Page 15 of Almost Always

“That’s a gross flavor for ice cream,” Cal mumbled.

Before he could make him apologize, his son was charging off to an empty table and he sighed. “Would you like to join us?”

She shook her head, eyes on her ice cream. “I shouldn’t impose.”

“You’re not. It’s a regular father-son outing.”

“Are you sure?”

“Always,” he said, hoping that was enough assurance and waved to the table so she would walk ahead. Daisy flashed him a smile and stepped past him, the familiar scent of lavender and sunshine wrapping around him in the process.

CHAPTER 6

Never in a million years could she have imagined running intoRafferty Amesin an ice cream shop. She’d spent the last day and a half miserable in a migraine haze, so maybe she was dreaming him up. Not to say she hadn’t thought about him over the years, but there was no way her imagination could have conjured the man who found her after that embarrassing incident.

Even though she followed his kid to the table he’d commandeered, Daisy hesitated because she wasn’t sure it was a good idea. He probably had a partner waiting at home and she didn’t want to cause any drama if that was the case. Besides, seeing him again was making her heart do that funny tripping and dancing thing it had always done when Rafferty was around.

As a teenager, she pined for him like almost every other girl at their school. He was the beautiful, aloof older boy who played football and walked the hallways like a king. He was also her best friend, but nobody ever knew that. She’d kept their connection a secret, so his friends and the other older kids would never know he wasslummingit with her.

She slid into a chair, glanced at his son and smiled. He was beautiful, just like his father. A shock of light brown haircovered his head, long lashes fluttering against his cheeks as he ate his ice cream precariously balanced on a waffle cone. He was wearing a light pink T-shirt and dark shorts, his nails were painted green and yellow and he looked absolutely content with himself.

When Rafferty sat down across from her, he slid a stack of napkins in front of his son. She wasn’t kidding when she said he’d be a great father, because being raised by the Ames family meant that he had turned out perfect. Sitting back in her chair, she scooped up some ice cream on her spoon and looked him over. There was an unwelcome pinch in her chest at the realization that someone else got to enjoy everything he had to offer.

Twenty years apart and her body still responded to him the same way.

Who can blame me, look at him!

She was unabashedly admiring him too. He’d been taller than most kids his age when she last saw him, but now he was huge—broad shoulders and thick biceps straining against his flannel shirt. The firmness of his torso was evident through the gray T-shirt and she had to force herself to swallow so she wouldn’t drool everywhere.

That wasn’t what made her body react, though. It was his face. People so rarely called men beautiful, but he’d been that as a young adult. Now? He was delicious. She didn’t know how long his hair was, but enough to be pulled back into a loose knot at the top of his head. A well-groomed beard framed his perfect face, putting those soft lips in focus.

With the sleeves of his shirt rolled up, she could see tattoos on both his arms. Flames wrapped around his wrists, a forest setting was visible around his forearm and the inside of his right arm had what looked like a collection of small random tattoos. It was his left arm that had her staring—silver lines that lookedlike lightning were inked into his skin. There was something else under the folded portion of his sleeve, but with the way he was resting on his arms on the table, she couldn’t see it clearly.

Releasing a shaky breath, she sat up and shrugged out of her jacket, letting it hang over the back of her chair. All of thatrespectfulstaring made her warm. When she looked up, his golden eyes were wide as he stared at her. More heat spread over her body and she lifted a hand to fiddle with a necklace. His gaze dropped to where the four thin gold chains rested against her skin and then back up to hers.

She cleared her throat and ate her ice cream, uncertain of what to say or how to respond in a situation like this. It didn’t matter that they’d once been best friends or that they’d shared an amazing kiss twenty years ago. They’d blatantly checked each other out for the first time in decades. Everything was awkward.

“I’m Callahan,” the kid announced, interrupting her chaotic spiral. “Callahan Duncan Ames.”

“That’s a great name, especially since you’ve inherited some of your grandfather’s charm.”

“That’s what Grandpa told me too!”

Rafferty chuckled and held out a napkin. “Wipe your mouth first.”

Callahan did as he was told and turned back to her. “What’s your name?”

“I’m Daisy.”

His eyes widened as he glanced from her to his father and back. “You’re Daisy?”

“Yes?”

“Like…Dad’sDaisy?”

“Cal.” The word came out as a gruff warning and she frowned.

“Didn’t know I belonged to anyone.”

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