One Baby Daddy (Dating by Numbers #3)(17)

“Nah, we couldn’t have that at all, could we? You’ve got to play hard to get.”

“Exactly.”

Chuckling, he releases my hand with a quick squeeze and picks up his sandwich. “Well, your secret is safe with me.” Winking, he takes a big bite out of his sandwich and casually chews while his eyes study me from across the table. Observant, casual, yet one of the sweetest men I’ve ever met. Whatever he comes up with Friday, I’m game, which is unusual. By Friday, I will have worked far too many hours, and I know I’ll be exhausted and probably prefer a night in to veg in front of Netflix for a few hours. Yet if it means I get to spend more time with this man by accepting a date on Friday night? I’m in. In fact, it’s practically all I care about at the moment.

“So, who was the guy?” Logan takes a seat next to me at the nursing station, sitting backward in his chair, arms resting on the seat back.

After lunch, Hayden walked me to the elevators, gave me a warm, comforting hug, his chin resting on the top of my head, and then sent me back to work. I can still feel his strong arms tightly insulating me, giving me a brief reprieve from the stress of my job. When I arrived at the nursing station, there was already a text message from him, waiting to be opened.

Smiling like a fool, I opened it up and read it at least five times before responding.

Hayden: Thanks for stealing a moment with me. Seeing that smile of yours gave me the energy I needed for the day. Can’t wait for Friday. Have a good rest of your day.

I’ve been on cloud nine since, and I think it’s showing, because I’m not normally this peppy at work.

Typing away, I focus on the computer in front of me, pushing back the giddy smile wanting to take over my controlled and neutral lips.

“Come on,” Logan pokes my side. “He looks familiar, do I know him?”

A lot of people know him, especially a little south of Binghamton. I’m surprised we haven’t run into any fans yet.

“He’s a friend,” I answer, being as vague as possible.

“Really? Because he seemed like a lot more than a friend.”

Sighing, I turn in my chair and cross my arms. “We’re, you know . . . getting to know each other. That’s all. Nothing serious.”

“And he brought you lunch?” Logan thins his lips and nods, his eyes trained on something above me, not able to look me in the eyes. “He likes you. Not just because he brought you lunch, but I saw the way he stepped closer to you when he saw me in the elevator. I saw the way he looked at you, and he really likes you.”

My cheeks heat up, my skin breaks out in a light sweat. It’s hard to believe a sweet and caring, not to mention extremely popular, man like Hayden could like me. And yet, he keeps coming around, searching me out, making me feel valued. I’ve never felt this comfortable around a man this quickly before. Even with Logan, I kept my distance until I realized he was a good guy and I could trust him. Maybe because for my entire life my brothers told me I couldn’t trust any man. And my sister’s life has practically proven that point as well.

“I mean, there might be something more than just friends . . .”

“Yeah?” Logan wiggles his eyebrows at me. “Have you been out on a date?”

I shake my head. Logan isn’t going to let up, so I turn completely toward him, one leg crossed over the other now. “But he did ask me out at lunch today.”

Logan nods knowingly. “He’s totally into you.” Chewing on the side of his lip, he looks to the ceiling for a second before asking. “How come I feel like I know him?”

Probably because his face is all over commercials and billboards.

“Uh, you might have seen him around. He’s Hayden Holmes.”

“Hayden Holmes? Who the hell is Hay—?” Realization hits Logan hard as his mouth falls open and his eyes widen. “Hayden Holmes . . . as in the hockey player?” I nod slowly. “Holy shit, Adalyn. Where the hell did you meet him?”

“Racer is good friends with him. They grew up together. I was at Racer’s house the other night for a little gathering. He said his childhood friend was coming back home for a few weeks, and it happened to be Hayden. I didn’t think we hit it off until Hayden showed up here the other day, looking for me.” I chew on the side of my lip and glance at Logan, a wince in my eyes. “Racer told me to stay away, and he also told Hayden to keep his hands off me.”

“Which of course only makes you want to get to know each other even more,” Logan says.

“Kind of, yeah.”

Nodding, Logan tilts his head and asks, “And what happens when his little stint in Binghamton is over?” Leave it to Logan to be the sensible one. “Are you going to continue to date him when he’s in Philadelphia? Isn’t the hockey season super fucking long, one of the longest out of all the sports? That’s a lot of away trips and days on the ice. Are you up for that?”

I twist my lips to the side, never actually thinking that far ahead. “I mean, I guess I never thought about his profession since I don’t pay attention to hockey. I only see him for who he is: a sweet, interested, and extremely good-looking man.”

A questionable, yet playful brow is raised in my direction. “Extremely good-looking?” Logan asks.

“Uh, yeah. Have you not seen the jaw on that guy? And his eyes.” I sigh. “Like a clear windowpane straight to his soul.”