“Wait, please let me explain. I really am sorry.”
I look over at her. “It’s okay. I know your situation is hard.”
“I don’t have any friends, and Reed’s only one is Sadie. We don’t tell people because we’re both tired of being used. Most people just want playoff tickets, or other more adult reasons,” she explains, without saying that it’s about sex.
I like Brooke, and Sadie loves Reed. Truth is, Reed is Sadie’s only friend too. I know how hard it is to explain to small children that you don’t have a daddy because he’s in heaven.
“Brooke, it’s fine. I mean it. Nothing will change. I promise.”
“One thing could change.” She gives me a small grin.
“What?”
She looks down at Sadie, then back at me. “That question that keeps being asked to you, you could say ‘yes’.”
Great. Not her too. I know that she’s talking about Ashton asking me out. I thought he might have told her, but now I have my confirmation. “I don’t know.”
I don’t know. I had been firmly saying ‘no’ for the past week and a half. Crap, maybe he is wearing me down.
Brooke steps to my right, leaning in so Sadie doesn’t hear her. “He’s a great guy. And I can tell you I’ve never seen him going after anyone this hard before. It’s one date. What could it hurt?”
I bite down on my lip. It could hurt Reed and Sadie’s friendship. Then again, this is the first time I’d actually seen him, and he travels a lot. “I think we need to leave.” I give her a small smile.
She nods. “Here. Let me give you some gas money or something.”
I shake my head. “No, it’s fine, really. I know you would do it for me.”
“I’ve got it, Brooke.” Ashton comes around the corner, reaching into his back pocket.
My heart jumps a little. His t-shirt is tight around his arms, and his jeans are hanging a little low with his boxers peeking out.
“Really. It’s fine.” I hear my voice crack.
Ashton comes and stands next to Brooke.
“Hey, I know you!” Sadie exclaims. “My mom hates you.”
“Sadie,” I growl at her.
“Well, you do, right? He’s that hockey guy.” Sadie looks confused now.
Ashton and Brooke laugh.
“Sadie, I am that guy. Your mom doesn’t like my team, huh?” Ashton bends down to her.
“No, she hates the Bears,” Sadie confirms.
I have the urge to bolt out of this house before she says anything else.
“Do you hate the Bears?” Ashton asks.
“I don’t like hockey very much, but Mommy loves it,” she says brightly. “Can I see Reed?”
“Let me take you,” Brooke offers. “He isn’t contagious. I think his dad gave him too many chicken nuggets the other night.” Brooke shoots Ashton a mean glance.
She takes Sadie’s hand, and now I’m alone with Ashton. In his house.
Crap.
“You have a nice house. I figured it would be some huge mansion on the hill, though.”
“Thank you. If you would ever say yes to me, then you would know that I’m not a guy who needs or wants a big house. I have enough trouble keeping this clean after Reed stays.”
“I know what you mean. Sadie is a messy kid too. Um, but I think we should be going.”
“No need to rush. Our kids are best friends, and I need to take advantage of you being in my house. Would you like to go out with me? Let’s list a few reasons why you should. One, I’ll repeat that our kids are best friends. Two, I’m an awesome dad and person, if I say so myself, but I can get references, if you wish. Three, there is really no reason you should say no. Four, you’re beautiful and a great mom to Sadie, and you deserve a date night.”
“First, don’t use the children as pawns in your game. Second, if I do say yes, will you stop sending roses every day? I have no more room in my office.”
“I already told you if you’d say yes and go out with me, then I would leave you alone if a second date is out of the question. You are running the show, Lexie. So what’s it going to be? Yes, or should I go ahead and call about more flower deliveries?”
“One date. You get one date, and after that no more. Okay?”
A large smile spreads across his face. “I could kiss you right now, but I’ll save that for my one and only date.” He winks.
I roll my eyes. “I’m only doing this so you’ll leave me alone. Now, I’m going to go get Sadie. You have my number already. Just let me know when, so I can line up a sitter.”
