Wyatt

Wyatt stood in front of the mirror in his bedroom. He could hear Lily and Maggie downstairs, talking and laughing as they made dinner together. It was like music to his ears.

Today was a good day, he thought. Somehow, I actually had fun going to the grocery store. I never thought that would happen. Not in a million years.

His phone buzzed in his pocket and he pulled it out to see an incoming call from his best friend, who also happened to be one of his partners in his business. He sighed as he gazed at the number. It was Saturday evening and not exactly a time when he felt like handling anything work-related. Despite that, though, he picked up the call. He wasn't the type to slack off when it came to his business.

“Hey, Derek,” he said, lifting the phone to his ear. “What's going on?”

“Wyatt, how are you?” Derek sounded excited, which usually meant he had either been drinking or had gotten laid. Sometimes it was both.

“I'm doing alright,” Wyatt replied, taking a seat onto the edge of his bed. “What's up?”

“Not a lot,” Derek said. “Except that I happen to have two court-side tickets to the Raccoon's game for tonight. It starts in half an hour. I'll come pick you up.”

Wyatt glanced at the clock. It was almost six. He stood up from his bed and without even thinking about it, headed to his closet to grab his jersey. He'd been a fan of the Raccoon basketball team since he was a kid. It had been over a year since he had attended a game, though. It was difficult for him to find the free time.

“Why the short notice?” Wyatt asked, pulling the red jersey out of his closet.

“Are you really complaining right now?” Derek replied, with a laugh. “Just shut up, get dressed and I'll pick you up.”

Wyatt chuckled and shook his head. It was typical Derek. They'd been friends for a long time. They had first met in college. It was freshman year and they'd been dorm mates. They had stayed in touch ever since graduation and when Derek made it big in the software industry, he decided to join Wyatt's company as an outside investor.

It was a win/win for everybody involved. Wyatt obtained huge financial support for his company's investments and Derek was able to make a pretty penny, too. Plus, the two best friends were able to hang out and still have fun because of it. It was the perfect excuse to get together and party like they were still in college. Only now, everywhere they went was a tax write off.

“Alright, well give me a few minutes.” Wyatt had the cell phone pressed against his ear with his shoulder. He was trying to change quickly into some jeans. He nearly fell over, though, as he hopped around on one foot while trying to get out of his slacks. “Just text me when you're here.”

“Sounds good,” Derek said, then immediately hung up the phone.

Wyatt changed quickly and opened his bedroom door to head downstairs. The intoxicating smell of a home-cooked meal entered his nostrils and he breathed it in.

“Something smells amazing,” he called out, making his way into the kitchen. When he turned the corner, he saw Lily and Maggie facing away from him as they prepared food on the counter. Lily was on the left, wearing black yoga pants and a white t-shirt. Maggie was right next to her, standing on a stool and putting vegetables into a bowl.

Lily turned around as Wyatt walked in. “I'm attempting to make my mother's eggplant Parmesan. I'm not sure if I'll get it right, since it's my first time. I hope it turns out okay.” Her eyes went up and down Wyatt as she spoke. “I didn't know you were a Raccoon fan. My dad loves that team.”

Wyatt ran his hands down the front of his jersey. “Your dad has good taste in basketball then.”

Lily smiled. “Well dinner should be ready in about an hour. Maggie has been working really hard to help me.”

Wyatt sighed. “So, as much as I hate to say this, I don't know if I'm going to be able to stay for dinner.”

Lily cocked her head to the side and Maggie spun around on her stool. She placed her hands on her hips, causing flour and breadcrumbs to fall down her shirt and onto the floor.

“You aren't leaving, Daddy,” she said, pouting out her lower lip.

His heart turned to lead and sank into his stomach. “I'm sorry, baby. Uncle Derek called and asked if I could go to a basketball game with him. I told him that I would. He had an extra ticket and didn't want to waste it.”

Wyatt realized how pathetic his excuse was the moment the words came out of his mouth. He could see it in his daughter's eyes, too. She didn't care about some basketball game. All that she cared about was spending time with her dad.

“When are you leaving?” Lily asked. “Maybe we can squeeze in dinner before you go.”

“I won't have time.” Wyatt glanced at his watch. “Derek said he would be here in twenty minutes.”

Lily nodded and forced a smile, but Wyatt could tell that she was disappointed with his leaving. She had obviously gone to some effort to prepare dinner. She and Maggie both had.

“Pwease don't go, Daddy,” Maggie begged, her eyes becoming shrink-wrapped in tears. “Wiwee and I made you dinner.”

Her words made his heart melt even further and a wave of guilt came over him.

What in the hell am I thinking? He thought quietly. Why would I even consider prioritizing a basketball game over spending time with my daughter. I already live most of my life at the office and don't get much time at home. I should stay here, with them.

Wyatt took a seat on one of the stools in front of the center island in the kitchen. Lily had turned back around to continue chopping up vegetables, but Maggie stayed staring at her dad. She wanted a response from him and she wanted it now.

