“Sometimes it’s easier talking to another girl,” Kinsley said. “You are an incredible father, Gregory. It doesn’t take a genius to see that. Sometimes a woman just wants to talk to another woman, though.”
It was the first time anyone had used the word “woman” to refer to Bailey, and I knew that she was right. Bailey was a woman now. She was a good one, too.
“Well, thanks for talking to her. You’re right. It’s been almost a year. If I’m being perfectly honest with you, this is my first date since Ashley passed away.”
“How do you think it’s going so far?” Kinsley asked.
“Not so good,” I admitted.
“Why’s that?” Kinsley’s eyes were gentle. Sweet. “Dinner tasted really nice. Your daughter is charming. You’re pretty funny, and you’re handsome.”
“Why, Kinsley,” I reached for my chest. “Are you…flirting…with me?”
“A little,” she admitted. Kinsley cocked her head and looked at me. When she smiled at me like this, I felt like my entire heart might just melt. “How am I doing so far?”
“Pretty good,” I admitted. “Pretty good.”
3
Kinsley
He was hurting.
That was the problem with Gregory. He was hurting, and he was a little bit lonely, and he didn’t have anyone he could tell his secrets to. Losing someone you loved, no matter what the circumstances were, was a painful experience. If you had a breakup, in some ways, things were easier. When you had a bad breakup, you were allowed to hate the person. You were allowed to be angry or mad or upset. When someone died, though, it wasn’t because the relationship had failed.
They’d just died.
There wasn’t a rhyme or a reason or any sort of logical explanation. One day they were with you, and the next day they were gone. You were together, and then you weren’t.
That was what had happened to Gregory.
Bailey had whispered to me once her dad left the room. She’d told me that her mom passed away suddenly, unexpectedly. It had been painful for both of them, she’d told me, but it had been really horrible for her dad. Suddenly, the woman he’d loved was gone. Gregory had spent the last year taking care of Bailey, but he hadn’t been taking care of himself.
Well, maybe I could help with that.
This was only a first date, and it was one of the weirder ones that I’d been on. That wasn’t a bad thing by any means. Going out with Gregory was fun. Having dinner with him
and Bailey was very nice. He was charming, and she was sweet, and they were a wonderful family. I was honored that Gregory had trusted me to meet his daughter. That wasn’t something I expected most guys to be okay with.
“Let’s go back inside,” he said. Gregory reached for my hand and squeezed. That simple gestured contained so many different emotions and feelings. I knew he was doing more than just comforting me. He was letting me know that he liked me, and he was letting me know that he was going to try.
We went back into the house, finished eating, and cleaned up the dinner dishes together. Bailey actually had homework, so after we finished tidying up, she took off. I offered to help her with her essay, but she had laughed and told me to enjoy spending time with her dad. I wondered if she was going to hide on the stairs and eavesdrop. That was the kind of thing I would have done as a kid, but I didn’t get the feeling that Bailey was like that.
Gregory made us each a cup of tea and led me into the living room. Then we sat side-by-side on the couch. I wondered, very briefly, if I should tell him about Tony. Should I admit to this sweet, wonderful cowboy that I had been left by someone who felt like he could do better? Should I be honest and explain that my ex was a cheater?
I didn’t want to. Gregory was a sweet man. He was kind and funny and interesting. I didn’t really want him to know that I was the kind of girl men cheated on. I didn’t want him to think of me that way.
“So, Savored,” he said, sipping his tea.
“Savored,” I agreed.
“How did you start working there?”
There it was. There was my easy chance for honesty, but I chose not to take it. Instead, I shrugged casually, as though the fact that I was working at a bakery was no big deal. It was a big deal. I’d worked hard to get that job and to prove to Cordelia that I would be a good addition to her team.
“It wasn’t an easy process,” I finally admitted. “But, if I’m being truthful,” I choked on the word. “I always liked cupcakes.” That much, at least, was honest.
“I like cupcakes, too.”