This day seemed to last forever. I hadn’t been able to get Jim out of my mind since being in his office yesterday. Aside from the fact that he was gorgeous and stole my heart from the moment he first interacted with Addison, he wanted another chance with me.
I didn’t even know what to do with that. I would have naturally turned it all down, but I couldn’t get the way he and Addy interacted out of my mind. He treated her as if he’d waited all his life to meet her. He wore the same smile that I saw in England when I showed him the video of Addy swimming. So, seeing him being so authentic and sincere, I was willing to give it another try. I missed him. I missed England and us together in England. But I was home and in reality now, so I had to be cautious and smart about allowing this man into my life with my daughter around.
After work, I was highly interested to see how Addy’s day went in school. I should have known it would be awesome when I arrived at the preschool’s location. I stood silently in the doorway, my purse snug on my shoulder as I watched Addy rush around the preschool room, cleaning up to leave. The young blonde woman who was now in charge of the area was a breath of fresh air, and seeing the old, spiteful woman gone made this pickup that much easier.
I smiled when I saw my daughter’s loose curls bouncing over her shoulders, following her teacher’s instructions with her delightful and animated personality. With this sight alone, it was obvious little Addy had worked her way into being the teacher’s pet. If that wasn’t enough to make my heart swell with pride, I sighed with happiness while I watched her and the other toddlers interacting cheerfully. This is exactly what I’d hoped for when I pulled Addy from her other school and brought her here. I was so thankful she was happy with her new friends and teacher.
This week was going by too fast. Only four days until the weekend, and then it was her dad’s turn again. I hated thinking about that. Why was I ruining this precious moment by thinking about her dad getting her this weekend?
The kids flooded out of the room to the waiting parents behind me. Addy was holding the blonde woman’s hand while they approached me.
“This is my mommy,” she announced.
I reached out to shake the woman’s hand. “Hi, I’m Avery. I see you have a little helper here.”
“Addison is wonderful,” she said with a smile. “It’s wonderful to meet you, Avery. I’m Lucy Stills. I came from Heavenly Love’s preschool. It’s my church’s preschool from down the road. I have to ask—maybe beg?” She cringed.
“Go on,” I said, glancing down to see Addy’s devious smile. “I have a feeling Addy might have invited herself to your church?”
“No. Actually, we have a Christmas program that we’re working on. After listening and watching Addy sing her heart out in the music portion of class today, I was wondering if you’d consider letting her sing in the musical? She’s got some amazing talent,” she said, smiling down at Addy.
I looked at my daughter’s begging eyes. “Do you think you can stand in front of a lot of people and sing?”
“I love singing to people, Momma,” she said.
I chuckled. “Well, Christmas isn’t for three more months. When will you be holding your tryouts, or whatever you might call it?”
“I’m the director, and Addison definitely has the part of our singing angel,” she said. “That’s, of course, if you’re okay with her going to the church for practices and doing the program. We start our practices early for the program, so that we’re well prepared for the big day.”
“I’m perfectly fine with that. God knows we all could use a little church in our lives sometimes.”
“Mommy says lots of bad words,” Addy said, while my purse dropped from my shoulder to the bend of my arm. She went on while she shook her head. “God doesn’t like it.”
I forced a smile. “I get a little wordy sometimes, and my mouth could probably use some holy water now and then.”
“I’ll say,” a deep voice, filled with humor, said from behind me.
“Mitch!” Addison squealed, dropped the teacher’s hand and rushed past me.
I turned back and watched as Jim knelt to greet Addy as she ran to him.
“Hey, kiddo,” he said as if he’d known her for years.
I smiled at how adorable it all was. Addy was sort of blowing my mind with the way she kept reacting to Jim. She was an outgoing child to begin with, but when it came to her being around men, it took her a while to warm up to them, if she did at all. I would easily say that my daughter knew an asshole when she saw one. In the end, her papa was the only male figure she reacted to like this. That’s why I stood in awe as I watched the way she treated Jim. This whole scene made me feel much better about being open to him wanting another chance.
I stood there, waiting and watching as Addy showed Jim her scribbled artwork for the day. God, how I wished her father could be that man to her—a dad that she would run out to and cheerfully tell him about her day. Every child needed that from their father, and Addy didn’t have that with Derek.
