A Father's Name(68)
He started toward the door again, but turned back. “Want to come over to my place after work?” Since they’d decided that this week was it, he wanted to make the most of every minute with her still.
“Yes. I got a new t-shirt I can debut for you.”
He groaned. “You look way too happy about it. I think I’m nervous.”
He managed to get all the way out of her office this time, the sound of her laughter ringing in his years.
Tonight, he’d make a memory that he could hang onto when his time with Tucker was over.
And somehow on Friday, he’d convince the judge and ADA to drop the talk of clearing his record, then return to this new life he was building for himself.
The only way he’d like this new life better was if he kept Angelina in it, but doing that would be selfish. She mocked him when he said it, but it was true…she deserved more than he could give.
But for tonight, he was going to give her everything he could.
TUCKER PARKED IN TYLER’S driveway and went to the backdoor instead of the front. She realized that next week, she’d probably revert to being a front door guest. The thought brought down her happy mood, so she immediately pushed it aside.
Live in the now.
That was her mantra for tonight. And right now, she going to spend time with Tyler and Jace.
Bart said he had plans with his grandfather for the evening, so she didn’t even need to feel guilty about skipping out on one of their last mother-son nights together.
“Tyler?” she called as she pushed open the screen door and walked into the farm kitchen.
“Don’t come up here. I’ll be right down,” he called.
Curious, she thought and wondered what he was up to.
He came back with Jace in one hand, and an overflowing diaper bag in the other. “You made it.”
“I said I would.” She took the baby from him and Jace promptly hugged her. In that moment, Tucker totally melted. As she held the toddler tight. He smelled of a bath, of baby soap and lotion. “You bathed him this early?”
“He’s got a date of his own tonight,” Tyler said.
“Oh, I figured he was staying with us.”
“You figured wrong.”
As if on cue, a car horn beeped. From the back door Tucker saw her father’s truck with Bart riding shotgun.
“They’re taking Jace for a while.”
“What did you do to make my father agree to that?”
Tyler smiled cryptically as he took the baby from her and walked out to the truck.
Tucker let the three guys load Jace’s carseat and watched as her father and son drove away with Jace, leaving her alone with Tyler.
“So, it’s only the two of us,” she said.
“Yes, and…” He stopped and looked at her shirt which proudly proclaimed, Date—it’s a 4 letter word. Come to think of it, so are the words high and heel. It showed a woman tilting on stilettos.
Tucker assured him, “I wore it just for you.”
He laughed and so did she.
“Bart got it for me for Christmas one year. I guess I grumble a lot about putting on girl clothes and I’m pretty sure high heels were invented by a man. That’s what I love,” she corrected herself, “I’ve loved about my time with you. You don’t seem to mind that I’m not a runway model. I’ve enjoyed our friends with benefits time.” And though she wouldn’t say the words, she knew she’d miss it when it was over.
She really hoped she could maintain a friendship with Tyler, but she knew it wouldn’t be the same.
“Tucker, I don’t mind a single thing about you.” He pulled her into his arms and tenderly kissed the top of her forehead. It wasn’t the least bit carnal, but simply sweet.
She could have stood like that, wrapped in Tyler, for a very long time. Too soon, he pulled back. “So, are you ready for our date.”
“I sort of thought you’d be cooking dinner…” She jerked her head at the pristine kitchen. “Are we going out?”
“Out to the living room.” He took her hand and pulled her down the hall and into…a fairyland.
He’d closed the drapes, strung small Christmasy lights everywhere, lit a small fire and had spread a blanket in front of it. There was a bottle of champagne chilling in a bucket and the coffee table was spread with an array of finger foods.