Unexpected

by Jenna Hartley

  “Was that your friend Hunter?” Sophia asked.

  “No. And we’re not getting pink candles,” I said when she tried to add yet another one to the basket.

  “Why not? You said you wanted to impress this girl. Girls love pink. Trust me, I’m an expert.” She said it all with such an air of authority, it took everything in me not to laugh. Still, I had to admire her confidence.

  “Yes, but not this girl.” I placed a few more candles back on the shelf. “I mean, your mom’s favorite color isn’t pink, right?”

  She scrunched up her nose, considering it for a moment. “No. Her favorite color is black.”

  “It is not.” I poked her in the side, which made her giggle.

  “Okay, you’re right, but she does wear a lot of black.” She tapped a finger to her lips. “You know, actually, I think her favorite color is blue.”

  Good. This was good.

  “What’s her favorite dessert?”

  “Dessert?” Sophia laughed. “Mommy doesn’t eat dessert.”

  My jaw dropped. “Ever?”

  “Nope. I mean, I couldn’t live without cupcakes and chocolate. But she’s like…allergic to sugar or something.”

  “Hmm. We’ll see about that,” I muttered.

  “Did you say something?”

  I pushed the cart farther down the aisle, grinning to myself. “Nope.”

  When we got home, I fixed dinner, and we played some games before she went to bed. All evening, I’d been watching the clock, waiting until the moment Alexis would come home. She didn’t return until a little after nine.

  “Hey.” She dropped her keys on the counter, setting her purse next to them.

  “Hey.” I grabbed her hand. “Come with me.”

  She kicked off her shoes and gave me a smile, but I could see she was tired.

  “How was work?” I led her toward the sliding glass doors that opened to the pool.

  “Good. Busy. Two of my agents double-ended a deal, so that was pretty fantastic.”

  “Double-ended?” I asked, raising my brow. “Is that some crazy sexual position?”

  She rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. “No. It’s when two agents from the same brokerage represent the buyer and the seller, meaning we get both commissions.”

  “Wow,” I said. “That’s awesome.”

  We rounded the corner to the backyard, and I tapped on my phone to cue the music. The candles—well, fake candles—were flickering along the edge of the pool, lighting the path to a table for two.

  Alexis turned to me with a smile. “What is all this?”

  “This—” I gestured widely “—is dinner.”

  “Wow. This is…” She held her hand to her mouth. “Nobody’s ever done anything like this for me.”

  “Seriously?”

  How had this woman not been wined and dined? On the one hand, I was grateful. Because it meant it was something special I got to do for her. But shame on the men she’d dated in the past. A woman like Alexis deserved to be wooed. And I was going to woo the fuck out of her. She thought this was a fling, but I wanted more. So much more.

  I pulled out a chair for her and poured her a glass of wine before pouring one for myself.

  “I’ll be right back.” I leaned down to peck her cheek, my hands lingering on her shoulders. “I hope you’re hungry.”

  “Oh, I’m certainly hungry,” she said with a seductive lilt to her tone.

  “Don’t tempt me.” I tsked. “I could easily be persuaded to skip dinner and go straight to dessert.”

  I’d left the food in the pool house so it would stay fresh. And I returned a moment later with a large charcuterie platter as well as a caprese salad.

  “This looks amazing,” she said, taking a little bit of everything and putting it on her plate.

  “I’m glad.” It was a relief to know she liked what I’d chosen.

  “How was Sophia today?” she asked, nibbling at her cheese. “I hate it when I’m not home in time to wish her goodnight.”

  “She was good. Funny. She wanted me to buy hot-pink glitter candles for our dinner.”

  She laughed but then stilled. “Wait. You told her about our dinner?”

  “Of course not,” I scoffed. “I just told her I was planning a romantic dinner for a girl I liked.”

  She arched an eyebrow, crossing one leg over the other as she took a sip of her wine. “So, you like me, huh?”

  I took her hand in mine. “You haven’t figured that out yet?”

  “Mm.” She took another sip and then set her glass on the table. “No, I think you made that abundantly clear last night.”

