Page 145 of The Single Dads Club
“Don’t be silly, she’ll have the prime rib,” my mother told the waiter.
The waiter’s gaze bounced between me and my mother, seemingly unsure of who to listen to, when Cade interrupted. “Alexa’s a big girl, she knows what she wants.” The statement was laced with deeper meaning and we all knew it.
I couldn’t help but smile at him before turning to the waiter. “The burger, please. Well done with gouda cheese. And mushrooms.”
Cade leaned back, draping his arm over the back of my chair, casually sipping his beer.
“Have you seen much of Peter, dear?” I winced at my dear mothers’ question. Nice timing Mom.
Cade’s gazed flicked to mine, clearly interested in my response. I hadn’t hidden my date with Peter from him, but maybe my mom thought I had and thought she’d get the upper hand.
“No, mother,” I said in a clipped tone, sending her adrop itglare. “And no plans on seeing him any time soon.”
The rest of the dinner passed without further drama. My dad and Cade tried to find topics to discuss, and after several false starts with 401k investments, and then politics, they finally settled on something on which they could both agree—Chicago Bears football. They were soon animatedly discussing draft picks and the quarterback’s latest arrest.
My mother ate in silence, stabbing at her dinner and pushing it around her plate. My burger was delicious, and I wondered why I’d never ordered for myself before. I ate every bite and was nearly bursting from my dress by the time we left the restaurant a short while later.
Cade and I lingered in the parking lot after my parents pulled away in their Mercedes. His pickup truck stuck out like a sore thumb in the parking lot full of luxury sedans and SUVs. My own included. Cade had kissed my mother’s cheek in farewell, while she’d stood stiff as a board, but at least he’d tried. My dad made a comment about Cade coming by to fix something at the house sometime, which I wasn’t sure how Cade felt about. He’d mumbled something and nodded.
I stepped in close to him, having wanted to be closer to him all night. “Is Sophia watching Lily?”
“Yeah,” he replied.
“Thanks for coming today.” I smiled warmly at him.
“Of course.”
“Do you have time to come over for a drink? I don’t live far from here.” I liked the idea of him seeing where I lived, not to mention, I was eager to finish where we left off last night before we were interrupted by Lily’s nightmare.
He sighed and ran his hands through his hair, then yanked his tie loose at the collar. “I’d better not.”
The air around us changed. It felt stiff, cold. “Cade?” I shifted a step closer. “What is it?” I braced myself, ready to hear that my judgmental mother had proved too much for him and he was cutting out on me.
“I need to get home to Lily.” His eyes refused to meet mine and I knew there was something he was holding back.
I was about to tell him that Lily would be fine for an hour, but something about his stiff stance told me to not to press him, instead I offered another solution that would allow us to spend more time together. “How about I come to your place then?”
He took a step back, shaking his head. “Not tonight, Alexa.”
I frowned, and when I suddenly realized that he’d called me Alexa rather than Lex or cupcake, my stomach twisted into a painful knot. “What’s wrong?”
“Listen, you and I are fun, but we both know I can’t afford the shit you’re used to. Prime-rib dinners and three-hundred-dollar pedicures don’t fit in to my life, and they aren’t thelifestyle Ican allow Lily to get used to. Whatever the fuck is happening between us was always bound to end sometime and the more time we spend together will only hurt Lily when that happens and I refuse to be the one to hurt that little girl. ”
My heart squeezed painfully in my chest at his words, but I held my ground. “I’m sorry, I just thought the warm soak and massage would be good for her legs.” That spa visit hadn’t been about me. I’d done it with Lily in mind. His eyes widened in understanding, and a flash of guilt flickered through them.
“Regardless, you know I’m right. The disapproval was written all over your parents’ faces. I didn’t go to college. I don’t have some fancy degree. I have responsibilities—a mortgage, and full custody of a six-year-old.”
“What was all that stuff inside aboutAlexa’s a big girl, she knows what she wants?” I challenged. Sure, he had responsibilities, but when had I ever showed him I wasn’t on board with Lily? And so what if he didn’t have a college degree? He had a freakin’ mastersdegree in how to be a kind, considerate person. My mother could take some lessons from him.
“You’re an adult. You should be able to stand up to your parents.”
“Well…I know what I want.” My tone was defiant and my eyes didn’t waver from his.
He sighed and looked past me. “That may be, but I have a little girl to take care of. She doesn’t have anyone else. She has to come first. I’m sorry.”
“I know.” I understood that, I truly did. I’d never ask Cade to slack on his responsibility to Lily. Never. “And I would never ask you to choose me over her, but I know what I want.”
“Are you telling me you think your parents would ever accept us dating?” He waited a second. “You know they wouldn’t. You mom was trying to set you up with Peter while I was sitting right there.”
