of dirty plates and placed them in the sink and then cleared the table.
“You’re a guest here, Reynolds. No way are you doing the dishes.” The laughter and conversation at dinner had relaxed Liz, too. She pressed her lips together and glared at me with mock outrage. I wanted to laugh. Maybe it was only the wine talking, but she was acting more comfortable around me. This would make working together much easier.
“Let me do my part and help you!” I laughed as she pushed me out of the way.
“Next time. You helped clear and that’s enough for tonight. Baby steps. I don’t just hand over my kitchen to anyone until I’m sure they can handle it.” She raised her eyebrows in challenge, and I threw my hands up in defeat.
“Okay, okay! You win. For tonight only.” I walked into the family room where the boys played video games.
“Goodnight, guys.” I crouched down by the couch to say goodbye.
“Night,” Grayson responded with a grin. “Nice beating you in soccer.”
I laughed at his response and then high fived Hayden. I was purposefully ignored by Griffin.
I popped my head in the kitchen. “I’m heading out.”
Liz wiped her hands with a towel and looked up at me as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Let me walk you out.”
As we headed to the door, I struggled to find the words to express what tonight had meant to me. I wasn’t sure I understood it myself. All I knew was that I’d had a great night, in the tiny town of Jacksonville. It wasn’t fancy. It wasn’t sexy. It sure as hell wasn’t cool. But damn if I didn’t like it.
At the Atwater dinner table tonight, I felt grounded for the first time I could remember. I grasped both of Liz’s hands in mine and glanced away, searching for the right way to thank her for everything. At the point of contact, her body stiffened. My eyes darted to her widened stare, but she stood still and didn’t pull away. “Thank you for tonight….” My words trailed away.
Liz looked up at me and smiled, nodding while biting her lip nervously. I could blame it on the wine, the way my heart was rapidly beating, or the way her huge brown eyes studied my face, but I went ahead and asked her the question that had been on my mind since earlier today. “Liz, I’m curious. Did I make your list?” I couldn’t keep the amusement off my face as she blushed and then laughed as she studied the floor.
She stretched onto her tiptoes, and her lips came close to my ear. Her warm breath made my pulse race. “Number one.”
Having her so close to me shocked me. My body ignited, as if she had been pressed against me. In my profession, I had encountered impressive and exotic women every day, but I’d never met a woman whose mere proximity made my body react so quickly.
She took an immediate step back and looked away. I rubbed my chin, swallowing roughly and managed to choke out, “Tomorrow, ten o’clock?”
She nodded, staring at the floor, and whispered good night. I walked to my car, feeling a strange combination of pride, confusion, and total arousal.
Fuck . I could see it coming. Shit was about to get complicated.
“I TOLD HIM.” I whispered into the phone, lying in bed and staring at the ceiling.
“Told who, what?” Cindy yawned loudly.
“Reynolds. My
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