Chapter Thirteen
Megan brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes with the back of her hand. On her knees, she continued to pull the weeds out of the round flower bed she’d planted last summer. A magnolia tree sat in its center. The day was already too warm, and it was barely ten a.m.
She loved Sunday mornings, lazing around in bed, making a pancake breakfast, and just enjoying the quiet. But this morning, there’d been no quiet in her head, so she’d forced herself to do some packing and cleaning. When she’d finished with that, she decided working up a sweat out in the yard might help her clear her mind. Nothing she did blocked the memory of Adam’s face last night when he’d realized she was on a date. She’d worried she was projecting her own growing feelings toward him, but when he practically stomped away, she knew she wasn’t the only one feeling…different. Nothing had changed in terms of what he wanted or what he was willing to give, but the world had shifted in regards to their awareness of each other. It gave her a small, bittersweet thrill to know—to recognize—the jealousy in his eyes.
Arriving home before Adam last night, she’d seen his car pull in at eleven-thirty, and relief had pummeled her. Though her own date had been decent, her thoughts had stayed with Adam. Because you clearly enjoy torturing yourself. What if they suspended everything else? What if he still found his nanny slash wife slash non-feeling companion and Megan found her storybook romance, but in the interim, they gave in to these impossible-to-ignore fireworks? One night. Maybe two.
When Charlie plopped down beside her and the flower bed, she gave a small gasp.
“Whatcha doin’?”
She tucked her chin. Thinking about asking your dad to get naked. Jesus. Gritting her teeth, she looked up and gave him a smile. “Guess.”
“Who’s going to do that when you go?” He picked up the small shovel and stood it in the earth.
“You could. Or your dad.”
“I don’t think Dad knows how to plant flowers.” The sadness in his tone echoed how Megan felt inside.
Going back on her heels, Megan stopped what she was doing and looked at him. “You okay, bud?”
Charlie looked at the ground. “Will you be here when I get back from my mom’s?”
“Of course.” Looking up, she saw his eyes were wet. Her heart pinched painfully.
“I don’t want you to go.”
Her hands were a mess, so she couldn’t give in to the urge to pull him into a tight hug. “Oh, sweetie. We live in a fairly small town. I’m going to see you. I’ll be teaching at your school. It’s going to be okay.”
He nodded but didn’t look convinced. “Even if you are, you won’t be my teacher, so I won’t get to spend time with you like I do now.”
She wanted to pull him close and promise that everything really would work out. Who needs to hear it and have it be true more?
“Everything okay?” Adam asked from behind them. Megan’s pulse picked up its pace.
“I was just telling Charlie that we’ll see each other, even after I move out.”
Adam’s gaze connected with hers, and warmth spread through her body. He looked down at Charlie.
“Of course we’ll see her, bud. She’s moving out, not away. We see Dec lots, right?”
She could only nod around the unexpected lump in her throat. Charlie stood up and went to his dad, pulled on his hand so Adam would lean over.
“Can she come with us today, Daddy? Please,” Charlie said in a very loud whisper.
Megan bit her bottom lip to keep from laughing. Adam gave her a one-sided grin. He leaned in to his son’s ear and copied the same non-whisper Charlie had used.
“You can ask, but if she’s busy, it’s okay.”
Charlie looked at her like she hadn’t just heard the whole conversation. “Wanna come to Crazy Cade’s with us? It’ll be super fun. Please?”
How was she supposed to say no to him? Especially when she didn’t want to. “Sure. What time?”
He looked back up at Adam. “Whenever we’re ready.”
“Yay!” Charlie jumped up with one fist in the air, making both Adam and Megan laugh.
“Go on in and get ready, then,” Adam said.
Charlie ran off, leaving her alone with his dad. Keeping Charlie in her life meant being around Adam without feeling as if all of her buttons—good and bad—were being pushed. Being near him caused circuit overload. Too bad for you. Asking him to sleep with you won’t make it easier to see him in the future. Especially if his wife is there. Her stomach and heart twisted in opposite directions, shooting pain through the entire center of her body.