  “And this morning,” I added. “But if you need further proof of just how much I like you,” I teased, “I’d be more than happy to oblige.”

  “Is that so?” She circled the rim of the wineglass with her finger, and just that simple action had my imagination racing into overdrive.

  “Oh yeah. But first, I want to enjoy this meal with you.”

  She smiled. “So, what did you and Sophia do besides go candle shopping? This is beautiful, by the way. I would totally post it on my Instagram if I knew it wouldn’t spark a million questions.”

  I chuckled. “Well, I’m glad I could design an Instagram-worthy moment.” Not that that had been my intent. I just wanted to create something special for her.

  “We went to the grocery store.” I gestured to the platters of food. “And then we went to the park, and she made some new friends.”

  “That’s good. I think she could use some more interaction with kids her age,” Alexis said.

  “I agree. I was actually wondering if she has any friends in town. She said a lot of them are at overnight summer camp or staying with their dads. But I was hoping to set up some playdates.”

  “I think her friend Brooklyn might be back from camp now. You could try reaching out to her dad, Nate.”

  “Great.” I refilled our glasses with wine. “If you give me his number, I’d be happy to.”

  “Sophia will love that.”

  Music played softly, water splashed over the fountain into the pool, and the crickets chirped in the grass. It was perfect. And I could imagine us spending many nights together, eating dinner, laughing, sharing about our day.

  “So, um, about earlier,” I said. “I’m sorry for that bombshell I dropped on you this morning.”

  Alexis set down her fork, meeting my eyes over the table. I’d been afraid I’d find pity, but all I saw were compassion and love reflected back at me. She pushed back her chair and stood.

  “I’m sorry if I came across as insensitive.” She took a seat on my lap. I skimmed her thighs with my hands, relishing the feel of her silky-smooth skin. “And I meant what I said. I’m here if you want to talk.”

  I swallowed back a lump of emotion. She had no idea how much that meant to me. Just knowing she cared meant everything.

  “You know what I really want to do right now?” I asked. She shook her head. “Relax in the hammock together.”

  “I like the sound of that.”

  We climbed into the hammock, and she nestled into my side. She fit perfectly in the crook of my arm, and I stared up at the sky, soaking in the moment. I picked up her hand that was resting on my chest, twirling our fingers. I’d never really opened up to anyone about my cancer, but for the first time, I found myself wanting to.

  I cleared my throat. “I, um, was a sophomore in college when it started. I was tired, had lower back pain, and kept losing weight.”

  She kept our fingers moving, playing and dancing between us. It gave me something to focus on. A gentle comfort. A reminder that the past was in the past.

  “At first, we thought it was just mono. But then, I was diagnosed with testicular cancer.”

  “That explains your prolonged degree program,” she said.

  I nodded. “Yes. For the next few years, my life was consumed with beating cancer. First surgery, then treatments. It was…difficult.” Difficult was a d
efinite understatement. “I tried to continue with school, but it just became too much.”

  I didn’t mention the fact that the money my parents had saved for my education had been bled dry. They’d spent that and then some, willing to pay any sum if it meant I could live.

  She gripped my hand, and when I glanced down at her, her eyes were filled with unshed tears. “Don’t cry.” A tear streaked down her cheek, and I wiped it away. “Please don’t cry. I was lucky.”

  “Lucky?” she scoffed.

  “Yes.” I nodded. “Lucky. Unlike so many others, my story has a happy ending. I beat the fucker. I survived. And now I’m lying in a hammock with the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on.”

  She nodded, but still, I heard her sniffle. “You’re so strong. And I’m so, so sorry that I teased you.”

  I pulled her closer to me, holding her tight. “You didn’t know. Honestly, I was nervous about having sex with you.”

  “Because of the uniball situation?”

  I chuckled. “I’m a one-ball wonder, baby,” I joked.

  “That you are.” And I felt her body shaking with silent laughter.

  “That was part of it,” I admitted. “And because I hadn’t been with anyone in a while, and you’re, well…you.”

