Meet Me Halfway(79)

“It’s just me today.” I turned my attention to the field. I still couldn’t claim to be a fan of sports, but there was something about watching kids run aimlessly around a field for an hour or two that was almost calming. Like watching a fish tank or an ant farm.

In my peripheral, I could see Michael glance my way several times. He clearly wanted to say or ask something, but he hadn’t worked up the nerve. Part of me hoped he never did, as shitty as the thought was. Anytime someone gave me a look like that, they were usually about to ask me something personal.

“Can I ask you something?”

Damn.

I dragged my eyes to him, but he was looking down at his watch, fiddling with the dials, so I looked back at the field. “Sure.”

“Are you free next weekend? It’s Ian’s birthday, and he’s wanting to invite Jamie over for some pizza and cake. I thought…maybe we could…”

His stuttering trailed off, and I frowned, twisting toward him. He was asking about a kid birthday, not dinner and a movie, so why did he sound so damn nervous? I opened my mouth to ask when, only for another voice to beat me to it.

“What day?”

Warmth engulfed my shoulder a second later as a large hand curled around it, tucking me against the jean-covered leg standing behind me. How his lumberjack of a body made it across these rickety benches without me noticing was a feat in itself. The man was stealthy as hell.

Michael looked like he’d swallowed something bitter as he replied, “Saturday afternoon.”

Garrett’s hands lifted just enough to grip the edge of my blanket and pull it higher over my shoulders before dropping to my biceps and rubbing his fingers up and down in a soothing manner.

“We can check our schedules. Maddie works Saturday evenings, but if you’re okay with it, I have no problem bringing Jamie,” he said, directing the last part at me.

Michael glanced over, but I struggled to focus on him when I could still feel Garrett’s words wrapping around me. We. He said we would check, like we were a team, a unit, a family in the making.

There was a funny feeling in my middle that was either my heart pulling a Grinch number and growing, or there was a chance I was about to vomit.

“Yeah, I’m sure we can make it work.”

Michael appeared less than happy about the entire ordeal. “Good. That’s good.” He stood abruptly, muttering something about needing to use the restroom. I watched him leave, wondering if he knew he’d walked in the opposite direction of them.

I pivoted my body, coming face to face with Garrett’s thick thigh. I slid my eyes up his frame, raising an eyebrow in silent question.

His eyes moved over every inch of my face like we’d gone months being apart. The hand on my arm moved to my cheek, cupping it for a fleeting moment before he pulled back and tucked his hands into his hoodie. “Hey.”

I couldn’t hide the smile the single word brought to my face. “I didn’t think you were coming.”

He stepped over the bleacher, settling down next to me. “Is it all right that I’m here?”

Before thinking better about it, I placed my hand on his leg. “Of course, it is. Jamie kept asking me if you were coming. He’s going to be so happy.”

His eyes latched onto my hand before slowly making their way up, “And you?”

“I’m happy you’re here too.” I laughed awkwardly. “I thought you’d finally come to your senses and were avoiding me.”

His brow furrowed, “I was trying to give you space.”

I squeezed his leg once before forcing the mind-of-its-own limb back to my lap. “I needed space from your sex eyes, Garrett, not from you.”

Laughter tore out of him like he wasn’t prepared for it, and a small glowing ember perked up inside of me. It was one of the most beautiful sounds I’d ever heard.





I stared at my child, a knife gripped in my hand, hovering over a half-sliced tomato. “I’m sorry, you did what?”

“I invited him over for lunch.”

Carefully setting the knife down, I wiped my hands on a towel, turning to face the living room and my parents, who were currently chatting on the couch about something they’d read in the news.

“Here,” I confirmed, pointing to the floor.

Jamie opened his mouth, but just then a knock sounded against the door, startling my parents and setting Rugsy off.

I dropped my head into my hands, allowing myself to freak out for a split second before I found my female balls and marched over. Garrett was here. To have lunch with my parents. Dear Lord, they were going to interrogate the hell out of me later.

Opening the door, I stepped back enough for his large frame to squeeze past. He looked like he was about to treat me to a sexy smirk when his eyes darted over my shoulder and noticed the other occupants in the room.

“Hey, Garrett,” Jamie said, popping up next to me jack-in-the-box style.

“Hey, J-man, long time no see.”

Jamie chuckled, looking at me with the orneriest face on the planet, silently saying, See? It’s fine.

I sighed, putting my hand to Garrett’s elbow and steering him farther into the house. “Mom, Dad, you remember my neighbor, Garrett.”

His jaw tensed, a muscle popping, but he quickly plastered a smile to his face and stepped forward to offer his hand. “It’s nice to see you again. Your grandson talks about you often.”