“Sorry he put you on the spot. You sure you’re okay with coming?”
Megan stood up, wincing at the ache in her legs from sitting on her heels for too long. “Yeah, it’ll be fun. You okay with it?”
“Of course I am.” Those curious green eyes watched her like she was a number he was trying to break down.
“Are we okay? I want things to be okay so I can maintain a future with Charlie after I go.” She thought about what Charlie had said and added, “More than just as a teacher at his school, I mean.”
In a gesture she wasn’t ready for, Adam reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Goose bumps covered her skin.
“You are, by far, the best female influence Charlie’s had in his life. I want you to always be part of it in any way that works for you.”
The softness in his voice made her ache inside. “How was your date?” She was proud of herself for not stumbling over the word “date.” It was better this way. Platonic.
His eyes widened a fraction and darted over her head. “It was good, actually. She’s a very nice woman. We’re getting together again on Tuesday for lunch.”
Megan nodded like the news didn’t hurt. Why did it hurt?
“I should go get ready,” Megan said.
Adam nodded, his eyes back on her face, searching it for…something.
“Megan—” He stopped, looking like he wanted to say more, and her heart pounded. What? Say something! Anything to tell me I’m not the only one.
Last night, his shock had been evident, but she was positive she saw a hint of hurt. Of jealousy. Or is that just what you want to believe?
He shoved his hands in his pockets. “How was your date? I didn’t think Tinder was a happily ever after app.”
The little grin tilting the corner of his mouth made her smile. Somehow, they’d become something like friends. The tone of his voice was gentle and almost teasing. Because he felt comfortable with her. But it was more than that. Comfort with a side of serious sparks.
She still wanted happily ever after, and she wouldn’t apologize for that. But why on earth had she convinced herself she could have nothing else in between? She was barely twenty-five. There was plenty of time to find the one. And until then…she’d really like to spend more time with the side of Adam he rarely showed. The side that trash talked her about Mario and made dry jokes. “I like this side of you. The teasing and being more relaxed. It looks good on you. I’m glad that we got here. To this place.” Not entirely what she wanted to say, but it was a start.
“I agree. Does that mean it was okay to ask about your date?” There was a hint of taunting vulnerability in his tone, and in addition to tugging her heart strings, it turned her on. It was like they were engaged in a silent battle to see which of them would be first to admit that neither was thinking of friendship.
She smiled. “Yes.”
He stared at her, then arched his brows.
She gave him a sly smile. “It was fine.”
“Wow. Something to really build on.”
She pushed his shoulder before she thought it through. He laughed, and so did she, and for the first time in days, she felt some of the uncertainty she’d been carrying around settle.
“It was just a get to know you.”
“Sebastian.” He drew out the name, making it far more syllables than it was.
“Stop it.”
“Is he in a rock and roll band?”
Megan rolled her eyes but couldn’t stop her laugh. “No. He works at the television station in the next county as a camera man.”
Adam said nothing to this, but his lips tightened, and again, she wondered what he was thinking.
“You going out a second time?”
Megan shifted her weight, feeling closed in by the conversation and the porch. “I don’t know. Shouldn’t we get going?”
His look told her he knew she was skirting the conversation. She’d said they could be friends, but he could ease her in a little.
He held her gaze a moment longer than necessary and then hooked his thumb over his shoulder. “I’m going to go change before the arcade. Put on something that makes you feel good about yourself.”
Her brows slammed together as she straightened. “Excuse me?”
Adam’s quick, easy grin reminded her of Charlie. “Once you start losing against me at all those games, your self-esteem might take a dive.”
Megan’s shoulders shook with her laughter. This Adam. She wasn’t sure she could resist this version of him, and if she wasn’t looking for forever, with him, then maybe she didn’t have to.