“So, would that be a yes, then?” Lucy asked with a laugh, breaking through my daydreaming moment.
I turned back and tried to get my mind back on track with Addy’s teacher. “When are the practices? She has to be at her dad’s after I get off work on Friday. I can make an exception, though.”
“We rehearse on Thursday and Friday nights. It ends at seven. Addy can come to see the stage, and we’ll see if her outgoing nature is still up for it. No pressure.”
“I think she’ll love it,” I said. “Seven is fine. It keeps us from sitting in rush hour traffic when we drive out to her dad’s house in Orange County.”
“This is excellent news. I’ll see you tomorrow, Avery,” Lucy said. “Good Evening, Mr. Mitchell,” she acknowledged Jim.
“Good Evening, Miss Stills,” he responded, rising up and smiling at her. “I trust your day with the children went well?”
“They were marvelous.” She smiled. “If you’ll both excuse me, a few more students are packing up,” she said and then turned to meet with another student’s father who’d just acknowledged Jim before he walked over to pick up his kid.
I turned and folded my arms at Jim and Addy, both now in a heavy conversation about what Jim would be eating at McDonald’s tonight. “Well, are we all ready for our dinner? I know I’m starved,” I said, interrupting the two.
Addison ran back over to me. “You can ride in my car, Jim,” she said.
“Yeah, Jim won’t fit in our car,” I teased. “It’s the McDonald’s right before the freeway. It’s a brand new one.”
“Text me the address.” He smiled. “I’ll meet you two there.”
Sounds great,” I said, whipping out my new phone. “I need your number.”
“Excellent point,” Jim said.
After I added Jim to my contacts, we headed to our respective vehicles. I looked up the address and texted it to Jim before I fired up my car, and we headed out.
The thought of seeing this man at a McDonald’s made me laugh. He was sporting some fancy designer, three-piece suit, a white shirt, and a burgundy tie. His taller than average height, the suit, and the painfully gorgeous looks of the man alone sitting at McDonald’s would certainly make for an amusing night. Nothing like seeing Richie-Rich, slumming it at a fast-food joint.
Everything else aside, I was so hungry I could order the entire menu. The sandwich I’d ordered at lunch sucked, and the chips that came with it were all I’d been running on since noon. Jim was about to experience my wild eating habits again, and this time, it wasn’t because of his mouthwatering gourmet cooking. Tonight, I was pigging out on fries, burgers, and milkshakes. I think Jim was in over his head, no matter how fancy he was dressed. Part of me was riddled with excitement to share this time with him and my daughter. I had to admit it, I was more than excited to introduce Jim to dining out Addy-style tonight.
We were parked and out of the car before Jim arrived at McDonald’s. I would have been inside ordering while we waited for Jim to show up, but Addy insisted we stay outside just in case Mitch got lost.
Holy shit, I thought when I saw the black Bentley roll up like the president was paying this place a personal visit. The car parked in front of where Addy and I stood, watching as Jim stepped out from behind the driver’s seat like it was any other day.
“You can’t drive?” Addy asked with a laugh, poking fun at Jim as he walked toward us with a smile.
Jim’s face creased in a way I’d never seen before after Addy called him out on having a chauffeur and not understanding it.
“I can drive very well, actually.” He arched his eyebrow playfully at Addy after taking off his aviator sunglasses.
She pointed at the Bentley, slowly rolling toward a secluded area at the back of the parking lot. “Then why won’t you drive your car?”
Jim glanced to where his driver was, then back to Addy. “Well, I must admit, I get a little lazy at times.”
He looked at me for help in his excuses while being questioned by a three-year-old. I laughed and shrugged. “The crazy ways children view the world,” I said with a soft laugh. “All right, let’s go order. I’m starved, and Mitch is late for our dinner date tonight.”
“Let’s eat.” Addy looked at me. “Be nice, Mommy. He said he’s lazy. I think he’ll get better though.”
“Well, ladies,” Jim said, “since I’m late, I’ll be paying for dinner tonight.”
“You’re not buying dinner,” I responded, walking behind where Addy was leading the way into her favorite restaurant.
