Page 21 of Lies Beneath Secrets

“Hello again,” I greet both of them when I reach the table. Gabby gives me a sweet smile and shows me the crayons. “You still have them. Which one is your favorite color?” She looks down into the box and pulls out the purple crayon. “Purple is my favorite too.” I chance a glance over at Conner. He’s examining his menu, brow creased, as if he’s unable to decide between breakfast or lunch. I haven’t seen them since the incident with our common neighbor. That was at least a week ago. I’ve been taking as many shifts as I can here. Maybe just so I wouldn’t be tempted to knock on his door. The memory of him being so close to me in the bathroom heats my cheeks, and I do my best to clear my mind. I’ve spent enough nights playing out all kinds of scenarios in my head on what might have happened if I had stepped just a little closer. My poor clit can attest to that. It’s so sore. Each night, it’s like an itch I can’t scratch deep inside me. Maybe instead of the small vibrating wand, I need to get myself one of them big dildos. Even then, I doubt that will do the trick. Especially now that I’m looking at Conner.

“You serve breakfast all day?” he finally asks.

“Yep,” I point to the front of the menu with my pen. “Breakfast served all day,” I read and immediately want to kick myself. If I’ve learned one thing in my life, men hate having it pointed out they’ve missed something. Conner surprises me though and lets out a chuckle.

“Well, look at that. Maybe I need some reading glasses.” He winks at his daughter, who smiles back. Good God, I think I’ll need to do some online shopping. “Well, that makes our ordering easy then, doesn’t it? We came here for pancakes, right?” he asks Gabby, whose smile grows even bigger.

“That sounds like a great idea. Can never go wrong with pancakes.” I sound like an idiot.

“Extra whipped cream on yours?” Conner asks Gabby, who practically bounces out of her seat with excitement.

“Yes,” she says, surprising me. I smile at the sound and look over at Conner, who also has a smile on his freshly shaved face.

“Permission to add sprinkles, Dad?” I ask him and for a split second, something dark flashes across his face I can’t quite read before he smiles and nods. I do my best to tamper down the tingles that wash over me.

“Sprinkles would be fitting. We’re celebrating. Gabby just got signed up for kindergarten. She starts on Monday. We’re going school shopping after we’re done here.”

“That’s exciting and very deserving of sprinkles.” I smile at them and write down pancakes on my ordering pad. “I’ll let them know.”

After giving the order to the cook, I seat two tables and take their orders. All the while trying my best not to look in Conner’s direction. Along with the need to feel every inch of him pressed against me, there’s a feeling I’m not familiar with. It’s almost calm. Don’t get me wrong, he gets my heart pounding faster than humanly possible, but that other feeling puts me at ease. As if I know deep down, I could actually be safe with the man. I know I sure as hell don’t get these feelings when I’m around Eli. Those are more anxiety ridden than anything. Some people might call it butterflies. Me, though? It’s my nervous system telling me to get the hell out of there. Something my mom always told me. “Don’t be fooled by the butterflies, LuLu. Those are just moths trying to get out of the attic.” I smile at the memory of her saying that. At first, I didn’t know what she meant but the older I got, the more I understood.

“Lauren?” I look up from our seating chart to find Conner staring at me. His deep amber eyes meet mine, and I suddenly forget how to form words. “You okay?”

“Huh?” I finally say.

“I had a question, or maybe kind of a favor.”

“Oh, what’s that?”

“I really don’t know much about kids and shopping and school. And last time I took her shopping, she had a monumental meltdown right there in the store. We haven’t been back since, and the school gave me this list of things to get, but it’s so specific, I really don’t know where to find half this stuff or what the hell it’s called. I mean what’s a—” He unfolds a sheet of paper and says, “a kinder-mat?” I almost laugh at how confused he sounds. It’s adorable, this grown man being so stressed out over a shopping trip and a list of school supplies.

“It’s a mat that the kids lie on during nap-time in school.” I remember my sister complaining that she couldn’t find one for Tyler when he started kindergarten last year.

“They take naps there?” I can’t help but laugh this time at his shocked expression.

“Well, most kids are used to naps every day before they reach school age, so when they start, having them go through a full day of school without a nap can probably be catastrophic.” The crease between his brows deepens.

“That explains so much,” he mutters. “How long does a kid nap for? Or should they nap for?” He glances back at Gabby, who’s still happily coloring on her paper.

“That depends on the kid I suppose.” I pause for a moment, then ask, “so what was your question?”

“Oh, yeah. Shopping. Would you be able to come with? I know it’s a strange request, but I really don’t know who else to ask about this stuff, and it sounds like you would be very helpful to have along. Gabby really likes you too.” From the corner of my eye, I catch the cook waving at me while he dings the bell.

“Shit, I have food to bring out.” I hadn’t even heard the bell dinging letting me know my orders were up. I squeeze myself past Conner, doing my best to not brush up against him. It doesn’t work though because the mountain of a man makes no attempt to step away and give me room. My shoulder brushes up against his chest as I turn away and walk toward the kitchen. I do my best to ignore that.

They stay for the remaining forty-five minutes of my shift, and it’s so hard not to glance over at their table each chance I get.

“Are you ready to go?” Conner’s voice settles into my thoughts as I untie my small apron.

“Go?”

“Yeah. School shopping. Remember?” he asks while glancing down at Gabby. Her little hand is engulfed in his large palm, and I narrow my eyes at the action, then look up at him.

“Are you using your daughter to get me to help?” I try to whisper so she can’t hear me. I know she does though because she smirks a little. I drop down to be eye level with her. “Would it be okay if I went school shopping with you and your dad?” Her smile grows wider, and she nods. I notice again that her hair is a little tangled in the loose ponytails she has. I make a mental note to ask Conner what the hair care routine is.

“See, we have approval from the boss,” he tells me with a grin. I shake my head in response and tap Gabby on the nose with my fingertip.

“Okay, let’s go.”

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