“We’ll see.” Just like that, he’d loosened all the tension inside her.
Even after she shut the door to her place, she was still smiling.
…
The arcade, only a few miles outside the city, was quiet for a Sunday. The couple of times Megan had been here to drop Adam off for birthday parties, it had been wall-to-wall kids.
“Baseball season is starting. Kids are probably still at practice,” Adam said, like he’d read her mind.
“I wanna play air hockey first,” Charlie said.
Buzzers sounded, and music played. It would be fun to have the place mostly to themselves.
“You good with that?” Adam asked, catching her eye.
She smiled, still surprised to learn he had a competitive streak—though, with the way he went after clients, it shouldn’t have been new information.
“Oh, I’m good. Do you really want me to play, though? Has Charlie ever seen you cry?”
Charlie laughed and took Adam’s and Megan’s hands. “Dad doesn’t cry.”
Megan winked at his dad. “He might, once he loses to me.”
“I’m going to go fill up some cards for us to play, and then I can’t wait to see you eat your words,” he replied.
She and Charlie waited by the air hockey for Adam. It was a large, square table with room for four players. They’d never gone on an outing like this, the three of them. Megan knew, whether she lost to Adam or not, it would be a day she’d tuck away in her memory and hold close.
She saw Adam heading toward them and looked at Charlie. “You’re sure he doesn’t cry?”
Adam laughed, and Megan started to, but she swallowed the sound when he came up close beside her and leaned down. “Unless they’re victory tears, it won’t happen.”
Shivers racked her body, and she inhaled deeply through her nose. If she turned her face toward him, their mouths would be far too close. Or not close enough.
“I’m going to beat you both,” said Charlie, walking up to his dad and grabbing the card from his hand.
This time, Adam’s laugh curled inside her. She looked away, going to the red player’s side. Adam took the blue, and Charlie took the green. Once Charlie swiped the card three times, three pucks dropped, and the machine started to hum.
Wasting no time, Megan grabbed her red mallet, placed it on top of her puck, and shot toward Adam’s goal. It went straight in with a loud ping. She laughed and pointed at him.
“Might want to pay attention,” she said, knowing that she should stow the trash talk until she could truly back it up.
Another ping sounded, this time on her goal. Charlie mimicked her gesture and repeated her words. She blocked one shot from Adam, but while protecting her net from Charlie, a puck slid right in.
“Hmm. Three-way tie. That won’t last,” Adam said, a sly smirk on his lips.
She moved her mallet back and forth, blocking both of their shots. “No ganging up!”
Adam laughed. Charlie giggled and aimed his puck at her goal again. “That’s not a rule.”
Blocking both shots, more through luck than skill, she shot another puck at Adam’s goal and missed. One of his pucks came her way, and she pushed it hard and fast toward Charlie’s goal. It went down.
“Oh—look at that. I’m in the lead.”
Adam scoffed and bounced a puck off her mallet. “That’s not a lead. It’s a baby step. I was playing air hockey before you were born.”
Giggling at the exaggeration, Megan missed the chance to block his next goal. His eyebrows danced up and down comically, but he didn’t say a word.
Leaning further over the table, Megan braced one hand on the side and pushed away the pucks as fast as they came. She got another in Charlie’s, one more in Adam’s, and then Adam scored three times in a row, twice on Charlie and once on her.
He dropped the mallet like a mic and put his hands in the air. He started to sing “I am the champion” in a terribly off-key voice, and both Megan and Charlie laughed until tears filled their eyes.
“Are those tears of sorrow from losing?” He winked at Megan even as she walked closer to him.
“Maybe I’m just lulling you into a false sense of security,” she said, stopping when they were toe to toe.
His lips quirked. “That’s pretty nice of you.”
“I’m a nice girl,” she said, her voice lower than she meant for it to be.
Adam’s eyes wandered to her lips, and she wished need didn’t fly through her veins like a missile.
“I want to play pinball,” Charlie said. He tugged on his dad’s hand.