“I will definitely do that. Here, I’ll show you the way to his room. Don’t get any crazy ideas about stopping at my room first. There are kids in the house, you know.”
“Are you going to be this perverted on the date? Because if you are, I’m canceling.”
“I’m a gentleman, Lexie. That’s all you should expect for our date.”
I don’t say anything else, only follow him down the hall. Sadie is sitting on the side of the bed, holding Reed’s hand. It cute how much she likes him.
“Come on, Sadie,” I say softly.
“Bye, Reed. Bye, Miss Brooke.” She jumps off the bed and takes my hand.
I smile at everyone and head back towards the front door. Well, I almost sprint to it.
“Hey, why don’t we head over to Aunt Tiff’s house?”
Sadie claps with excitement, and I drive to the other side of town.
~
“Well, if it isn’t my favorite niece.” Tiff kisses her cheek.
“I’m your only niece.” Sadie laughs. Even though she doesn’t understand, that’s a sad statement. At least, it is for me.
Tiff takes her into the kitchen and hands her a cookie. Normally, I would be upset, but not when Tiff does it. She spoils Sadie worse than Mom and Dad. “So, to what do I owe this visit?”
“We just came from Reed’s house. He’s sick,” Sadie says sadly.
“And we also learned today that Reed’s dad is Ashton Campbell,” I add.
Tiff gasps. “Shut up.”
“And I said ‘yes’.”
Tiff stares at me, dumbfounded. Her mouth is agape. “Sadie, go watch TV.”
She grabs another cookie and goes off to the living room.
“Tell me everything.” She jerks on my arm to sit down at the kitchen table.
I tell her the entire story. How Ashton came over to the house and then I had to go to his. I told her how Brooke told me to say ‘yes’, and how I finally caved.
“This is the greatest day ever.” Tiff’s face is bright with excitement.
“I figured it would get him off my back.”
“You’re not excited at all?”
I shrug.
“I can’t believe you.”
“You want the truth?” She nods. “No one has pursued me like this since Tony.” I did it. I finally said aloud the one thought that has been weighing on me.
“Lex, you’re my best friend, and Tony was my twin brother, so please understand me when I say this. I miss him too. Every single day. However, he wouldn’t want you to be sad. He would want you to date and find someone.” Tiff tells me this all the time. I feel like she says it every day. I know what she means, but it’s still hard for me too. Tony was my soulmate. He loved me like no one else could. “Just go out with him and have fun. For one night, be crazy.”
I roll my eyes. “Be crazy?”
“Yes. Do it. Do him, for Pete’s sake.”
I laugh. “I don’t know about all that.”
“Well, I know you’ve not been laid in at least three years.”
“Stop it. Sadie might hear you.”
“No, she won’t. So, when is the date?”
I shake my head. “I don’t know.”
“Just remember: go crazy.”
Chapter Eight
Ashton
“Your son is in the other room, sick as a dog, and you’re grinning like a fool.” Brooke is wearing a small smile he
rself. “Why is that, Ash?”
“She said yes,” I say simply with a shrug of my shoulders. “And hey, he’s got a stomach bug, so don’t try and pin this on me. I haven’t fed him fast food. He probably caught it at school.”
“Don’t try and change the subject. Where are you going to take her?”
“I’m not sure yet. I honestly thought I would be sending her flowers and gifts for the rest of my life. She didn’t seem like she would ever change her mind.” I smile sweetly at her and add, “If she needs someone, are you up for babysitting Sadie?”
“Sure. Go ahead and tell her that I will, actually. They can hang out and I can gauge how it went by how she is when she comes to pick Sadie up.”
“You’re the best, Brooke.”
She smiles as Reed calls out for her. She goes to him as the victory pulses through me. Now I need to make sure this date is perfect, so she’ll give me a second one.
