Page 18 of Reforming Hunt
And she worried it had something to do with Hunt and the bond her son had formed with him.
* * *
Noah wiggledout of Abby’s arms after she pressed a kiss to his cheek. “I’m fine,” he said, and ran straight for Hunt, standing not ten feet away, checking off a list on a clipboard.
Abby had checked in with Club Kids after Noah had expressed his unhappiness at the other daycare center. Yes, they’d hired more employees. Three, in fact. And yes, they still had room for Noah.
“We’d be happy to have him back,” the spunky attendant had said. Brin, if Abby was correct. So Abby had relented. Club Kids truly was the most well-respected place for childcare in town that she’d found.
Hunt glanced up, making brief eye contact with her.
A swarm of butterflies took off inside her belly.
She closed her eyes. Really? This now? Hunt had helped her with Noah and the program and, dang it, even her car. If she was going to allow him to be a friend to her and her son, she needed to keep things platonic. It was one thing for a friend to help out, and another thing entirely to have a man supporting her. She wouldn’t go down that road again. Not without a wedding license.
Noah dumped his backpack and lunch in a bin set outside for that purpose, and Hunt said something to him, touching his shoulder.
Noah smiled widely then ran off to join the other kids. Hunt returned his gaze to his clipboard, but Abby sensed his attention on her.
Time to let him know where things stood. She approached and said, “This isn’t a permanent thing.” He didn’t look up. “Noah wants to be here, but I’m not convinced it’s the best place for him. And I’ll probably be late every day. I don’t get out of work until five. And there’s traffic. Especially in the summertime.”
Hunt finally slid his gaze from the clipboard to her eyes.
Her chest tightened and her heart pounded.
She clenched her palms. Hunt hadn’t had this kind of effect on her inside the club.
Okay, that was a lie. But back then she’d been in lockdown mode. She’d ignored those butterflies, and now the darn things had gotten intense.
Even if she was attracted to Hunt, she had no time to date. Like, none. Less than none. Not that he was interested. The butterflies and pounding heart were probably one-way.
Hunt had never seen her in anything but her rubber work clogs. He must think her frumpy. And yeah, she was.
At one time, Abby had been an attractive woman. Back when she washed her hair daily and wore makeup and cute clothes. Now she was lucky if her nurse’s smock was unwrinkled. More times than not, she was too tired to fold clothes and passed out as soon as Noah fell asleep. Being a single parent put a serious damper on the hot-mom department. Not that she needed to be hot. Abby hadn’t needed to be hot since Trevor died.
“Don’t worry about being late,” Hunt said, his voice deep, seductive, and not at all helping. Because striking blue eyes and a built body weren’t enough.
She was a single, frumpy mom, for heaven’s sake! The universe needed to have pity.
“Well, I am worried,” she said, lifting her chin and trying to not look him in the eye. The butterflies tended to overreact with eye contact.
He pulled out his phone. “What’s your number?”
Butterfly kaleidoscope explosion. “Excuse me?”
Bringing Noah back to Club Kids was the worst decision ever.
“Your number,” he said. “I’ll text you with my information. Call me if you’re ever running late, and I’ll tell Noah so that he doesn’t worry. We’ll stay busy cleaning the boat until you get here.”
Hunt was killing her. And persistent. She wasn’t sure she trusted him, but that was her brain speaking. Her gut was all for him.
His expression was kind. She was being overprotective of her son, but could he blame her? “Fine,” she said. “Though I’m sure you have it in the paperwork.”
He ran his fingers across the display as she rattled off her number, and then he tucked his phone away. “I’m sure I do. But this way I’ve got your permission to call you. To coordinate.”
Coordinate? Why did the way he said that make her stomach flutter? On the other hand, he was helping her with her son, so she needed to simmer the hell down already.
She turned and walked away, still shaky and not at all sure she was doing the right thing. Before she left the pool area, she looked back one last time to check on Noah—and found him on Hunt’s shoulders.
