Page 22 of Property of Riptide
“Thank you, Riptide. I had a blast today and I know Gagey did too.”
“It was my pleasure. Listen, I have something to take care of in the morning, but how about I take you and little G out for dinner?”
“Like a date?” she asks, tilting her head to the side, licking her bottom lip.
“If that’s okay with you, Van. I know you are still getting over Gage, and I won’t push you for anything more than what you’re willing to give until you’re ready for more than friendship, but I’d really like to take you out.”
“Riptide. I got over Gage a long time ago. I came here for closure and answers for my son. I wanted to have them for when he started asking about him. I’d like to go on a date with you. You already accept that I’m a package deal, so we don’t have that hurdle to climb over.”
“If he was an issue for me, I wouldn’t have invited him along. I would’ve found a sitter for him. I can name two who’d fight for the chance to watch him,” I tell her.
“I’m pretty sure I know who you’re referring to. And it’s not that I don’t trust them, but I’m not ready to relinquish sitter duty to them. Remember, attachment issues,” she states, poking herself in the chest with the tip of her thumb. “That’s going to be the biggest hurdle of all, don’t you think?”
“No, I don’t, Van, because I believe once you get settled and get to know us better, you’ll realize we’re not going anywhere and those feelings will be laid to rest.”
“What time?” she asks.
“I’ll pick you up at four. We’ll take little man to the park and swing him on the toddler swings and I’ll slide down the slide with him. Then we’ll hit the diner and see what else we want to do afterward to fill the rest of the hours.”
“We could stream some movies and talk. Get to know each other better,” she suggests.
“I’m down for that. We’ll hit a store, grab some snacks, and go back to your place.” I take the chance to lean forward and capture her lips with mine. She opens up for me and accepts my kiss. I don't draw it out because it’s getting late and I don’t like the idea of her walking through the parking lot to her cabin in the dark. When I back away I smirk because Icer is sitting on his bike, ready to follow them back and make sure they get inside without any issues. Good man. I tap her on the ass and open her car door, strapping her in once she sits down. I wave her away and as she backs out, I feel a pain in my chest, it’s as if she’s taking a piece of me with her.
Yep, I think I’ve been shot by Cupid’s arrow and bitten by the relationship bug because my heart aches at the prospect of spending a single moment separated from her.
CHAPTER
TWELVE
Van
Date night has arrived and I’m a bundle of nerves. As I look at my reflection in the mirror and remember that kiss he planted on my lips, they begin to tingle. “Damn, girl. You’ve got it bad,” I say to my mirror image. I would berate myself for falling for him, but it’s not as if I’m never going to see him again once I leave town since I’ll be residing in the same city as he does.
“Ma ma ma ma,” I hear Gagey mumble from the living room and a smile spreads across my cheeks. I know at ten months old he can’t communicate and most likely doesn’t understand he’s saying my name as he babbles, but I have convinced myself that he’s calling out for me.
“Coming, baby boy,” I say loud enough for him to hear me. As I enter the room and look down at him in his playpen he greets me with a gummy grin. “You done with your milk, kiddo? Ready for some bananas?” His tiny fists fly through the air before he lifts his hands up in a ‘pick me up’ motion. “Yeah, my boy loves his fruit.”
I lift him up and soar through the room with him acting as if he’s flying, making airplane noises until I settle him on my hip and head to the kitchen. He plants sloppy kisses on my cheek.
I grab the puree package from the last batch I made and squeeze it until it starts flowing into the straw attached to the top. This invention has been a lifesaver for me. Being a single mom, I sometimes have to feed him on the go and it’s less messy than me trying to travel with a spoon and feeding him as we walk. As he sucks on it and fills his tummy, I pack his diaper bag and make sure I’m stocked on his teething supplies, diapers, wipes, and toys.
When the doorbell rings, I glance up at the wall clock and realize I’m further behind schedule than I thought I was. “Dammit,” I mutter as I run over, unlatch the chain, undo the lock and swing the door open. “Sorry, I’m running a bit behind.”
“I’m the one who’s sorry, Van,” Riptide sighs. I scrunch my nose because I don’t understand why he’s apologizing until he scoots to the side and I see three grownups and a little girl standing behind him.
“Is our date a group thing?” I ask, a little disappointed because I was looking forward to spending some alone time with him.
“Absolutely fucking not,” he balks.
“Date night. No kids,” Icer grunts. “Elodie and I came to stay with little G, and these two tagged along.”
“We’d like to see our daughter every now and then, Icer,” Indiana scolds.
“Mine,” Icer declares, lifting Elodie up and cuddling her to him.
“Actually, big man, that one belongs to me,” Zoey states, pointing her finger toward her beaming daughter.
“I share when I have to,” Icer claims. The entire exchange has me snickering.