“You know what,” Wyatt finally said, after a few moments of silence. “I'll stay for dinner. Screw it. It's just a stupid basketball game.”

Maggie's eyes shot open and the smile returned to her face in an instant. “Really?”

“Yes, really,” he said. “I'll stay here with you guys tonight.”

“Yay!” Maggie cried out. She hopped off of her stool and ran over to Wyatt, wrapping her arms around his leg. “I love you, Daddy.”

He instantly knew that he'd made the right decision. There was nothing in the world that could compare to how great he felt when his daughter was happy. Not even court-side seats to his favorite basketball team.

“I love you, too, sweetheart,” he said, ruffling up her hair a bit.

Lily turned around again. “That's awesome that you're going to stay, Wyatt. I think you'll like this meal. I hope anyway.”

Wyatt stood up from his seat. Maggie immediately took his hand and led him to the counter where she had been working beside Lily.

“Come here, Dad,” she said, pulling him along. “You can help.”

He chuckled. “I'm not so sure you want me to help. I have no business in here. Trust me. Maggie, don't you remember what I did to the French toast the other morning?”

Maggie didn't reply, she just crawled back onto her stool and continued putting vegetables into the bowl. She did her work with such pride, too. Each carrot was placed carefully, as though she was creating a heartfelt piece of art.

“Wyatt, if you want to help, I've actually got a job for you,” Lily said.

“Alright, I'll do my best,” he said. “What do you have for me?”

“I need you to whip up a few eggs,” she replied. “Then, you'll take these slices of eggplant that I've just cut up and dip them in the eggs. Once their coated with that, I'll have you roll them in breadcrumbs. That's what makes the crust.”

“Okay. Whip eggs, dip eggplant, then roll in breadcrumbs,” he said. “Got it.”

He headed to the fridge and pulled out some eggs, setting them on the counter near Lily. Before he got to work, though, he quickly texted Derek to let him know that he wouldn't be attending the game that evening. Not two seconds after sending the text, Derek called him. Wyatt took a few steps away and picked up the phone.

“Hey, Derek,” he said.

“You're not coming?” Derek said. “You've got to be kidding me, man. What on earth would keep you from going to this game tonight?”

“What would keep me from going to the Raccoon's game?” Wyatt said. As he spoke, Lily and Maggie glanced over at him. “Something came up. Sorry.”

“What came up?” Derek was obviously annoyed, but Wyatt realized that he'd get over it. He had to. There wasn't much of a choice.

“Something more important than a basketball game came up,” Wyatt said, smiling at his daughter and then scanning his eyes toward Lily. “I ended up landing a date with two very beautiful girls. I just don't feel like I can cancel on them.”

Lily smiled at his words. Her cheeks turn a little red and she immediately looked forward, going back to slicing the eggplant.

“Alright, man,” Derek said. “You're missing out, though. This is a big game. If they win this one, they're going to the playoffs.”

“I know,” Wyatt said. “I'm wearing my jersey, though. I'll keep my fingers crossed.”

“Cool, well I guess I'll catch up with you sometime next week,” Derek said. “I'll swing by your office and give you more crap for missing out on this.”

Wyatt laughed. “Sounds good. See you then.”

“See you later,” Derek said, before hanging up.

Wyatt slipped his phone back into his pocket. He felt relieved and extremely happy about his decision to stay home. He meant what he had told Derek, too, about something important coming up. Time with his daughter was a priority. Of course, getting to spend a little time with Lily was just an added bonus.

“Alright, back to cooking,” he said, approaching the two of them. “I'll whip up these eggs and we'll get cooking.”

Lily smiled. “I'm not sure how you feel about watching TV during dinner, but we could always turn on the Raccoon game.”

Wyatt raised an eyebrow. “You know what, I think that's a great idea. I'd love to see what those boys can do tonight. They're up against a pretty hard team.”

“I wouldn't mind watching it anyway,” Lily said. “My dad has always been trying to get me to take an interest in watching basketball, so he'd be tickled pink if I actually knew the score of one of the games the next time I spoke with him.”

“Alright then,” Wyatt said. “It's settled. We're eating dinner in the living room tonight.”

He then went to work, whipping up some eggs into a bowl. When he was done, he stepped up to where Lily had been cutting vegetables. He reached toward the cutting board where she'd already made slices of eggplant. The timing was impeccable, because as he brought his hand forward, so did Lily. They were both going for the same piece of eggplant. Their hands touched. Her fingers gently overlapped his. She kept it there for just a fleeting second, then quickly pulled away.

“Shoot, sorry,” she said.

“No big deal,” he replied, with a smile.

He took the piece of eggplant and dipped it into the eggs. The top of his hand still seemed to tingle from where she had touched it. They were silent for a moment. Nobody spoke and the only sound was Lily's knife as it sliced through the vegetable and into the wooden cutting board.

“So, um, what would you like to drink with dinner?” Wyatt asked, breaking the silence. “I've got many different kinds of wine. Do you like wine? I have beer, too.”

Lily glanced over and Wyatt noticed that she was blushing again. He assumed it was from accidentally touching his hand.

