Total pages in book: 22
Estimated words: 20136 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 101(@200wpm)___ 81(@250wpm)___ 67(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 20136 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 101(@200wpm)___ 81(@250wpm)___ 67(@300wpm)
“That would be wonderful, if you don’t mind.”
Brady cheered and Hunter’s eyes sparkled as his grin stretched from ear to ear. “I’d be happy to. What time does your shift start?”
“Six..”
“I’ll be here,” he promised, and I couldn’t stop a smile of my own. He turned to Brady and told him, “I’ll see you in the morning, bud,” before giving him a high-five and helping him down from the stool.
When he stood up himself, Hunter leaned across the counter toward me and whispered, “My offer is always open; anytime, anywhere.” He winked as he pulled away, leaving me breathless.
He and his friends gave Brady one last wave before they left through the door, and it took everything inside me not to chase after him.
Chapter Three
Lance
My heart fluttered in my chest when I saw Hunter’s SUV pull into the parking lot of the cafe, just as it had done the past three mornings at six o’clock sharp. He came in alone every day during my shift to talk to me and to play with Brady.
Hunter was amazing with my son. He kept Brady entertained while I worked, which was fantastic since Hope was still sick. But better yet, both of them seemed to really enjoy themselves. Hunter kept Brady laughing with jokes and games, and my rambunctious four year old never once complained of boredom, which was a miracle in itself. It was a beautiful thing to watch them together.
And it was a difficult thing to pretend that I wasn’t interested in getting closer to Hunter. He kept making offers of taking me out on a date, but he didn’t push, keeping the ball in my court. I was tempted, but I reminded myself that I was better off not getting close to anyone. I was grateful for his friendship, but I couldn’t let it progress beyond that.
And then I would catch Hunter gazing at me from across the dining room, or he’d give me a smile that made my soul shiver, and I wanted to say ‘screw friendship’ and run into his arms. He’d shown that he was a good man, but in the past I had thought other men were good too, and I was proven very wrong. It wasn’t just my heart at risk; I had my son to protect too.
Hunter climbed out of his vehicle and waved with a bright smile. I was glued to the window, watching him like a creeper, but I had a good excuse; Brady was standing at my side impatiently waiting for his friend, so I could play my presence off as the kid’s excitement, even though mine matched it. I was always excited to see Hunter’s gorgeous face.
“I wonder what he brought me today,” Brady said as he bounced on his toes. Every day, Hunter showed up with a different toy or game for the two of them to play with, and always left it for Brady to enjoy after he went home.
“Buddy, he might not bring you anything today.” Even as I said it, I knew it was incorrect, seeing as Hunter was already digging in his backseat for something. “But people don’t have to give us things to be our friends.”
“I know,” he agreed with a nod. “I like Hunter. I would like him even if he didn’t bring me presents. He’s my friend; my best friend. Well, except for you, Daddy.”
I smiled down at my sweet kid and ruffled his hair. “You’re my best friend too.”
Brady’s eyes popped open wide as he looked out the window again. “Oh my gosh!”
My jaw dropped when I saw what had him so excited; Hunter was walking up to the cafe entrance carrying a stuffed gorilla that was almost as tall as he was. Brady squealed and ran to the door, and I followed behind him to flip the lock and hold open the glass so that Hunter could pull the behemoth inside.
“Is that for me?” Brady asked eagerly.
“Is what for you?” Hunter asked, looking around at everything except the gorilla. “I don’t see anything.”
Brady giggled and pointed at the toy. “The monkey! The monkey! Is it for me?”
“Oh, this? I almost forgot about it,” Hunter teased. “Yes, this little guy is for you.” He handed over the ‘little guy’ to Brady, who hugged it and nearly disappeared in its fur and giant arms.
“I love you already, Mr. Monkey. Come on, let’s go play!” He carried the toy which was twice his size over to the barstools where he and Hunter usually sat. But when he had trouble lifting the gorilla onto them, he dragged it over to a round table with shorter chairs and got it situated.
“Don’t worry, sweets, I didn’t forget about you,” Hunter told me, and the nickname made me blush. He’d called me ‘sweets’ for days. I assumed it spawned because of the sugary treats I constantly ate during my shift at the cafe, but I really didn’t care why he chose it. The name made me feel tingly inside, so I let it slide even though it wasn’t something one friend would call another.