Despite her better judgment, she decided to keep her plans with Reed for Saturday. It would help keep her mind off the fact that Jack might just mess up Angie’s birthday plans.
She’d thrown out the part about getting the police if Angie wasn’t returned on time, but it was an empty threat. She had no way of knowing if the police would help her or not. Jack did seem to back down and she wondered if he just didn’t want the headache, or he truly could care less.
She was guessing it was the latter and that Jack couldn’t be bothered with his daughter’s third birthday.
It was probably stupid to let Reed pick her up at her house, but at this point she had nothing to hide. It’s not like she was going to let him spend the night because that was out of the question. For all she knew, Jack was having her house monitored.
She wouldn’t put it past him, but the sad truth was, he didn’t care enough to do that. Now his parents, on the other hand, they’d love nothing more than to show her as an unfit mother.
Karen and she didn’t get along and they never would. They thought she was out for the family money by trying to trap their only child. Karen soon learned there was no lost love between her and Jack and all Taylor wanted was her daughter to be supported.
The Jamisons and she had a cordial, at best, relationship. They picked up or dropped Angie off more times than not, lifted their noses at her home, but never said a word. If they didn’t treat Angie like gold and if Angie didn’t love spending time with her grandparents, then she’d bar them from the property.
Everything she did, she did for Angie, so if that meant turning a blind eye to Jack’s parents, then that was what she’d do.
She looked around her humble rental home one more time. It wasn’t anything special, but it was nicer than what she’d grown up in.
All of Angie’s toys were picked up and put in bins. The same with Mutt’s toys who was sitting in the corner. She hoped he behaved. He never liked visitors at all and she really had been nervous bringing him on her date with Reed to the lake, but the ugly dog took to the hot man.
She hoped the same held true when Reed came to the door rather than her having to put him in the back room because he barked and growled at everyone. He was a good guard dog, but Jack and his parents didn’t appreciate it one bit.
The doorbell rang and of course Mutt ran there snapping and growling. She grabbed him by the collar and held him back saying, “It’s Reed. You like Reed.” She wasn’t sure if that was helping or not, said a silent prayer, and opened the door prepared to have her arm yanked.
“Hey, what’s all the fuss?” Reed asked, squatting down to pet Mutt. The dog actually stopped almost immediately, then rolled over to get his belly rubbed.
“That’s amazing,” she said. “He never calms down when the doorbell goes off. I normally have to put him in another room when I’ve got visitors.”
He frowned. “How often do you have visitors?”
“Jack or his parents,” she said.
He nodded and didn’t say more. Things were still a little tense for her, but she guessed they weren’t for him. After they’d talked in his truck, she’d gone back to her desk and finished up her work. They hadn’t seen each other again, but he did text her that night.
She’d thought he’d be mad over discovering Angie, but he actually seemed more curious. She was glad she was keeping her feelings close to her chest because obviously he wasn’t anymore vested than wanting a bedmate, so those thoughts of falling for him had to be locked back up.
She knew he was testing the waters and she was fine with that. They probably took several steps back, and she reminded herself that they hadn’t taken all that many steps forward.
“What’s that?” she asked when she noticed a yellow gift bag in his hand.
“A present for Angie.”
“I thought we talked about this. That I didn’t think it was a good idea for you two to meet.”
“You did say that. But it is her birthday and I just thought...”
She couldn’t get mad at him over that. It was a nice thought. “She’s not here.”
“I know. I figured you’d give it to her for me.”
“Who am I supposed to say it’s from?” she asked.
“Whoever you want. Just say it’s a friend of yours. She’s three, she won’t ask too many questions, will she?”
“Probably not. She’ll be distracted by the gift. What did you get her?” she asked.
“I wanted to do a doll, but then figured I had no idea what she had, what she liked, or if I was assuming something that I shouldn’t. Maybe she hates dolls but loves stuffed kangaroos. I had no clue. I was walking around the toy aisle and an employee took pity on me and said there are these magic markers that only show up on special paper so if she misses the paper they won’t stain anything. She told me she’d never met a kid that didn’t love to color. I took her word for it. I got her a bunch of those sets.”