~
Lexie agreed to let Brooke keep Sadie for our date tonight. I haven’t been this nervous since I found out Brooke was pregnant. What makes it even more nerve-racking is that because it’s been a long couple of days, I offered to just have a relaxing dinner at my place. She seemed skeptical and weary when I told her, but she didn’t cancel. My phone on the counter starts buzzing with incoming texts.
Brooke: Remember to be a gentleman
Brooke: Don’t do anything to freak her out
Brooke: Have fun, don’t make too many forward comments
I laugh. Fortunately, I’m unable to reply before there’s a knock on my door. Standing on the other side is a beautiful Lexie in dark jeans and a modest blue blouse. My gaze travels over her twice before words leave my mouth.
“You’re beautiful, Lexie.” I smile, stepping forward to kiss her cheek. “C’mon in.”
There’s a small blush on her face, and she seems a bit surprised. “A date usually implies going out,” she says.
“Yes, well, I thought a nice easygoing dinner here sounded better. Don’t worry, I’m not going to seduce you.”
Lexie rolls her eyes as I grin on our way to the dining room. I had just finished setting the table before she arrived. The lights are dimmed as four candles burn brightly to give us more light. I help her out of her jacket, hang it on the back of her chair, and then pull it out so she can sit down. Before I do the same, I pour us each a glass of wine. Our plates are already filled with food, and I clear my throat as we begin to eat.
“I feel like I should apologize for us not telling you that I was Reed’s father. Brooke didn’t know about me trying to ask you out until that playdate either.”
“It’s okay. I understand.” She takes a bite. “This is really good,” she says. “Did you cook this?”
When I nod, I can see the tiniest expression of her being impressed over my pork chops and homemade mashed potatoes. “This is Reed’s second favorite meal, so I figured I couldn’t go wrong with it.”
“I’m betting chicken nuggets is his favorite. Sadie is the same way.”
I chuckle. “Yep. I’m ready for the pizza phase. There’s only so many chicken nuggets I can eat.”
“I know what you mean. So, how’s practice? I see Jax is still beating you in points.” A small smile appears.
“Practice is good. Jax won’t be able to hold it, though. He’s a good guy, but he’ll fall behind about halfway through the season like he did last year. How did that become your favorite team anyway?”
Lexie hesitates. “Sadie’s father was a huge Gamblers fan. He was stationed near Vegas, and it became his favorite team.” He must have been in the military, then. Maybe that’s how he died.
I nod, unsure of how much I should say. “Were you a fan before that?”
“I wasn’t as big as a fan as I am now, but I did like hockey. What about you? What made you love hockey so much?”
“My dad played, so he wanted me to play. I fell in love with the game and the competitiveness of it. I was really bad at first, like way worse than all the other kids, but Dad pushed me and I wanted to be good more than anything, so I kept practicing until I was. There was no way I could give it up. In case you haven’t noticed, I don’t stop until I have what I want.”
“No matter how annoying you are about it,” she says in a monotone. “So, Brooke told me you two met in college. Which college?”
“Just a college in Delaware. Where did you go to school?”
“Here. I went to a local college. I didn’t want to travel a whole lot, and it was a good excuse to stay at home rent-free,” she giggles.
“How long have you been back here?”
“Oh, I’ve never really left, but I just bought my house to make sure Sadie was in the right school district. Are you enjoying Utah?”
“Yeah, Reed loves it here, and Brooke doesn’t seem to mind it. I hope I can stay with this team for a long time, so I won’t have to uproot them again, especially now that he’s met Sadie.” I know Brooke doesn’t care for all the moving around we’ve done, so I’m extremely thankful that she’s willing to do it anyway to keep Reed close to me.
Lexie nods. “Brooke said that she moves with you. I know Sadie is happy to have Reed as her friend too. Sometimes its hard for her to make friends.”
“Reed too, but that ends up being more my fault than his shy-at-first personality.”
“Reed is shy? I don’t think I’ve seen that side of him.” She smiles, causing me to laugh.
“Well, I think that’s enough about our kids, don’t you think? I want to know you. Reed could always tell me about Sadie. So, aside from hating on my team, what else do you love to do?”
