Total pages in book: 14
Estimated words: 13099 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 65(@200wpm)___ 52(@250wpm)___ 44(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 13099 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 65(@200wpm)___ 52(@250wpm)___ 44(@300wpm)
“You deserve it too. I don’t want you dating me out of guilt or something.” I continued to stare at my paintings. Taken together like this, I’d made a whole forest. Funny how I’d thought I was just painting trees.
“I’m not.” Percy stepped forward, placing a hand on my shoulder. “I didn’t want to let myself miss being in a relationship, but hanging around you the last month reminded me that I like having a person. And I want that person to be you.”
“Oh.” The air whooshed out of me. It had been so very long since I’d been chosen like that. I’d said I wanted to date, but the truth was I had just as many, if not more, doubts as Percy. “I’m kind of a package deal. Not everyone is up for dating a single dad.”
“Do I look scared off?” Percy gently applied pressure to my neck until I was forced to meet his steady gaze. “I like your kids. I’ll follow your lead in terms of when you want to tell them we’re more than friends, but I’m good with dating you. All of you.”
“Okay.” That reply wasn’t particularly brimming with enthusiasm, so I let my head fall onto his shoulder. “What if we’ve both forgotten how to date?”
Shrugging, Percy tugged me closer. “Then we’ll remember together. I won’t lie and say I’ve got it all figured out. We’ve both been burned before. But I don’t want to let a good thing go because I’m scared.”
Oh. I’m scared. I looked down at my forest of tree paintings. I’d been so focused on Percy’s rejection that I’d been running from my own fears. And Percy was right. We couldn’t let those worries keep us from trying. I didn’t want to have regrets. And I sure as hell didn’t want to watch him date someone else, see strange cars in his driveway, while knowing I could have had a chance.
“Good point.” I gave a decisive nod. “Let’s do this thing.”
Chapter Seven
Stu
Saturday, I dropped the kids off at their mother’s place, then continued into downtown, where I met Percy at The Heist, a restaurant located in a historic bank building. Neither of us had been able to come up with a better date idea than dinner out, followed by an artsy-looking indie movie at the small downtown theater.
“You look nice.” Percy greeted me outside the glass front doors of the The Heist. This might have been the first time he’d seen me in something other than a T-shirt. In deference to this being an actual date, I’d donned a seldom-worn light-teal button-down shirt and khaki pants.
“So do you.” I gestured at his white shirt and crisp jeans. Geez. We were reduced to making small talk about our clothing choices. “We could skip all this awkwardness and go back to your place instead.”
“We’ll get there.” Percy sounded unruffled as he opened the door. “Do us both good to wait long enough to get dinner.”
Inside The Heist, we were greeted by the owner, Magnus, who moved in some of the same circles as us.
“Percy. Your usual IPA?” Magnus asked, affable as ever. Like Percy, the guy was naturally charming. I wondered if Percy would flirt with him if he were there alone. “And, Stu?”
“I’ll have what he’s having,” I said as we found a table on the other side of the large, polished wooden bar.
“Are you jealous?” Percy asked as soon as we were alone.
“Of Magnus?” I played dumb.
“I’m pretty sure he’s hung up on his new landlord and my coworker.” Percy kept a conversational tone. “And I’m a friendly guy. I know I have a bit of a reputation as a flirt, but when I date someone, I date them. Despite how everything ended with Hector, I’m still a one-person sort of guy.”
“Good to know.” I managed a small smile. “So you’re saying this thing could be exclusive?”
“Better be,” Percy growled, the first time I’d seen his possessiveness outside of the bedroom. “I haven’t seen anyone else since you brought me that hot dish.”
“Me either.” And it wasn’t simply from a lack of opportunity either. “Haven’t wanted to.”
“Same.” He took my hands across the table. “You’re all I can think about, Stu.”
“Good.” I squeezed his hand back. “No one else I’d rather send memes to at two a.m. So we’re going to do this thing? All in?”
“We are.” Percy nodded sharply. “And, amazingly, I’m optimistic. I think you’re rubbing off on me.”
“Am I now?” I leered at him.
“You are, and I couldn’t be happier.” Percy dropped my hand as our beers arrived.
“Me too.” The last two months since that hot dish played out in my brain. I was happier than I’d been since landing in Mount Hope. I liked Percy, liked what he brought to my life, liked the potential of this thing between us. He was strong and steady and exactly bossy enough. He did make me happy, and I hoped I could do the same for him. “I think I’m going to like dating you.”