“No, what you really want is for him to tell you he is still madly in love with you,” Haddie responds as she shoves a glass of water in front of me. “Drink that. I don’t want you to have an excuse to cancel your date with Tyler. You too, Ry. You are the babysitter tonight.”
“Lucy drank most of this pitcher, not me,” Rylee whines as Haddie replaces her now empty glass with a glass of water. “Had is right, girl. We all know how much Tyler is still in love with you. The only person who isn’t able to see that is you.”
“He left me. Left me with nothing but a two-minute voicemail. After four years I don’t know if him still being in love with me is enough. It’s not just me he has to love, but Colt too.” I nibble on my bottom lip as every anxiety I’ve ever had about seeing Tyler again raises to the surface.
“He had his reasons, trust me, Lu. Would I steer you wrong?” Rylee places her hand on top of mine and gives it a squeeze before downing the last of her water quickly. “We need to motor ladies or there won’t be enough time for Lucy to get ready for her night out on the town.”
“What do you mean? He said to dress casually.” I lean back slightly and motion down my body. “I don’t see why I need to change. Just need enough time to run a brush through my hair and freshen my makeup.”
“When was the last time you shaved your legs? Or done any maintenance?” Haddie asks as she motions for the waitress to bring the check. “You don’t go out on a date with the man of your dreams not ready for a trip inside.”
Rylee shakes her head before giving her two cents. “I have every intention of sleeping in your guest room tonight, so there is no need for you to rush home on my account.”
“You two have lost your mind. If there is one thing I can promise won’t happen, it’s me sleeping with Tyler Davenport again.”
“Yet.” Haddie slides her credit card to the waitress before Rylee notices. I just shake my head. These two always fight over who pays. Who am I to stop them?
“What do you mean yet?” I question as I grab my phone out of my bag checking for a message from Tyler. What I find is a text with a picture of Colt snuggled into Tyler’s chest fast asleep. Along with the picture is a quick text from Tyler.
“You don’t smile like that if you don’t plan on having sex with someone,” Rylee says as she pushes back from the table and heads toward the exit with Haddie following closely behind her.
“What? He sent the cutest picture of Colt.” I shove my phone back into my bag and scurry toward the exit to catch up with them. As we approach the car, Rylee points me toward the back door. I quickly open the door and slide inside.
“Was Tyler in the picture?” Rylee asks as she slides into the front seat.
“Yes,” I mumble before crossing my arms over my chest and they both laugh.
“A picture of Tyler and Colt? I’m surprised your heart didn’t melt right here on the spot,” Rylee says as she gives me a knowing look in the rear-view mirror.
The sad thing is, she’s right. The more time Tyler spends with Colt the more I long for the three of us to be a proper family. All of my reasons for keeping Tyler from finding out Colt is his son are evaporating into thin air.
Chapter Fifteen
Tyler
“Push me!” Colt shouts for the millionth time since the ten-minute power nap he took on my chest. I was hoping to have a good hour to sit and plan my date with Lu tonight, but instead we are back outside playing on the tiny tire swing.
“I should build you a swing set. You have enough room for one back here. What do you say, little man?” I ask as I lift him into the tire swing in the backyard.
“Yeah! Can I have a club house at the top with a twisty slide like they have at The House?” His little legs kick with excitement as I give him a small push.
“Sure can. I just have to ask your momma first, okay? As long as she is alright with it, I can build you one. Better yet, maybe you could help me.”
Colt gives me a small smile before turning his head toward the tree. This isn’t the first time this has happened during our day together. He will randomly get a sad, forlorn look on his face, but as quickly as it appears, it’s gone. Almost every time I make plans for us to do something together, just him and me, he gets sad.
I grip the rope holding the tire into the air and pull the swing to a stop. “What gives, Colt? Why did you get so sad all of a sudden?” I walk around the front of the swing and kneel so we are eye level. “I can buy you one instead if that would make you happier. I just want to see you and your momma smile.”
“Do you know where my dad is?” Colt looks up at me with a sad smile. “I don’t ave one.”
My chest tightens as I think of the proper way to address something like this with him. “What are you talking about, kiddo? You have an amazing momma, plus you have Rylee, Colton, and now me. What else could you want?” I give him a bright smile in hopes that he will smile again, but no such luck.
“I want one,” he whispers as tears collect in his tiny eyes, and my heart breaks for him. I have no idea what Lucy has told him, if