“I would take some red wine,” she said.

“Perfect,” he replied. “I'll run down to the wine cellar and grab some. I have some Cabernet that will blow your mind.”

“Sounds great,” she said, then turned back to give Maggie another task.

Wyatt made his way downstairs to where the cellar was. It was the size of a small bedroom, located in the far back of the house. Caroline had insisted they have one built right after they bought the house, since collecting wine from all over the world had been one of her hobbies. Wyatt didn't mind it, though, because it also gave him a good place to store his expensive cigars.

He pulled on the glass door of the cellar and stepped inside. As he scanned the wine, looking for the bottle that he had in mind, he couldn't stop thinking that Lily. Something had stirred inside of him when their hands had touched. He had felt it in his gut, like a spark of electricity. It had been a long time since he had noticed a sensation like that, but he was pretty sure that he knew what it was.

I'm attracted to her, he thought. I know that I shouldn't be, given the situation and all, but I am. It's undeniable. I felt something upstairs. It was like some weird magnetic pull that made me want to wrap my arms around her and kiss her. I wonder if she noticed the same feeling.

Wyatt found the bottle of wine that he was looking for near the back of the cellar. It was stored where he kept his favorites. Most of them were white wines, but a few were red. He grabbed the 1946 Cabernet and tucked it under his arm, then headed back upstairs to continue making dinner with the girls.

“Shall I pour you a glass?” Wyatt asked, stepping around the corner with the bottle in hand.

Lily spun around. “That would be lovely.”

“You're going to like it,” he said. “It's from France. They only made a few thousand bottles of this before the winery burned down in the forties.”

Her eyes widened. “Are you sure you want to drink it? That sounds like the kind of wine that you save for a very special occasion.”

Wyatt shrugged. “Who's to say that tonight isn't a special occasion? Like my father once told me, the only day that exists is today. If you want to live, you must risk it all. I think, in this case, he'd suggest that we drink the wine.”

Lily's smile widened. “I really like that saying. Your father must have been a wise man. I wish that I could have met him.”

“He had lots of good things about him.” Wyatt stepped over to a kitchen drawer and pulled out the corkscrew. “A few bad things, too, but nobody is perfect.”

He took two wine glasses from the cabinet and filled them up, passing one to Lily.

“Cheers,” he said.

“Yes, cheers.” Lily reached forward and gently clinked her glass to his.

He gazed at her, noticing himself staring just a second too long into her eyes. He'd never really noticed how pretty they were before now. They were a deep blue, the kind of color that reminded him of the ocean off of the coast of Costa Rica. He could have lost himself in them. They were so beautiful and kind.

I've seen this woman hundreds of times over the past five years, and I think this might be the first time I've fully realized just how beautiful she is, he thought, while taking a sip of the wine. It's so strange how I never noticed before. Everything about her is gorgeous, from the dimples on her cheeks when she smiles, to the curves of her hips.

Wyatt was quickly becoming surprised at his own thoughts. Immediately after having them, though, a pang of guilt flashed into his mind. He wondered what Caroline would say about him having these kind of thoughts about Maggie's surrogate mother. She would have likely accused him of being a total creep.

Or would she have? He wondered. Caroline loved Lily. In fact, she thought that Lily was one of the best people on earth. I don't think that she ever had an ill word to say about her. Still, though, I have to wonder if she'd approve of me fantasizing about her. I'm guessing that would be where Caroline would have drawn the line.

“How's the wine?” Wyatt asked, in an attempt to kill the awkward silence that had fallen between them.

Lily licked her lips, which had turned red from the drink. “It's incredible. It's the perfect balance between sweet and dry.”

“Told you,” Wyatt said, with a smirk.

“I don't think I'll be able to drink cheap wine ever again.” Lily laughed and then took another sip.

“Did I ruin you?” he asked. “If so, I'm happy to buy you good wine for the rest of your life. Nobody deserves to drink those five dollar gallon jugs that they sell at the liquor store. I'm pretty sure you can use those as fuel in your car if you run out of gas.”

“That's good to know.” Lily giggled. “Maybe I should keep a bottle or two of the cheap stuff in the trunk of my car in case I ever get stranded and out of fuel.”

Wyatt and Lily took another few sips of their wine, then went back to work on making dinner. In just the few minutes that they'd been distracted, Maggie had managed to make a total mess. The counter was now covered in breadcrumbs and chopped vegetables. Some of it had even made its way to the floor, surrounding the stool that she was standing on.

“Oops,” Maggie said, with a mischievous grin.

Wyatt just laughed. Lily turned to clean it up, but he stopped her.

“I'll get it,” he said. “You keep working on the dinner and I'll get this cleaned up. Clearly, I'm not much help with preparing the food.”

“Alright, sounds good,” Lily said. “If everything goes as planned, food will be ready in forty-five minutes. I hope everybody is hungry.”

“Starved,” Wyatt said, patting his stomach. “I can't wait to try your cooking. I hope your mom's recipe is as good as you've made it sound.”

“Me too,” Lily said, nodding in agreement. “Me too.”