“Oh, that’s so sweet,” Aunt Claire swoons, clutching her hands to her chest. It’s all I can do not to roll my eyes. But then again, she’s not wrong. It is kind of sweet that I just happened to move to the same town as her. “When are you going to take her out on a proper date?”
“I don’t know.”
“Well, you had better figure it out. And when you do, let me know so I can stay with the little miss. Maybe she can even come here for a sleepover.” Aunt Claire raises her eyebrows at me, but I avoid her gaze.
“I wasn’t going to ask you to do more, you already spend so much time with her.”
“Leo, I adore that little girl. And you need time to be a man, not just a dad. Whether it’s drinks with your cousins or a night out with a beautiful woman, you deserve to live your life.”
“Here, here.” Beckett raises his glass. “Next guys night, no excuses.”
“Fine, fine,” I grumble before giving my aunt a small smile. “Thanks, Aunt Claire. I do appreciate everything you’re doing for us.”
Her nod of satisfaction makes it abundantly clear to me that not only is she expecting me to take her up on the offer soon, if I don’t, she’s gonna give me hell for it.
Later that night, after I get a very sleepy Violet tucked into bed with promises that she and Aunt Claire can take the dandelion to Miss Serena tomorrow, I sink down into one of the Adirondack chairs I bought for the back deck and pull out my phone.
Despite the fact that I’ve already essentially professed my love to Serena, I’m nervous about taking the next step.
She could say no to me, to us. She could decide to let her fears overrule what I know she really wants. She could walk away from me again. Only this time, she’d also be walking away from Violet.
I drop my phone on the table in front of me and let my head hang down. Because that right there is the problem. How do I do what’s right for my daughter when I have no way of knowing what that actually is? Not for the first time since Vi was born, I think of my dad. What I wouldn’t give for him to be here, giving me a voice of reason and experience to lean on.
I know Serena is capable of love, just as I know she’d make an amazing mother for Violet. But ifshedoesn’t believe that, if she stays locked in her beliefs that love and happiness aren’t real, then the risk of her hurting me, hurting my daughter, is too high.
But the risk to my heart if I don’t try? Also high.
Grabbing my phone, before I can think about it any longer, I presscallon Serena’s number. And as soon as I hear her voice, my heart settles.
“Hey, Tippy.”
“Leo, hi.”
She sounds sleepy, and a memory of curling up next to her in the back of my old pickup truck when we would drive out to a local park to stargaze comes back to me. Her blonde hair tickling my chin, her hand drawing lazy circles on my chest.
“Did I wake you up?”
“No, but I am in bed.” She yawns. “Okay, maybe I was almost asleep.”
“Well, I’d say I’m sorry for calling so late, but I’m not.”
I hear the sound of her shifting around, and my mind tries not to think too hard about the fact that she’s undoubtedly wearing very little clothing right now.
“Oh really,” she says, her voice sounding stronger — and sultrier. “You enjoy disturbing a lady’s rest?”
I let out a low chuckle. “Not any lady’s, just yours.”
“Hmm. What can I do for you, Leo?”
I can hear the smile in her voice. And something else. “Oh baby, that’s a loaded question. You sure you’re ready for the answer?”
“I wouldn’t have asked if I wasn’t.”
Damn. I settle back in the chair, shifting slightly to ease the pressure starting to build in the front of my shorts.
“You can say you’ll let me take you out on a date this Friday night.”
“A date?”