timing,” she
whispered as she stepped away from Neil.
Taking Neil’s hand, she led him through
the house to the front door. Was she ready for this?
Krista opened the door and Todd stood
there with a bouquet of flowers in hand. She pushed the glass door
open and Todd stepped in.
The two men looked each other up and
down and Krista realized she was supposed to be the one
talking.
“ Todd, this is Neil, the man
I’m seeing. Neil, this is Todd, EJ’s father.”
They shook hands, but neither spoke to
the other.
It was time to get this show on the
road. “Lunch is in the kitchen. Grilled chicken wraps and homemade
potato wedges. Hope that’s okay.”
“ Sounds perfect. I always
liked your wedges,” Todd said and handed her the flowers. They were
yellow and white daisy’s. Her favorite.
In the kitchen, she set the flowers
down on the counter. “I’ll get those in a vase in a
bit.”
“ I can help. Are the vases
still in the same place?” Todd asked.
Krista nodded. She had a feeling Todd
was trying to show Neil that this had once been his home and she’d
been his woman. But as Neil had reminded her, Todd had never wanted
to spoil her the way Neil did. If she’d let him, she was sure the
sky would be the limit when it came to his money.
She set the food on the table, grabbed
a pitcher of sweet tea, and then set it on the table as well. She
stood by her chair and waited on both of the men. Neil walked over
and rubbed her lower back.
“ You’re doing
great.”
“ Thanks.”
Todd came over and they all sat down.
Once everyone had food on their plates, she wondered where this
would go. This was new territory for all of them, so how to
approach this?
“ I’d like to start, if
that’s okay.” Neil took a sip of his drink. “I want you to know,
Todd, that I understand I’m not EJ’s father and I’m not coming in
here looking to take your place. Krista has expressed wanting me to
wait to meet her son and I respect that.”
Todd sipped the tea before he spoke. “I
appreciate that. Neither of us have yet to introduce EJ to someone
we’ve been seeing, so I’m not sure how it will affect
him.”
Neil nodded and picked up a wedge.
“Understandable. I don’t want her to feel pressured. In fact, I’d
prefer if she waited until she knew for sure about her and me. I
don’t plan on going anywhere. I hope in the future that you and I
can possibly team up together with EJ.”
Todd set his wrap down. “I don’t know
about teaming up. I’m his father and I think I can handle that role
without any help.”
“ Todd.” Krista gave him a
stern look.
“ It’s fine,” Neil said, not
seeming upset at all.
“ In the event you actually
stick around, I get that you’ll be in my son’s life. But I don’t
give my permission for you to be any more than a friend to him.”
Todd turned his attention to Krista. “You’d feel the same way if I
had a woman in my life.”
She nodded, because really, what could
she say? She’d not been in the position that Todd was currently
sitting in. So she couldn’t say how she’d feel or react. “This is
new, for all of us. I think it’s best we take this one day at a
time.”
“ Do you not have any
children?” Todd asked.
“ No.” Neil picked up his
glass for a drink.
“ Can I ask why?”
Krista tasted blood in her mouth and
realized she’d bitten her tongue as she waited on Neil to
answer.
He set the cup back down. “Kids haven’t
come into my life equation yet.”
Todd laughed. “I’m guessing you’re in
your forties. Have you even been in a serious
relationship?”
“ One.”
Krista took a sip of her drink. She
really should’ve served wine…or maybe tequila.
Todd leaned back in his chair and
stared at Neil. “So all these years, you’ve just been doing
what?”
“ Running a successful
business.”
“ And having a different
woman in your bed whenever you want.” Amusement laced Todd’s
tone.
“ Todd. His personal life
isn’t
whispered as she stepped away from Neil.
Taking Neil’s hand, she led him through
the house to the front door. Was she ready for this?
Krista opened the door and Todd stood
there with a bouquet of flowers in hand. She pushed the glass door
open and Todd stepped in.
The two men looked each other up and
down and Krista realized she was supposed to be the one
talking.
“ Todd, this is Neil, the man
I’m seeing. Neil, this is Todd, EJ’s father.”
They shook hands, but neither spoke to
the other.
It was time to get this show on the
road. “Lunch is in the kitchen. Grilled chicken wraps and homemade
potato wedges. Hope that’s okay.”
“ Sounds perfect. I always
liked your wedges,” Todd said and handed her the flowers. They were
yellow and white daisy’s. Her favorite.
In the kitchen, she set the flowers
down on the counter. “I’ll get those in a vase in a
bit.”
“ I can help. Are the vases
still in the same place?” Todd asked.
Krista nodded. She had a feeling Todd
was trying to show Neil that this had once been his home and she’d
been his woman. But as Neil had reminded her, Todd had never wanted
to spoil her the way Neil did. If she’d let him, she was sure the
sky would be the limit when it came to his money.
She set the food on the table, grabbed
a pitcher of sweet tea, and then set it on the table as well. She
stood by her chair and waited on both of the men. Neil walked over
and rubbed her lower back.
“ You’re doing
great.”
“ Thanks.”
Todd came over and they all sat down.
Once everyone had food on their plates, she wondered where this
would go. This was new territory for all of them, so how to
approach this?
“ I’d like to start, if
that’s okay.” Neil took a sip of his drink. “I want you to know,
Todd, that I understand I’m not EJ’s father and I’m not coming in
here looking to take your place. Krista has expressed wanting me to
wait to meet her son and I respect that.”
Todd sipped the tea before he spoke. “I
appreciate that. Neither of us have yet to introduce EJ to someone
we’ve been seeing, so I’m not sure how it will affect
him.”
Neil nodded and picked up a wedge.
“Understandable. I don’t want her to feel pressured. In fact, I’d
prefer if she waited until she knew for sure about her and me. I
don’t plan on going anywhere. I hope in the future that you and I
can possibly team up together with EJ.”
Todd set his wrap down. “I don’t know
about teaming up. I’m his father and I think I can handle that role
without any help.”
“ Todd.” Krista gave him a
stern look.
“ It’s fine,” Neil said, not
seeming upset at all.
“ In the event you actually
stick around, I get that you’ll be in my son’s life. But I don’t
give my permission for you to be any more than a friend to him.”
Todd turned his attention to Krista. “You’d feel the same way if I
had a woman in my life.”
She nodded, because really, what could
she say? She’d not been in the position that Todd was currently
sitting in. So she couldn’t say how she’d feel or react. “This is
new, for all of us. I think it’s best we take this one day at a
time.”
“ Do you not have any
children?” Todd asked.
“ No.” Neil picked up his
glass for a drink.
“ Can I ask why?”
Krista tasted blood in her mouth and
realized she’d bitten her tongue as she waited on Neil to
answer.
He set the cup back down. “Kids haven’t
come into my life equation yet.”
Todd laughed. “I’m guessing you’re in
your forties. Have you even been in a serious
relationship?”
“ One.”
Krista took a sip of her drink. She
really should’ve served wine…or maybe tequila.
Todd leaned back in his chair and
stared at Neil. “So all these years, you’ve just been doing
what?”
“ Running a successful
business.”
“ And having a different
woman in your bed whenever you want.” Amusement laced Todd’s
tone.
“ Todd. His personal life
isn’t
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