Tina
It’s past six when my doorbell rings. I glance up from the television show I’m watching with Blake. It’s much too late for a delivery and I’m not expecting company. One of my neighbors probably wants to borrow a cup of flour or something. Carefully, I place Blake in his swing and turn it on. Then I head over to the front door.
I don’t bother peeking before I pull open the door, but I should have, because I’m completely shocked when I see my lawyer standing there.
He’s in a suit, even.
“Mr. Fee?” I ask, surprised. My shock is followed immediately by regret when I realize that I haven’t showered all day, my hair is in a messy bun, and I’m pretty sure there’s spit-up on my shoulder.
I’m afraid to look.
“What are you doing here?” I ask as politely as I possibly can without freaking out at the unexpected visitor.
“I, um, hello,” he says nervously. I wait for a second, wondering if he’s going to keep talking. He seems anxious, which is strange because in his office, he was completely, totally put-together.
After a minute, Landon takes a deep breath. He seems to steel himself, and then he looks at me and smiles.
“I came to ask if you would like to have dinner with me.”
“You came all the way over to ask me that?” I’m completely surprised, but also completely flattered.
Landon is hot.
Super hot.
Super, totally, completely out-of-my-league hot.
“It didn’t seem appropriate to call,” he says. “I was…I was worried you’d think I was behaving inappropriately.”
And that’s when it hits me.
Landon isn’t just some classy, out-of-my-league lawyer. He’s a real person, a real man, who has real feelings and real needs. He’s just as worried and nervous about rejection as I am, but he still came over. He drove all the way to my house to ask me on a date, and it’s kind of completely romantic.
It’s old-school romance that I didn’t even know existed anymore.
“I’d love to have dinner with you,” I tell him. “When are you thinking?”
“Tonight,” he says quickly. “Now.”
I lean against the doorframe and look him over. Yeah, he’s definitely dressed for an evening out. He looks incredible. His hair is styled and his suit is perfect. He fills it out well, too. He’s hot and nice. How the hell did I catch the eye of someone like this?
“Landon, I haven’t showered since yesterday, I’m covered in baby spit-up, and I’ve got about an hour before my kid is going to want to nurse again.”
His face drops for just a second, and I can just see him starting to inwardly berate himself for asking me out on a spontaneous date, only to be shot down.
I take a deep breath. “So why don’t you come inside? I’ll order pizza and then hop in the shower. It should be here by the time I’m done. I’ve got some wine we can drink while we eat and we can throw on a movie.”
His eyes light up when I start talking, and I kind of love the way his features come alive like that. I’ve never met anyone who was as animated or as fantastic as Landon. He’s really curious. He’s something else altogether. I can’t really pinpoint exactly what it is that makes him so different except that he’s just so kind.
Landon makes a strange lawyer because I sort of think he secretly has a heart of gold. Oh, he does a pretty good job of keeping it hidden, but I’m not dumb. I know a good person when I see one, and Landon? He’s an angel.
“That sounds incredible.”
“Please come in.”
He steps inside and looks around.
“Shoes can go there,” I point to a spot by the door, and he quickly takes his shoes off. I don’t apologize for the toys thrown around the room, the baby equipment, or the stack of mail on the coffee table. This is my life now. I’m not going to feel guilty because I have a child. I’m not going to feel upset or ashamed that I don’t always keep up with everything. It would be incredible if I could be super-mom, but I’m not, and I think the sooner that’s understood, the better it will be for all of us.
Landon follows me into the living room and sits down on the couch. Blake peers at him from the swing, but doesn’t move or fuss.
“This is your little guy,” Landon says, smiling at Blake. He waves.
“Blake,” I tell him. “He’s two months old now. Getting big.”
“Hey, Blake,” Landon wiggles his fingers at Blake.
“Do you want to hold him?”
“Uh, yeah,” Landon says, looking a little shy. “Is that okay?”
“Of course,” I tell him. I pick up my son and carry him to Landon. Then I hand him over. Landon is so big, so fierce compared to my child. Blake’s little body is so tiny compared to Landon’s huge one. My son looks like a doll in his arms.
Landon is gentle when he takes Blake from me. He holds him and gently rubs his tummy with one big finger.
“Hi baby,” Landon says.
Blake just looks at him with big, wide eyes.
“We don’t get many visitors,” I explain. “Only Joyce and my parents, really.” It sounds kind of pathetic when I say it out loud, but it’s the truth. I’m going to have to go back to work very soon and part of me worries I’ve completely forgotten how to be a normal person and interact with adults.
Most of my day consists of changing diapers, feeding Blake, and singing songs. I’m not sure I’m going to have an easy time transitioning back into my professional life.
“He’s sweet,” Landon says. He looks from Blake to me and back again. “And he looks like you.”
“Thanks,” I blush. No one has said that yet and part of me was starting to worry Blake would only look like Chester, and not like me. It might be selfish, but I kind of want my son to look a little bit like me, too. “I kind of think he has my nose.”
“And your eyes,” Landon points out. He turns back to Blake and just stares at him like he’s the most beautiful, most interesting creature Landon has ever seen, and it warms my heart.
He’s looking at Blake the way a father should look at his child.
He’s looking at Blake like my child is valuable, important.
He’s looking at Blake and it makes me feel like my whole world is complete.
“What kind of pizza do you want?” I ask, trying to get things back to normal, trying to re-center myself.
“Pepperoni,” Landon answers easily. He winks at me. “Do they even make other flavors of pizza?”
“Dude, really? Just plain pepperoni? You don’t want a super meaty pizza or pineapple pizza or a vegetarian pizza?”
“Vegetables belong in gardens, Tina.”
I can’t help myself. I laugh. Landon seriously looks offended that I even suggested a different type of pizza.
“Alright,” I smile, grabbing my phone. I pull up my pizza app. Yes, I totally have an app for ordering pizza. I’m way too lazy to bother calling. I do everything on my computer or phone if I can help it. “Look,” I turn the phone around so he can see it. “There’s a special today. When you buy two pizzas, it’s free delivery and free breadsticks.”
“Let’s do it,” he says, and I place the order.
When I’m finished, I realize Landon is still holding Blake, only now, Blake’s tiny fingers are wrapped around Landon’s thumb.
“He likes you,” I point out. Landon just shrugs.
“He’s little. He doesn’t know what he likes yet.”
“Trust me. He’s very opinionated.”
“You should go shower,” Landon smiles at me. “I’ll keep an eye on Blake.”
“You sure you don’t mind? It’s kind of crappy, you know. I invite you for dinner and then just ditch you with my kid.”
Landon stands up, still holding Blake, and walks over to me. Then he plants a gentle kiss on my forehead and looks down at me.
“You’re perfect, Tina, and I believe I was the one who invited you for dinner, carelessly forgetting you couldn’t just get a babysitter on short notice or that your baby might be too young for a sitter. Please forgive me.”
“There’s nothing to forgive,” I whisper, and it’s true.
“Go shower, princess. I’ll be right here when you get back.”