Page 44 of I'm Yours

Decision made, I dig into my purse and find a pad of paper and a pen.

How I became a stripper

Why I continued stripping

Why I’m now teaching pole dancing

Mom’s illness

His mom and dad’s help with everything in my life

Samuel update

Why I live next door to his childhood lakeside haven

Billy — ugh

What am I getting myself into? Seeing this list makes me even more nervous than I already was. For anyone, catching up after being out of each other’s lives for twelve years would be a lot but looking at everything I’ve gone through in list form is overwhelming.

Once I’ve finished, I put my notepad back in my purse and head over to the diner to meet Reed. I almost puke twice on the way.

I see his pickup in the parking lot when I arrive and park next to it, getting out of the car and walking inside before I lose my nerve. He’s already seated at a table but he stands when he sees me approach, despite the fact that he’s having a conversation with old man Henry Anderson. I almost turn around and go back out the door. I’ve never liked Henry. He’s been creepy for as long as I can remember and when I worked at Eve’s, he was the first person I saw get escorted out by the bouncers for being inappropriate with the dancers. It takesa lotto have a bouncer throw your ass out of a gentlemen’s club.

Before I can turn around, Reed smiles and dismisses Henry who turns and sees me. A grin breaking out across his face that makes my stomach churn. He’s well into his sixties and has no family that I know of. When he walks toward me, I shrink away, doing my best to get out of his way. He tips his hat like he’s some kind of damn gentleman when he approaches and murmurs a hello. I do my best not to shudder because Henry is nasty. Teeth yellow and always smells of hair tonic and cigarette smoke.

I blow out a breath when he walks through the diner door. When my eyes meet Reed’s again, he looks apologetic. Just like everyone else in Lakeside, he knows what Henry’s like and I’m sure he didn’t want to have to talk to him.

Henry gone, though, I can focus on Reed again. Wow is he ever handsome. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it.

Reed is who romance novels are written about. Sexy, single dad covered in tattoos and scruff and muscles. Oh, and let’s not forget the fact that he used to be a fireman or that he’s a cowboy. What is that, like a seven-threat? I’m sure I could come up with another threat to make it an even octo-threat. How is this fair? I’m supposed to go sit across from him while he looks like sex on a stick and I barely threw together an outfit that matches? I mean, I took time to look decent but next to him? No comparison. I never was, though.

When I get to the table he leans over like he’s going to hug or kiss me but then pulls back like he thinks better of it. Instead, he just pulls out my chair and gestures for me to take a seat.

“Morning,” he says once we’re both seated, voice rumbly. And delicious. That’s another thing that’s changed. While Reed always had a deep voice, it’s gotten deeper and sexier, a bit gruff, even, with age.

“Morning.” I smile back and place my purse on the seat between us.

This is the same diner I used to work in for several years and the only thing that’s really changed is a few new staff members. Our waitress comes and takes our drinks order and lets us know she’ll be back soon with our coffee and to take our food order.

“I’m embarrassed to say how excited I am about the breakfast skillet,” Reed says, rubbing his hands together and not even looking at the menu.

I chuckle. “I’m not one bit surprised. Are you planning on eating half of mine, too?”

“Yes. Can’t break tradition now, can we?”

Shaking my head, I fold my hands together on the table and lean over. “What did Emmy think of dance class?”

A smile breaks out across his face at the first mention of his daughter and it’s the cutest thing ever. He obviously loves her very much and I have the sudden urge to beg to spend more time with them to experience their interaction together firsthand.

“She loved it. Every second. She fell asleep talking about it, actually.”

“Gah. I love that so much. She really did do great, Reed.”

“Yeah? I kind of wondered if she actually sucked and you were just saying that.”

The waitress sets our coffees down and we place our order. Once she’s gone, I assure him, “I wouldn’t do that. I mean, I wouldn’t just come out and tell a parent that their child sucked but I definitely wouldn’t lie about how good he or she is.”

“Good to know.”

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