Meet Me Halfway(57)

“In the end, my parents threatened to put a restraining order on him, and I was induced at the hospital under an anonymous name. We even tried to get his parental rights removed. It was denied, but the court ruled he had to attend parenting classes and anger management before he could have non-supervised visitation with Jamie.”

“And did he?” he asked, his tone indicating he already knew the answer.

“No. He disappeared soon after when he realized he had no control over me or Jamie. I haven’t heard from him since. I don’t regret any of it because it gave me Jamie, but the guy was just a nameless sperm donor. Nothing else. And I’m finally at a point in my life where I’m okay with that.”

“That’s a lot to go through at such a young age.”

I nodded absently, chewing the inside of my lip and feeling uncomfortable. “Anyway, I’d already known my ex-husband through mutual friends during all of that, and we eventually eloped when I turned 18. The rest you know.”

“Shit.”

“Yeah,” I agreed. “Like I said, my plane is packed the fuck full.” I stood, gathering up my purse and trash. “Let’s go, it looks like the game’s over.”

I felt bad for how little I’d actually paid attention. If it wasn’t for the scoreboard, I wouldn’t even know they’d won. But when it was all said and done, it didn’t matter. The look on Jamie’s face when he saw Garrett and me standing near the field was the most beautiful sight I’d ever seen. He hugged me so hard, I almost popped an ovary, but I hugged him back, congratulating him on the team’s win.

When I turned, Garrett had approached my parents and was shaking my dad’s hand, introducing himself. My conveniently timed indigestion reared its head at the sight.

There was a pull on my arm, “Grandpa said we could go get frozen yogurt after the game.”

“Did he now?”

I should say no. None of us had consumed anything remotely resembling healthy food today, but I figured go big or go home, right? Jamie had won his game after all. I may not have paid attention, but a win was a win, and we could celebrate it.

Turning to see both my dad and Garrett looking over at us, I offered a goofy smile. “Apparently, we’re going out for frozen yogurt, would you like to join us, Garrett?”

He smiled, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “Does anyone ever say no to frozen yogurt?”

“Nope,” I said, enunciating the word. “It was a rhetorical question. Get your butt in gear, and let’s go.”





Chapter Sixteen





I stood on my porch, watching Jamie chase Garrett across our yard, hollering. The day after his first game, we’d come home to find a brand-new soccer ball waiting for him on the porch. Jamie had instantly dropped his bag to the cement and snatched it up, running his hands over it like he’d found the heart of the ocean.

I’d felt Garrett before I saw him, that familiar tingle running along the back of my neck. But it was the feeling that had run through my chest that worried me.

He’d been leaning against his Nova, which was finally out of the shop, watching us with an expression I couldn’t name. With a hat pulled low on his head and a leather jacket sitting over his hoodie, he’d looked off limits in the most enticing way.

The swift putter of my heart as his eyes had locked with mine had me questioning how smart it was to continue our friendship. He didn’t walk over, nor did he say a word. He’d just winked at me, sending that quivering beat lower than my stomach, and pushed off, making his way into his house.

Now here we were a few days later. Garrett had been outside when Jamie and I got home, and the kid hadn’t batted an eye about asking him to kick the new ball around. Garrett scoffed, making some playful comment about wiping him across the ground, and they’d started up a competitive game of one-on-one.

Incessant whining behind me demanded my attention, and I stepped back inside. Both dogs were at the door, beside themselves wanting to go play. Layla was out for the evening, and neither of them appreciated being left alone.

Pulling out the bag of treats we kept in the kitchen, I tossed one to each, shooing them out before digging into the fridge for dinner.

I heard Jamie’s laughter before I heard the click of the door opening, and it was one of best sounds in the world. As much as I worried about my growing feelings for Garrett, I could never regret having an extra person give my child the time and affection he deserved.

I poked my head around the bar, scrunching my nose at their flushed faces. “Ya’ll better not be sweaty and filthy.”

A smirk formed on Garrett’s face, and I knew better than to let him reply. “Never mind, don’t answer that. Go wash up, bud, dinner’s ready as soon as the potatoes are.”

“’Kay!” He took off, contentment oozing from him in such waves, I couldn’t help but smile.

“Garrett, would you like a baked potato or a sweet potato? I’m cooking two of each, and I can eat either.”

He was kneeling, in the process of giving Sadie a belly rub, but at my question he lifted his head. I realized I hadn’t even asked if he wanted to stay for dinner, just assuming he would.

“You don’t have to—”

“Sweet potato.” He stood, not taking his eyes off me while he slowly slid his jacket down his shoulders. He had two other layers on underneath, but the motion was unintentionally seductive, and I had to turn toward the stove to hide the heat creeping up my neck.