“Every time.”

“I went into last night thinking that it would be a one-night stand.” He cocks a brow and leans his hands on the countertop, listening. “I hadn’t been with anyone since my husband, and I thought it was time, and you’re—”

“I’m what?”

“Sexy and nice and I like you.”

“I like you, too.”

I nod and swallow hard. “So, I don’t want it to be just a one-night stand.”

“What do you want it to be?” he asks.

“I don’t know.” I shrug. “And that’s the truth. But I do want to see you again.”

A sexy smile spreads over his handsome face. “See? That wasn’t so hard.”

“Harder than you know.” I check the time. “I really should get home. And I’m not inviting you to go to the zoo with us today because I’m just not ready for that.”

“Fair enough.” He nods and walks around the island separating us, cups my face in his big hands and kisses me madly. “But I want to see you, Sarah. I want to see a lot of you.”

“And Hailey?”

“I’m not running scared because you’re a mom, honey.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.” He kisses my forehead, then pulls away. “Let’s get you home.”

“Thank you.”

“For?”

“Dinner. Breakfast.” The most amazing sex of my entire life.

“You’re welcome.”

* * * *

“Do I look pretty for my date?” Hailey asks me two weeks later as we get ready for Adam to pick us up and take us bowling.

“You look very pretty,” I reply, fussing with the pink bow in her dark hair. She finally let me dress her in something other than her Belle dress.

This one is Sleeping Beauty. Because it’s pink, and as she said, a dress for dates should be pink.

My child never ceases to crack me up.

In the past two weeks, Adam has been present in our lives more and more. He and I have enjoyed a few nights alone together, but he’s also made the effort to include Hailey and even Becca when we go out for dinner or to the French Quarter for some shopping.

“I don’t need the pads,” Hailey says, her hands on her hips.

“What pads?” I ask as the doorbell rings.

“The bowling pads,” she says and rushes out of the room to the door and dances in place, waiting for me to open it. “Adam!”

“Hello there. I’m looking for a miss Hailey Cox.”

“That’s me!”

Adam’s face transforms in surprise. “Are you sure? Because the little girl I’m looking for always wears a Belle dress.”

“Not on date night,” she informs him and takes his hand. “Date night is special.”

“You’re right,” he says and scoops her into his arms to hug her tight. Adam has also become more affectionate, more at ease, with Hailey over the past few weeks. At first, I thought it would bother me, but it just makes me happy.  “So that must be why I brought you this.” He offers her a single pink rose, making my daughter’s eyes widen in delight.

He brought her a flower!

And just like that, he makes me like him even more.

“You brought me a pretty flower!”

“Of course I did. I’m taking you on a date.”

“What about Mommy?”

His gaze turns to mine as he sets Hailey down and reaches outside, then offers me a bouquet of red roses. “Oh, Adam. You didn’t have to.”

“Flowers for my girls,” he says with a wink to Hailey. “On date night.”

“We should go on dates every day!” Hailey exclaims.

“Well, then it wouldn’t be special anymore,” Adam replies and offers me his hand, then pulls me close so he can gently kiss my cheek. “Shall we?”

“Absolutely.” I tuck Hailey’s flower in the vase with my own, set them on the coffee table, and we’re off.

The bowling alley is quiet, but it is only seven o’clock on a Friday. We gather our shoes and balls and argue with Hailey about the gutter bumpers until she finally gives in.

Halfway into the game, it’s obvious that Hailey is going to out bowl both of us.

And she’s five.

“Are you hungry?” Adam asks Hailey after the game is over.

“Winning is hard work,” she informs him. “I’m very hungry.”

“Okay, the winner chooses dinner,” he says as he leads us out of the bowling alley to his car.

“Pizza!”

“Pizza it is,” he says and winks at me. “How are you?”

“I’m great.”

He watches my face for a moment, and then satisfied that it’s the truth, he kisses my hand.

“Let’s do take and bake pizza,” I suggest. “We can go back to our place and eat, and then it’ll be close to time for bath and bed.”

“Good idea. Do you want to text Becca and ask her what she wants?”

“You’re sweet.” I smile over at him, completely charmed by him. “But Becca is out on a date tonight.”

“We are all on dates!” Hailey exclaims happily.

“So just us, then?”

“Just us,” I confirm. I call ahead to the pizza place, ordering a small cheese and a large combo, looking forward to going home and enjoying these two people.

“Did I tell you that I have a boyfriend?” Hailey asks about an hour later when we’re sitting at the table, eating our pizza.