It was crazy to feel her heart soften at that, but she couldn’t stop the flutters. He didn’t just assume Angie would want a girly toy or dolls or anything typical for her daughter. Even Jack kept trying to force dolls and dresses on Angie, when she’d rather just run and play. She’d rather kick a ball, play fetch with Mutt, or go down a slide.
“She’ll love it. When I want to settle her down for the night, I pull out paper and crayons. She has a special table to sit at only for that. I’ve seen those sets before but haven’t grabbed one yet. It was very thoughtful of you.” She leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
“I’m glad. If she doesn’t like it, just don’t tell me,” he said, laughing.
“I know you probably don’t trust me right now, but I really wouldn’t lie to you.”
The nod of his head was enough answer for her to know that she was right. Trust was an issue. But the truth was, she didn’t have much trust in men either, so she wasn’t going to fault him.
By the end of the day, they’d driven all over town, him showing her some of the houses they were building. It wasn’t much of a romantic date, though it was nice to just spend time with him and not worry about the fact that something special had to be planned.
They were back at his house with some take-out food for dinner and were sitting on his deck. “You’re quiet. How come? We don’t have to go upstairs, you know,” he said.
“I know. I get it. Every time we’re together it doesn’t have to end up in sex. Though I’m sure you enjoy it just as much as I do. I just have a lot on my mind,” she said. “Though I guess the benefit of our situation is to end up in bed,” she said, laughing.
He frowned at her. “Tell me what’s on your mind.”
“You don’t want to hear it.”
“I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t,” he said.
She shrugged. “I just hope that Angie is brought back home tomorrow on time. That’s why Jack stopped me that day. His mother wanted a family party tomorrow rather than today. I’d already made arrangements for a kid’s party because today was Jack’s day.” She waved her hand. “You don’t want to be bothered with this.”
“It’s just a conversation, Taylor.”
It was the first time he’d said her name that she could remember. Those little warm fuzzies that she’d felt before around men she’d had a crush on were really working full force. She’d thought she was immune to them, but lately everything just seemed to be changing when she so desperately wanted stuff to remain the same.
***
Reed was wondering what was wrong with him. Why he was pushing things with Taylor? Why he wanted to know more about her and her life when he was still annoyed that she’d hid her daughter from him.
After their talk, he’d driven her back to work and drove away.
He’d never been one to yell and scream. Not even to throw things.
When he was mad, when he was hurt, even when he was confused he locked himself away internally.
He didn’t want to talk to anyone. He just wanted to be alone with his thoughts.
And if those thoughts turned dark like they had after everything he’d discovered with Whitney, then he turned to the bottle.
But he’d stopped doing that. He’d stopped trying to lock it all up. Or he was trying to at least.
He’d gone home the other night and he’d had a few beers. Not enough to get drunk like in the past, but enough to give him a wake-up call.
He only really drank when he was confused and hurt. What he had with Taylor was supposed to be fun and light. No reason to get hurt. No reason to get angry.
The more he analyzed it in his head, the more he realized that he never really wanted to just be friends with her. That it was only his excuse to get closer. To hope for more after the friendship. More than sex. More than friends. Maybe lovers. Maybe something...more, period.
He knew her trust and opinion in men in general, including him, was so low it’d be like finding room under a worm’s belly, and that caused him to reach for the bottle again.
He didn’t know how to approach this and was terrified of getting hurt again.
He figured that maybe he’d try to appeal to her motherly love and bring a gift for Angie. There was no doubt he wasn’t going to be meeting her daughter any time soon, but it didn’t hurt to start bringing her into the conversations.
“Yeah, but it’s a conversation that is turning more personal than we’ve gotten before,” she said.
“That’s because we don’t spend a lot of time together and when we do, we’re getting naked. Not that I mind that. Maybe now that I know about Angie we can talk at night and not text?” he asked. “You know how many mistakes I make typing. These big fingers of mine and keyboards don’t always play nice.” He supposed she texted over talking so he wouldn’t hear her daughter in the background.
She laughed at him. “Your fingers play nice more times than you realize. But sure. When Angie is in bed, we can talk now and again. Friends do talk on the phone.”
Friends again. He was trying to figure out how to get away from that. And wondered if it was even possible.