Page 22 of Finding Home
“Do you have any rules you’d need followed?”
“I have a routine for Lila that I’d give you. She thrives off knowing what’s going to happen and what to expect. Otherwise, everything in the house is free game. I’d make sure you have a booster seat for her so you can drive her around and you’re not stuck at the house,” he says.
“How is she with animals? Like horses?”
He sits up and leans against the back of the bench, a look of curiosity on his face. “She’s spent most of her time in the city. I don’t know that she’s ever been close to anything other than dogs and cats, she at least hasn’t with me.”
“If we do this, I’d like to take her to my parents’ to see the horses. I often go after work to spend time with them,” I tell him.
“That’s fine.”
Silence hangs between us as I chew on my bottom lip. “If we do this, then it needs to remain strictly professional. No mentions of that night. No repeats of that night.”
He leans closer, and I find myself leaning towardshim as well. His breath dusts over my cheek, and my eyes flutter closed. “I can live with not mentioning that night, but you best believe I think about it. Often.”
My. God.
My breaths are coming faster now. Him admitting that he also thinks about that night means I wasn’t just imagining how hot it was. It wasn’t only good for me, and dammit, that makes the thought of a repeat only sound so much better.
I force myself to sit straight, and I let out a long breath.
Professional.
A place to live.
I repeat that to myself as I turn to face him and outstretch my hand. “Deal.”
I’m not sure what the hell I just signed up for, but it’s either going to be the best or the worst thing I’ve ever done.
TWELVE
EVERETT
The energy I felt when shaking Chloe’s hand after she agreed to the arrangement should have been my sign to call it off, that this was all going to end badly. But apparently I’m an idiot, because I don’t. Instead, I spend my days off while Lila’s at school getting the spare room ready for Chloe to move in. I make sure the entire house is unpacked and cleaned, like I’m trying to impress her. This is a mutually beneficial agreement, she needs a place to stay and I need someone to watch Lila when Grandma has her surgery, so why do I feel like I need her to see how great my place is?
It’s not until I’m on my hands and knees scrubbing the base boards in the hallway that I stop and realize I’m going way too freaking far. Because I refuse to leave them half done, I finish and toss the sponge in the garbage then grab my keys and head to the school a little early.
I stand in the parking lot, leaning against my truck as I wait for school to be let out and Chloe to lead her class outside.
When Lila spots me, she starts running towards me calling, “Daddy,” and I crouch to catch her and pick her up. I kiss her cheek, and she giggles. Chloe stands near the entrance to the school, watching as the kids make their way to their parents. Every time her eyes find me, she quickly looks away, and for some reason, it bothers me. It shouldn’t. I should not be standing here wanting her eyes on me, but I do.
With Lila still in my arms, I make my way towards Chloe, her eyes going slightly wide when she notices me.
She clears her throat when I stop in front of her. “Mr. Lawson.”
“Miss Maxwell.”
“Is there something I can do for you?”
I smirk at her. The way she’s pretending as if we don’t know each other. Granted, I’m the one who started that when I first saw her in the coffee shop and again when I realized she was Lila’s teacher, but I had just found out the woman I had an amazing evening with, a woman who had me feeling things I’d never felt before, was going to be my daughter’s teacher.
I dig into the pocket of my jeans and pull out a key, and Chloe immediately starts looking around as if to see who’s watching right now. I place the key in her hand and say, “Come by whenever, and I’ll show you your room. My next shift is Thursday morning, but you can come by tonight, Tuesday, or Wednesday.”
She licks her lips and nods.
I pull my phone out next, unlocking it and handing it to her. “I should probably get your number.”
She stares at the phone for a few seconds before shaking her head and taking it from me, then typing her number into it and handing it back to me.