“A real gentleman pays for dinner no matter what,” Jim said, looking down at Addy, who stood next to him while we waited to order. “Never forget that.” He winked at her with a playful smirk.
I smiled when I watched the two scouring the menu as if there were anything on it that everyone on the planet didn’t know by heart.
“Well, since Jim is buying…thank you, Jim,” I said after he glanced at me. “I’ll take a big mac, a cheeseburger, a large fry, and a chocolate shake.”
Jim’s lips tightened in humor. “You sure that will hold you down?”
“Oh, and a coke.” I smiled at him.
“Your mother is an expensive dinner date,” he whispered down at Addy.
“Mom and me eats lots of food,” Addy proudly proclaimed.
“That’s good.” Jim laughed. “It’s healthy to have a good appetite.”
“I’m going to go find a table,” I said. “You two okay here?”
“We’ve got this, Momma.” Addy gave me a wink and a thumbs up. “Get a big table too,” she finished before studying the happy meal toy display.
I honestly expected Jim to look at me for help, being left with Addison, but instead, the two ignored me leaving, and I laughed at how brave the man was to handle the ordering with Addy. I knew if Addy was wise to Jim, she’d order the entire menu and try to get away with it.
While waiting at the table, I sat and thought about how this was turning out to be an enjoyable night. I was still in awe at how Jim was so taken with my daughter, and most of all, Addy was so accepting of him.
I could sit here and think Jim was only doing all of this to get laid again, but I knew that wasn’t the case. Jim wasn’t acting as if that were even a thought in his head. He seemed genuinely interested in getting to know this side of me and Addison too. My motherly instincts were definitely present as well, and I felt comfortable with him joining me and Addy tonight. Who knew, we hadn’t started in on dinner yet—Addy and I could both easily send him running to that Bentley when we dug into our food.
“We have three trays, Mommy!” Addy shrieked while she and Jim came back with our food.
“Three trays?” I asked with a laugh. I stood to help Jim—who was balancing two trays with drinks, milkshakes, and food—then I turned to where Addy proudly held her tray that had two happy meals on it.
“Did you get a happy meal too?” I asked Jim while helping Addison up to her seat.
“Well, if I’m honest. We faced some difficulty, having to choose between two separate toys.” He sighed and smirked at Addison. “Then the worst part…” he said dramatically.
Addison giggled at Jim’s theatrics.
“I couldn’t imagine anything being worse than having to choose between happy meal toys.” I popped a straw in Addy’s drink.
“Well, there was.” Jim smiled at me, his emerald eyes dazzling in humor. “Addy couldn’t decide between having a cheeseburger or chicken nuggets. We determined the best bet would be just to order two.”
I rose my eyebrow when I looked at Jim in response. “Careful, Mitch, she’ll play you like a fiddle if you give in so easily.”
“Mitch is weird,” Addy said, ignoring me and smartly changing the subject. “Mitch hates ketchup,” she informed almost every family sitting around our table.
“I had to try and break it to her gently,” he said. “I’m not a fan of the condiment.”
“It’s sauce, Mitch,” Addison said, peeking into both happy meal bags. “It’s good.”
“I offered to dip my fries in the barbeque sauce,” he said while I watched in humor as Jim opened his big mac packaging and tried to examine it while Addy was distracted.
“Scared she might notice you turning your nose up at that?” I asked, then bit into my burger.
He smirked, then took a bite. I watched him, knowing this man had to have been adjusting his taste buds. He swallowed then went for his iced tea. “Wow, Addy,” he said. “I’m glad I picked the big mac.”
She dipped her chicken nugget into her barbeque sauce and chomped on it. She nodded in response, but was fixated on her meal.
“So.” Jim shifted to face me, ignoring the burger. “She’s a lot like her mother when food comes into play.”
“That’s an understatement.” I laughed. “In fact, she won’t notice you’re even here until she’s finished eating.”
“Fun date.” He grinned. “God, she looks just like you,” he said, picking up some fries and tossing them in his mouth. He swallowed. “She talks extremely well for her age.”
“Well, I’ve always talked to her like she’s an adult.”
Jim’s eyebrows rose in humor. “That could be dangerous, knowing how colorful your language can be at times.”