“Sounds good.” He dug two cards out of his pocket and handed one to Megan. “You get your own. Use it wisely. You might want to practice a few of the games before I come back and beat you again.”
Without thinking, she patted her hand against his chest. His heart beat fast under her palm. “Enjoy your moment in the sun, old guy. In a little bit, I’ll teach you how to play skee-ball.”
Adam arched one dark eyebrow, and his green eyes shone with laughter. “That’s a nice game for kids. How about basketball?”
“Come on, Dad,” Charlie said, tugging on Adam’s hand.
Megan shrugged. “Whatever you want to lose at is fine with me.”
He laughed and shook his head. When he and Charlie went to play pinball, she headed over to the other side of the arcade, hoping Adam wouldn’t come looking for her before she had a chance to practice her shot. She’d need the extra time, since she’d never played basketball in her life.
They were tied. Megan had sunk two baskets, and Adam was about to sink his third. Charlie cheered him on just as heartily as he had Megan a few moments earlier.
Adam looked her way, ball raised, poised to shoot. “You sure you don’t want to call it a tie?”
“Just shoot the ball, Klein.”
He did. It went in with a whoosh, and Charlie cheered like his dad had just won a medal. Megan kept her face passive, nearly bored, but her heart was hammering in her chest. Adam smiled as he came closer, a ball in hand.
“Want to make a bet?”
She scowled at him. “Now that you know you have three shots? No way. That’s a cheater’s bet.”
“I’m no cheater,” he said. “But if you’re scared you won’t get it in, no pressure.”
This competitive side of him made her laugh. He seemed so much more at ease today than he had in so long. Ever, really. Maybe his date with Emily was that good. The thought made her heart pinch. She grabbed the ball from his hand.
“Fine. I get this shot, you stay off your phone for the rest of the day,” she challenged.
It was his turn to scowl. He’d only been on it a few times—once to check his email and twice for phone calls that he’d cut short. He was trying.
Leaning closer, she held his gaze. “If you’re scared, no pressure.”
“Fine.”
He crossed his arms over his chest, and she laughed at how much he resembled Charlie when he was mad.
Breathing in and out slowly, she stood in front of the indoor basketball game. It had Plexiglas on either side of it to keep the ball from flying off. This had been a very useful feature while she’d be practicing.
“Come on, Meg,” Charlie said, his grin wide and carefree. His front tooth was a little crooked, as it was ready to come out. He wouldn’t let her touch it, though.
She bent her knees, held the ball the way she’d watched the guys before her do it. She could hear her heart beating in her ears.
Pushing up as she flicked her wrist forward, she felt like the ball left her hand in slow motion. It hit the backboard, bounced up on the rim, circled it, and slipped through the net. Her breath flew out of her lungs, and she jumped in the air, pumping her fist up. Charlie rushed her and gave her a hug.
She looked at Adam, feeling as if she’d run a marathon. “I’ll take that tie now.”
He laughed. A real laugh from his belly. It was sexy and genuine, and it made Megan close her eyes, hug Charlie closer, and try to memorize everything about this second.
“Nicely done, Carter.”
Holding Charlie’s hand, she laughed, and they wandered together over to the superhero arcade game. Charlie swiped his card, and Megan did her best not to gloat. Adam had no idea how much luck she’d just had.
“Double or nothing?”
She smirked at him. “No way. I should actually take your phone.”
“I’ve hardly been on it at all.”
Bumping him with her hip, she let her lips curve into a smile. “It’s too bad they get any cell service in here at all.”
Adam gave a mock gasp. “Bite your tongue.”
They played a few more games together, but Charlie really wanted to try the laser tag on the second floor. It cost extra, so Adam went to get each of them tickets to play.
She nudged Charlie’s shoulder. “Should we talk strategy before he comes back?”
“Like team up?”
“Yeah. We don’t get each other. We just get him.”
Charlie scrunched his face, thinking it through. “Okay.”
