Page 61 of Hello Tease

“Me too. He would flip if he knew Jackson called Knox “dada.” How did he feel about that, by the way?” she asked. “A lot of guys would run the other direction.”

“He told the kids that he couldn’t replace their dad and that he would be there for them no matter what. And then you know what we did after.”

She giggled happily despite the early hour. “I can’t wait to meet this guy. Please tell me he’ll come to Thanksgiving with you guys. I’ll get him a ticket too.”

“Oh my gosh, that sounds amazing.” My brain was already going wild, fantasizing about a romantic trip to Paris with Knox, drinking wine in the park while the sun set behind the Eiffel Tower as its sparkly lights came on. “But it’s probably a bit too soon to be making those kinds of plans.”

“You dated Seth for two years before you got married and look how that turned out. Time is relative when it comes to love,” she said.

“Paris is wearing off on you,” I observed, wishing for the good old days when I had a phone cord to twirl around my fingers.

“Or maybe it’s this new guy,” she said.

My eyes bugged out. “What?” Taylee didn’t fall for guys. She enjoyed them while it lasted.

“I’m at his place right now. Sitting on the very pretty balcony with a view of the Eiffel Tower.”

“Your life is a fairy tale,” I said. And just before she could protest, I added, “With a whole lotta sex.”

“Amen,” she teased. “Now get some sleep. Sounds like you didn’t get too much last night.”

I laughed and said, “Goodnight. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

* * *

I wokeup in the morning to a text from Knox.

Knox: Good morning, beautiful.

I smiled at the screen, still fully in that hazy glow of new love. And I tried to let myself enjoy it without worrying that the other shoe would drop, that he was like the other men I’d known in my life.

Because deep down, Iknewhe was different, and I couldn’t let my fear or my history take him away from me, or my children.

Larkin: Good morning, handsome.

I bit my lip, imagining him lying in his bed across the way, thinking of me right when he woke up and sending me a message just to make my day even a little bit better.

Knox: Care for a latte?

This man came straight from my dreams and into real life.

Larkin: Like I care for air.

Knox: You’re funny.

Larkin: One of my finer traits.

Knox: Half an hour work?

Larkin: Perfect. See you soon.

Since the kids were still sleeping, I hurried out of bed, getting myself ready for the day, quickly doing my hair and makeup and then slipping on a clean pair of scrubs. When I checked the time, I still had ten minutes until he was due to be over. A glance in the kids’ room showed them still resting, so I went to the kitchen to prepare their breakfast.

I’d already cracked three eggs when my phone vibrated on the counter, spinning in small circles. I hurried to rinse the eggs off my hands and answered it without checking the caller ID. “Hello?”

“Larkin.” It was Nancy.

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