“We read too and I do my best to keep my colorful language at a minimum when around her.”
Jim only smirked in response, and then I noticed he was sticking to the fries.
“Afraid of the big mac?” I teased. I pushed my cheeseburger over to him, “Here, eat this. Some people don’t like the sauce on the big mac, but I love it.”
He opened the cheeseburger, and I laughed again when I saw the ketchup on the wrapper. “I’m not afraid of anything. I believe I told you that once?” He pushed the burger to the side and went back to the fries.
“Really?” I smiled. “You act like this food is going to kill you.”
“I wasn’t finished.” He winked, and that did something to my insides. I’d seen that daring wink before, and after it happened—well, let’s just say we were in a place where he and I could act passionately on it.
“Oh, excuse me for interrupting you,” I responded.
“I think that statement was true at one time, and then I lost you.” He took another sip of his tea, then his expression became serious. “It didn’t take me long to realize that there’s only one thing I do fear.”
“And that would be?” I questioned while shoving some fries in my mouth.
“I’m scared to death I’ll lose you again. I’ll admit here and now, that is my greatest fear.”
I smiled sympathetically at him, still trying to keep my composure at this confession. “Why don’t we just play it by ear?” I smiled, then nodded toward Addy, the one I had to keep at the forefront of my mind when it came to thinking about rekindling what we had in England. “You’re doing great, though. I think she’s quite approving of you, Mitch,” I reassured him.
“I’m happy to learn that,” Jim said. “Hopefully this is a step in the right direction between you and me?”
I studied his curious smile for a moment. “I think it might be,” I responded. I had to divert my eyes from his, before we got too deep with the conversation and Addy decided to chime in herself. That’s when I started popping straws into our milkshakes. “Who got vanilla?” I asked in confusion. Then I pinched my lips together and looked at Jim. “Vanilla? Really?” I asked him.
“Addy advised that dipping fries in vanilla shakes is the best.”
“They are the best. Try it.” The word milkshake grabbed my daughter’s attention while she’d been eating and coloring in her color book that came as her happy meal prize. “Do it, Mitch.” She giggled while taking off the lid to his milkshake.
“Addison,” I had to slow her down or Jim would be wearing the milkshake, “don’t be bossy. Jim doesn’t have to dip a fry in the milkshake.”
“Sorry, Mitch,” she said. “You don’t have to do it. It’s good, though.”
“I’ll give it a try.” He stuck the fry in the shake and chewed on it. I watched and smiled at him, finally enjoying a menu item. “This is quite delicious. I haven’t had a milkshake nor a smoothie since my trip to England.”
Fuck. He’s thinking about us tasting food off each other’s bodies. Goddamn, I missed this look and this man. I was doing great keeping it together too.
“Mommy went to England and stayed in a sandcastle,” Addy said.
“A sandcastle? That’s intriguing,” Jim said, eating more vanilla-shake fries.
“Like we build at the beach,” Addy said, moving to dipping her fries into her shake now.
“Addy, it was a real castle. I showed you. A king and queen from a long time ago stayed there too,” I said.
“And from what I recall, they enjoyed their chambers so much that they didn’t want to leave.”
Jim’s eyes locked with mine, and I knew we were both back in that room, and I’m not sure which sexual routine he was thinking about, but mine was seeing him on his back with the roaring flames in the fireplace. The flicker in his glossed eyes.
“I could easily say they may have never wanted to leave,” Jim said, then broke our stare and looked at Addy. “You mentioned sandcastles, Addy. Do you enjoy the beach too?”
Good job changing the subject. I was starting to get worked up just thinking about our time at the castle and knowing that our memories had stuck with Jim too.
“Love it, but can’t go this time,” she said, returned to her coloring again.
“She’s going to her dad’s this weekend. She only goes to the beach when I take her.”
“Well, I would love to invite you and your mom with me sometime. My brother loves to surf, and I might try it if you think it’s a neat idea.”
“You surf?” she questioned with excitement. “I see the surfers too. They’re cool.”
“I used to. Quite a lot, actually.”
“Mommy surfed a long time ago too.”
“Well, then maybe if your mom thinks it’s a good idea, we can all go to the beach.”
Addy looked at me. “Can we go?”