Megan knew, before Adam made it all the way over to them, that something was wrong.
“Dad, Megan, and I are going to team up against you.”
She brought her hand to her forehead and sighed. “You don’t tell him the strategy.”
The laugh Adam gave was stiff. “I was going to ask the same thing.”
Charlie took the tickets and turned around in the line. Adam gestured to Megan so she’d come closer.
“I need to meet up with a client. Very quick.”
Unable to hide her disappointment, she shook her head. “I actually should have taken your phone.”
“Megan. I… What can I do? It’s my job.”
“Right. This is also Sunday, and your kid is leaving for two weeks.”
His back stiffened, and she knew she’d crossed another line. What was he going to do? Fire her?
“I’m very aware of those facts,” he said, his tone half-snappy and half-defeated.
She shook her head. “Back to employee, am I? Going back and forth is starting to give me whiplash.”
“Come on, guys, it’s our turn to go in.”
Adam hesitated before looking at Charlie. “Hey, bud. I have to run and do a quick errand, and then I’ll be back, okay?”
Charlie’s face fell. “But Dad, we’re going to play laser tag.”
He lowered himself in front of Charlie and took his shoulders. “You and Megan play. I’ll be back in an hour, and we’ll go grab something to eat. Anything you want.”
Charlie shrugged his dad’s hands off his shoulders and crossed his arms over his chest.
“You said this was our makeup day for you having to miss my presentation.”
Megan firmed her lips, refusing to feel bad for Adam, even when she saw his shoulders sag. She got it—he had a job to do. But it was okay to have boundaries and to stand up for what was more important. She knew, in her heart, that Charlie was everything to him. But why the hell didn’t he take this opportunity to show it?
“I know I did. I’m not saying it’s over. I just need to do one thing.”
“Can’t you do it later?”
“If I could, I would,” Adam said. The last time he had sounded this genuinely sorry was when he’d bailed before her interview. The hesitation in his tone was throwing rocks against her ability to stay mad.
Charlie glared at him. “If you wanted to, you would.”
Adam stood up, looking as though he’d been slapped. Charlie tipped his chin up at her. “Can I go in, Meg?”
“Sure. You want to wait for me?”
She glanced at Adam, who stared at Charlie with an expression so defeated Megan wanted to hug him. Why didn’t he get it? Say no to work, just once, and show Charlie that he’s the bottom line.
Charlie walked to the entrance and looked at both of them. “No. I want to go by myself. I don’t need anyone with me. I’m not a baby.”
He slipped through the curtain into the room that housed the tag game.
Adam looked down at her. His lips straightened, and all of the happiness she’d felt earlier evaporated.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered.
“Why are you apologizing to me?”
He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, then over his face. “Because you’re always having to pick up my slack.”
“That’s my job. You should go do yours,” she said. Compassion was one thing. She felt it in spades, but her priority had to be Charlie and the hurt he was feeling. Adam was old enough to choose. Charlie wasn’t.
With a wince, he shook his head. In a move that shocked the air from her lungs, he took her hand. “I don’t want to go, but saying no isn’t an option. If I don’t push for partnership, I won’t get it. I want to be able to give him all of the things I never had.”
He didn’t mean stuff. She knew him well enough now to know that he feared not being able to put a roof over his son’s head. Not being able to feed and clothe him. Provide for him. It was irrational, in her opinion. But that didn’t change his worries about it.
She stayed rooted to her spot. Tough love time. No! No, no, no. Tough employee to boss laying it on the line time. “All he wants is you.”
Adam’s face paled like she’d slapped him. When he walked away, she felt bad, but she felt worse for Charlie. Adam talked of how Reece let Charlie down by choosing her job over her family, but Megan didn’t see Adam doing things any differently. And it broke her heart because he was such a good dad and Charlie deserved to have that. Not your place. In just over a month, it won’t even be your job to worry about it anymore. But she knew she still would.