Aidan’s legs. “Paxton, you have a visitor.”
Paxton’s head popped out from behind his booth to see who it was. The expression on his face turned serious once he saw the woman.
“Journey? Everything okay?” He excused himself, tore off his gloves, and strode towards her.
“I’m sorry, I know you are working, but I didn’t know what else to do. Cassie dropped Hayden off last night promising to pick him up by one, but she never showed and I’m already…” She glanced at her watch, seeing that it was now 4:00pm, and cringed. “An hour late for work.”
He rubbed up and down her fragile looking arm soothingly. “Don’t be sorry. He’s my boy, my responsibility. Cassie should have asked me to watch him to begin with. Go on, go to work. He’ll be fine. I’m glad to have him.”
Journey looked at him, uncertain for a moment, before nodding and exiting the shop. Paxton sat down on his haunches and held out his arms as Hayden threw himself at his father. He hugged the kid tight for a minute then kissed the top of his head.
“I have to finish up with someone real quick then you and I are going to go to the park. Does that sound good, little man?”
At Hayden’s enthusiastic nod, Paxton smiled and asked Aidan to reschedule his appointments for the rest of the day. Aidan introduced Hayden to Atayla who then helped him pick out a sandwich and a soda. When Atayla offered to go get a meal more tailored to a young boy, Aidan stopped her saying that this was probably the best meal he’s had all week.
Hayden jabbered the way two year olds did. She laughed at his antics and childish humor. How could anyone not love him? She had only spent a few minutes in his presence and she was already under his spell. She had never thought of having children of her own, but being with him made her long for a family.
It saddened Atayla to think that this sweet little boy could be worth so little in his mother’s eyes and vowed to look over his case file when she got back to work on Monday. She may even hire a private investigator to dig up more dirt on the evil witch to ensure that she didn’t keep custody of this precious gift.
Hanging up the phone, Aidan walked over and scooped the boy up in his arms. Hayden laughed as he dangled upside down and reached for Atayla to save him. Adjusting so both Hayden’s ankles were held tightly in one hand, Aidan reached around and started tickling his belly.
Dumping him in Atayla’s lap, Aidan bent down and blew a raspberry on his stomach. The poor thing was giggling and squirming so hard it was all she could do to hold on to him. Only when he cried out, “Stop! Stop!” did Aidan relent and plop down in the chair next to them.
He smiled at Atayla as the boy recovered from the massive tickle session.
“I love him, but he sure can wear me out.”
“Have you ever thought of having kids?”
She regretted the question as soon as it passed her lips. God, he would think she was dropping hints and pushing him too hard.
“All the time, actually.” Longing deepened his voice. When he saw her questioning look, he told her, “I had my life mapped out when I was ten.” He smiled. “I was ambitious. Anyway, I was going to go to college, graduate at the top of my class, get married to a beautiful woman, and have tons of children.” His smile died. “I didn’t accomplish any of it.”
She squeezed hand. “I had this instructor at Harrison-Graham that always told me, ‘Everything happens for a reason, young lady. If you missed out on something, then it wasn’t meant to be. If it falls in your lap, its fate, and you should grab on to it with both hands.’ I think he was only trying to justify why I was never allowed to return home on holidays, though.”
Her comment angered him. “Good God, your parents are bastards.”
“Not bastards.” She defended. “Just incapable of caring about
Paxton’s head popped out from behind his booth to see who it was. The expression on his face turned serious once he saw the woman.
“Journey? Everything okay?” He excused himself, tore off his gloves, and strode towards her.
“I’m sorry, I know you are working, but I didn’t know what else to do. Cassie dropped Hayden off last night promising to pick him up by one, but she never showed and I’m already…” She glanced at her watch, seeing that it was now 4:00pm, and cringed. “An hour late for work.”
He rubbed up and down her fragile looking arm soothingly. “Don’t be sorry. He’s my boy, my responsibility. Cassie should have asked me to watch him to begin with. Go on, go to work. He’ll be fine. I’m glad to have him.”
Journey looked at him, uncertain for a moment, before nodding and exiting the shop. Paxton sat down on his haunches and held out his arms as Hayden threw himself at his father. He hugged the kid tight for a minute then kissed the top of his head.
“I have to finish up with someone real quick then you and I are going to go to the park. Does that sound good, little man?”
At Hayden’s enthusiastic nod, Paxton smiled and asked Aidan to reschedule his appointments for the rest of the day. Aidan introduced Hayden to Atayla who then helped him pick out a sandwich and a soda. When Atayla offered to go get a meal more tailored to a young boy, Aidan stopped her saying that this was probably the best meal he’s had all week.
Hayden jabbered the way two year olds did. She laughed at his antics and childish humor. How could anyone not love him? She had only spent a few minutes in his presence and she was already under his spell. She had never thought of having children of her own, but being with him made her long for a family.
It saddened Atayla to think that this sweet little boy could be worth so little in his mother’s eyes and vowed to look over his case file when she got back to work on Monday. She may even hire a private investigator to dig up more dirt on the evil witch to ensure that she didn’t keep custody of this precious gift.
Hanging up the phone, Aidan walked over and scooped the boy up in his arms. Hayden laughed as he dangled upside down and reached for Atayla to save him. Adjusting so both Hayden’s ankles were held tightly in one hand, Aidan reached around and started tickling his belly.
Dumping him in Atayla’s lap, Aidan bent down and blew a raspberry on his stomach. The poor thing was giggling and squirming so hard it was all she could do to hold on to him. Only when he cried out, “Stop! Stop!” did Aidan relent and plop down in the chair next to them.
He smiled at Atayla as the boy recovered from the massive tickle session.
“I love him, but he sure can wear me out.”
“Have you ever thought of having kids?”
She regretted the question as soon as it passed her lips. God, he would think she was dropping hints and pushing him too hard.
“All the time, actually.” Longing deepened his voice. When he saw her questioning look, he told her, “I had my life mapped out when I was ten.” He smiled. “I was ambitious. Anyway, I was going to go to college, graduate at the top of my class, get married to a beautiful woman, and have tons of children.” His smile died. “I didn’t accomplish any of it.”
She squeezed hand. “I had this instructor at Harrison-Graham that always told me, ‘Everything happens for a reason, young lady. If you missed out on something, then it wasn’t meant to be. If it falls in your lap, its fate, and you should grab on to it with both hands.’ I think he was only trying to justify why I was never allowed to return home on holidays, though.”
Her comment angered him. “Good God, your parents are bastards.”
“Not bastards.” She defended. “Just incapable of caring about
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