“When?” I looked at Jim, whose face looked so soft, so young, so happy. Addy did bring out the youth in people, even when she was a spitfire.
“Whenever you would like. I have a home on the beach. If you’re okay with it, we can spend next weekend there. I think it would make it all the more enjoyable.”
“Mitch,” Addy said. “Don’t lie. No one lives on the beach.”
“Some people do,” he said.
“Next weekend works.” I looked at Addy, “Do you want to go stay in a beach house like we’re on vacation, Addy?”
Jesus, was I doing this too fast?
“Yes, Mommy, and surf too.”
Jim laughed. “Wow. Perhaps we stick to sandcastles for now?”
He cringed at me as though he’d slipped up and started something with the whole surf idea. I grinned at how insecure the man was acting. It was another new side of Jim I’d never met, nor did I think I’d meet. I adored the concern and attention he gave Addy and me. He could’ve easily not given a damn about anything, but it was apparent he was trying hard to make it work with the three of us.
I respected him on a new level than what I had grown to admire during our fun times in England. He owed neither one of us anything, and yet here he was, in what I assumed was him trying his best to give us everything? Who knew? I never had anyone treat Addy and me like this. It was refreshing and a feeling that made me feel warm inside. The armored walls that I’d had up since before Addison was born seemed to come down more and more the longer I was in his presence.
“So, the beach next weekend,” Jim said after we finished our dinner, and Addy went to work on dipping cold fries into her milkshake.
Addison smiled. “Sounds so much fun.” She held out her chocolate shake toward Jim, “Try your fries in chocolate.”
Jim was successfully eating cold fries and trying Addy’s suggestions of dipping them into the flavors of the milkshakes at the table.
“Welcome to our world,” I said, watching Jim play along with Addy.
“Your world is colorful, tasty, and adventurous.” Jim nodded toward Addy, watching for his reaction. “I’m glad you invited me to dinner tonight.”
“I’m happy you came, Mitch,” she said.
After we finished, we headed out to our cars. “So, next weekend, then?” Jim knelt to Addy, and she put up a fist.
“Fist bump,” she said.
Jim chuckled and met her tiny balled up hand and gently touched his fist to hers. “It’s a sealed deal.”
While Addy climbed into her seat, she worked on showing off for Jim, trying to buckle herself in.
“Thanks again for tonight,” he said, reaching for my hand. “This was quite a treat.”
I watched as he held my hand, staring down at it with that concerned look on his face again. “I’m glad you didn’t run out of there after we started in on the French fry and milkshake experience,” I said with a laugh.
He looked up at me. “I’ll admit, I enjoyed the fruit smoothie I had with you in England much more,” he said, his eyes searching mine.
I stood there, speechless, knowing what he was implying and remembering. He brought the palm of my hand to his soft, full lips. “I do wish to try that again and soon. Goodnight, Avery.” He looked back at the car, where I definitely needed to help Addy with the harness of her car seat. “Thanks for a fun dinner, Addy,” he said, and then he slipped his sunglasses on, smiled deviously at me, and I watched him walk like the million-dollar-man he was to his waiting car.
After I buckled in Addy correctly and sat in my seat, we took off and headed for home. That night—thanks to Jim, bringing up the smoothie from England—my eyes fell closed to that memory. The smoothie that started it all with us tasting delicious sweets from each other. Then I taunted him by spilling the smoothie on myself, and his eyes grew dangerously hungry in his kitchen.
One thing had led to another, and it turned out to be the most arousing and delicious sex I’d ever had. I had shivers of desire to feel his lips over my abdomen, my neck, my breasts—everything while he took and embraced my challenge of licking the smoothie off my body.
God, I sincerely hoped this all worked. I loved how Addy had taken to him. I adored the way he interacted with her, and I still couldn’t get over the fact that we were reunited like this. I loved being with him in England, and now back in my reality, being with him like this at home. This was the real test for the man I walked out on that morning at his England estate. Mostly, this was the test of commitment because there was a lot Jim hadn’t seen on my side of the fence. I was a single mom, yes…but there was more shit in my life and I wasn’t quite sure that was something Jim would be willing to take on. We’d find out soon enough, I’m sure.
