Page 29 of Waiting for Redemption

Ruby

I still owe you for this.

Me

Hush, woman.

CHAPTER11

RUBY

I just knewhe was going to kiss me. After a night like that, it seemed like the only thing left undone. But right when I thought I knew where things were going, he pressed those beautiful lips to my forehead and thanked me for being hisfriend. The hope I had been holding onto shrank immensely when those words left his mouth, but the logical part of me knows it’s probably better this way. After all, it’s not justmeI’m thinking about, but Hendrix too.

I’ve always known bringing a man into my life, intoour lives,would potentially complicate everything I have worked so hard to build for us.

Safety, security, and no broken hearts—for either of us.

The last thing I want is for Hendrix to end up attached to someone who will just up and leave one day—or worse, someone we have to run from. Not that I think of Tank as becoming someone I would ever have to run from, but I’ve been burned before so I don’t count anything out. It still doesn’t change the feelings I find myself having towards him though. I want to know what it feels like to have his lips on mine, to be wrapped in his arms in a passionate and needy way, not just in a comforting, friendly embrace. But if I want to keep him in my life, I have to push those feelings down and accept that the only way he’s willing to offer himself to me, is as a friend. And a damn good one at that.

When he dropped groceries off after insisting I not use Instacart, he added in little treats of his own for both me and Hendrix. A bottle of my favorite red wine, Sour Patch Kids, and a soccer ball. I remember telling him the other day how Hendrix has been talking nonstop about how he wants to play soccer and the poor kid has absolutelynoidea how. But I didn’t expecthimto remember that. When I texted to thank him for everything, I asked if he would send me some beginner videos so I could be prepared before taking Hendrix to the park. I stared at my phone for an entire minute buffering when he told me to just call him before we go and he’d come show us how to get started. There was an immediate swarm of butterflies in my stomach at his offer, and I promptly opened my bottle of wine to try and get my mind off of the amazingfriendI have who’s offering to teach my kid how to play soccer.

Why does he have to be so kindandso damn hot though?

* * *

“You know I probably could have figured this out on my own. You really didn’t have to come out here and do all of this,” I say, watching Tank set up the little cones for them to kick the ball through.

“Don’t you go trying to take all of my fun, Ranes.” He smirks at me, and I instinctively roll my eyes. “Besides, if you sprained your ankle or something out here and I had to pick up your slack at the bar, I’d never let you hear the end of it.”

“Okay, fair. But you still have to teach me too,” I insist. “Hendrix is going to need someone to playwithand I can’t just call you every time he wants to get the soccer ball out.” I laugh.

“Sure you could.” He smiles, throwing the rest of the soccer gear to the side.

There’s not nearly enough time for me to overthink that right now. Is there?

“Alright, get over here.” He waves me over and we spend the next two hours learning so many soccer terms that I’m not sure my brain has room for anything else at this point. Hendrix caught on pretty quickly and shocked both of us at how well he was doing. By the time we finished my stomach was growling and Hendrix looked like he was about to fall out right in the middle of the park.

“Mommy, I’m hungry. Can we go eat now?” he asks, splayed out across the park bench.

“Of course buddy, you wanna see if Tank wants to go with us?” I ask, nodding over to where Tank is gathering all the soccer gear.

“Yeah!” He perks up instantly and runs over to him. When I hear him yell“Heck yeah!”I assume Tank said yes. No way am I letting him spend this much time helping Hendrixandmyselflearn how to play soccer and not offering to feed him.

“I hear we’re getting food,” he says, throwing the mesh bag over his shoulder. My eyes instinctively land on his biceps and the way his shirt looks like it’s holding onto its seams for dear life. My stomach flips when I remember what it felt like to be wrapped in his arms the other night, and how I’ve wondered more than once how effortlessly he’d be able to hold my body flush against his as he–

“Yeah, I’mstarving,” Hendrix groans loudly, making me clear my throat as I refocus. He relaxes his shoulders into a dramatic slump like he’s moments away from being completely famished.

“That’s the plan. What do we want? We could go to Spurs,” I offer, knowing how much Hendrix loves their strawberry milkshakes. I keep my eyes on Hendrix, though I can feel Tank’s gaze burning into my skin.

“Can we go home and have chicken casserole?” Hendrix asks, pulling on my leg. I glance up at Tank whose gaze is still settled on me as he shrugs, then I look back at Hendrix.

“Buddy, that's just leftovers, and Tank may not like it. Why don’t we go out somewhere instead?”

“Nooo,I want some casserole and Spidey. My legs are sleepy,” he pouts. I feel a sense of pride that he’s actually pickingmyfood over a milkshake, but I’m nervous to offer Tank leftover casserole in place of a fresh cheeseburger—or freshanythingfor that matter.

“Casserole sounds good to me. As long as you have enough. I’m fu–” Tank stops himself, letting his gaze fall to Hendrix who’s already eyeing him judgmentally. “Freakingstarving.” Tank’s eyes grow wide when he looks my way, making me laugh.

“Oh, we have enough to feed an army. Are you sure?” I ask, wanting to be sure, as Hendrix bounces up and down while holding my hand.

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