  “What is that supposed to mean?” She sounded more curious than anything.

  “Surely you realize how sexy you are? But it’s more than that—you’re intelligent, savvy, sophisticated, an amazing mom. You could have your pick of men. Men who are much more experienced than me.”

  “Experience is meaningless without chemistry, without connection. I feel that with you. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so…alive. So cherished.”

  “I feel it too,” I said, pulling her close to me as I stared up at the sky.

  We lapsed into silence, both lost in our thoughts, until she said, “Can I ask you something?”

  I tucked my hand behind my head. “Anything.”

  “You’ve been in remission for over a year. You really haven’t dated anyone in all that time?”

  “No. I—” My throat felt tight. “I was in a relationship when I got sick. She said she loved me, would stay by my side no matter what. But when it really came down to it, she couldn’t handle it.”

  “She broke up with you while you were going through treatments? Fighting for your life?” Alexis’s voice was calm, but I could hear the anger raging just beneath the surface. She was livid.

  “Honestly, it was for the best.”

  “How can you say that?” She propped herself up on her elbow to stare down at me. Her hair fell across my face, curtaining us like a waterfall. Her scent surrounded me, perfuming the air like the jasmine that grew on the trellis outside my bedroom window.

  “Cancer has a way of revealing who your true friends are. It sucked, but I can be grateful that it brought clarity to my relationships and my purpose.”

  “And what is your purpose?”

  “To support and encourage the people I love. And to support those going through cancer themselves, specifically pediatric cancer patients.”

  “You—” she leaned in, nuzzling against me “—are an incredible man, Preston Hawthorne. And I’m lucky to know you.”

  “And you’re about to get even luckier,” I teased, needing to lighten the moment.

  She rolled her eyes but laughed anyway as I pulled down the straps of her dress, kissing every inch of skin I could find. As she sank down on top of me, making love to me beneath the stars, I felt like the luckiest man alive.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “Hey, Mom,” Sophia said from her perch on a barstool. Her attention was on whatever concoction she and Preston were whipping up today. Pancakes, if I had to guess.

  “Good morning,” Preston said, his eyes lingering on my breasts, my hips. “Did you have a good workout?”

  I nodded, taking a sip from my water bottle to cool myself off. Who was I kidding? Nothing was going to help the way he made me heat from the inside out. If I’d thought sleeping with him was the answer, it only seemed to fuel my addiction. It was like sugar—the more I got, the more I wanted.

  “It was…hot.” I smirked, dabbing at my forehead, then my neck, with a towel. I knew he was watching me, knew he wanted me.

  “I can see that.” He smiled at me over Sophia’s head, and I smiled back.

  “Guess what?” Sophia asked.

  “What?” I rested my elbows on the counter, giving Preston a good view down my sports bra.

  “You’ll pay for that later,” he mouthed, to which I merely smirked. Good.

  “Preston’s going to let me practice flipping the pancakes this morning. And then, we’re going to the aquarium.”

  “That sounds fun. I love the aquarium.” I picked a blueberry off a plate and popped it into my mouth.

  “You should join us,” Preston said.

  I glanced at my phone, which was already blowing up with notifications.

  “Yeah, Mommy. Please! Please!” Sophia chimed in. “It would be so much fun. The three of us could go together.”

  The idea was tempting, but still… I had clients I needed to call, agents to check in with, houses to follow up on.

  “When was the last time you took a day off?” Preston asked. “Like really took the day off?”

  I stopped to think about it, and I honestly wasn’t sure. LA was a vibrant city, a busy city, and real estate was a fast-paced industry. There was a lot of competition, and you had to be on top of your game.

  “Well, I think that answers my question,” Preston said.

  “Please, Mom. You’ve been so busy lately. Can’t you just take part of the day?”

  I considered it, scrolled through my calendar. “I mean, it is technically my Friday,” I said, trying to justify it to myself. “So, maybe—”

  Before I could finish my sentence, Sophia had wrapped herself around me like a spider monkey. I was positive I’d pay for this later, but at the moment, all I could think was that it would be worth it. It would be worth it to spend the day with my daughter.

  I hugged her back and laughed. “All right, well, I guess I’ll go shower so we can go to the aquarium.”

  “Yay! Yay! Yay!” Sophia danced around the kitchen. Preston leaned his hip against the counter, watching her with a doting grin.

  We spent the day exploring the aquarium, and it was perfect. I’d barely looked at my phone, and Sophia seemed to love spending time with both Preston and me. And Preston was great with her. He made me wonder if this was what it was like to have a partner, to have someone to co-parent with. Something I’d certainly never had with Cal.

  After dinner, when we were putting away the dishes, Sophia said, “Time for family movie night.”

  “Well, I’ll, uh, leave you to it.” Preston turned, heading for the pool house.

  I didn’t want him to leave, but I wasn’t sure how Sophia would feel about him watching movies with us. Typically, it had been a tradition for just the two of us. Not even Gabby had been invited.

  “You can’t leave now,” Sophia said to Preston. “Please stay for the movies. Pretty please.” She looked up at him with her pouty lips and big blue eyes.

  “Are you sure?” He glanced to me for approval. “I wouldn’t want to intrude.”

  “Nonsense,” I said. “As long as you’re okay spending what should be your night off watching Annie.” I shrugged.

  His eyes lit up. “I’d love to.”

  “Okay.” Sophia turned, assessing the living room with the eye of a general preparing for battle. “Mom, you make the popcorn. Preston, drinks. I’ll set up the pillows.”

  I laughed, ruffling her hair as I headed toward the kitchen. Sophia switched on the TV, and I could hear a commercial playing in the background.

  I stepped into the pantry for popcorn, and a moment later, Preston’s hands were on my hips, spinning me to face him.

  My eyes went wide. “What are you doing?”

  “Something I’ve bee
n dying to do all day.” He slanted his lips over mine, his touch demanding, punishing even.

  My body instantly responded, desire washing over me. I’d kept it at bay throughout the day, but it was always there, humming beneath the surface. And now, I wasn’t sure I could smother it again so easily.

  “Better get the popcorn going before someone comes to investigate.” He gave me one more peck on the lips.

  I stared at him for a moment, dazed. Finally, I shook my head to clear it and emerged from the pantry, popcorn in hand. I placed it in the microwave and pressed Start.

  “Sophia sure does take her family movie nights seriously,” he teased, mimicking her posture and gestures from earlier.

  I laughed. “Yeah. After the divorce, it kind of became our thing.”

  “I’m sure that was hard on her. Hard on both of you.” Preston grabbed a few waters from the fridge.

  “It was hard on Sophia. For me, it was more of a relief.” I grabbed several bowls for the popcorn.

  “Do you think you’d ever remarry?” He popped the tops off the bottles. The question seemed innocent enough, but it had my heart racing.

  “You mean like Christina on the Coast?” I teased, trying to lighten the moment.

  “Yeah. Like Ant and Christina and their four kids plus one on the way.”

  “Five kids are way too many for me,” I deflected, not prepared to answer his original question.

  “Still, they seem genuinely happy.”

  I nodded, relieved when the microwave beeped to signal the popcorn was done.

  “Mom. Preston,” Sophia called. “What’s taking so long?”

  I laughed. “Be right there, Soph.”

  We settled in to watch the movie, with me sandwiched between Sophia and Preston. Every time he shifted, I caught a whiff of his cedar scent. It mingled with the popcorn to give me a sense of home, of rightness.

  Sophia sang along with the movie, and Preston seemed to be enjoying himself. Though my eyes were trained on the screen, my attention was focused on the man next to me. Every time he moved, his thigh shifted against mine, his hand brushed against my knee. He was making it impossible to concentrate.

  He kept his hand next to my thigh, moving his pinkie finger back and forth along my bare skin. My heart stilled, and I wondered if Sophia would notice. But she seemed too lost in the movie to care. I held my breath, shifting my hand so our pinkies were touching. It was the most innocent of touches, yet it felt practically erotic.