“Um, nothing. I mean, I read the occasional book now and again, but I mostly work and take care of Sadie. I have a very boring life. What about you? Do you have hobbies?”
“I go to Vegas here and there to gamble with some friends, and we go snowboarding sometimes.”
“Oh, you like to snowboard?” Her eyes light up. “I do too. Well, I mean, I did,” she hastily adds. “I’m getting too old for it now, but Tony and I would go all the time when we were younger.” Her mouth clamps shut. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to say that last part.”
“It must be hard on you without him, especially with having Sadie. How long has it been, if I may ask?”
“Sadie will be seven in December, so it’ll be seven years in November.” He never got the chance to meet his daughter? Oh, wow. “Sometimes it doesn’t seem that long ago, and some days it’s a lifetime. I figured Brooke told you.”
“No, she didn’t.” I shake my head. “She only said you were Sadie’s mom.”
“How did you know?” Her eyes crinkle with suspicion, and I already feel bad for what I’m about to say.
“Reed.” With caution, I proceed to clear away her confusion. “He asked why some kids’ dads weren’t around. He said Sadie told him that her dad was in a happier place and loved her, but he didn’t understand why he didn’t come play with her. That’s all I know about him.”
I’ve never heard a sadder voice than when she speaks next. “Tony and I started dating when we were fourteen. We stayed together all through high school and he joined the Army the moment he turned eighteen. When I found out I was pregnant, we got married. He was killed in Iraq and six weeks later, I had Sadie.”
‘I’m sorry’ doesn’t seem like the best thing to say, so I go with what I would rather say instead. “I’m sure he would be proud of how good a job you’ve done with Sadie.”
Lexie gives me a small smile in appreciation before changing the subject. “I guess I’m the worst first date you’ve ever had?”
“Not even close to the worst. Has this been your worst? Because if not, then you know what I’m going to do,” I say with a grin.
“Ashton, come on, you couldn’t possibly want a second date?”
“Oh, but I do. I need to see your fun side next, and definitely before I make any final decisions about future dates.”
“There’s no point in arguin
g, so I’m going to ask for a compromise. Mainly because I’m a little nosy and curious. What’s the deal with you and Brooke? I mean, she keeps saying you’re friends, but I don’t want her mad at me if something does or doesn’t happen.”
I laugh at her concern. “She’s one of my best friends, Lexie. That’s all. She would probably get mad at me before she got mad at you. You have nothing to worry about. She’ll most likely still be your friend, and neither of us would keep Reed from playing with Sadie or anything like that. He’s our first priority no matter what, and I know it’s the same for you with Sadie.”
“I agree. Plus, I don’t want to say anything about whatever this is to them either.”
“Of course. As far as they are concerned, I’m just Reed’s dad and you’re just Sadie’s mom.” I stand and grin. “Are you up for some dessert?”
“Did you seriously just ask me that?”
A laugh rumbles out of my chest. “You should get your mind out of the gutter, Lexie. I was talking about brownies topped with ice cream. Pretty sure the brownies are still warm too.”
“Oh. Sorry. You were grinning and looking at me like I was dessert.”
“You are, just not today,” I wink. She follows me into the kitchen, taking a seat at the bar while I prepare dessert. Something she said, though, is nagging me. “How old are you, Lexie? You keep saying you’re old, but,” I turn and rake my eyes over her again, “there’s no way you’re much older than I am.”
Lexie groans. “You can’t ask a woman her age.”
“Yes, I can, so answer me. Whipped cream?” I add, opening the fridge.
“I should probably say no, but Tiffany told me to go crazy, so I’m saying yes. Do you have any chocolate syrup too?”
I laugh. “Whipped cream and chocolate syrup is you going crazy? If that’s the case, would you like caramel drizzled on top as well?”
Lexie licks her lips. Her mouth moves in an answer, but I’m too distracted by her tongue peeking out and wetting her lips to hear her.
“What?”
“I said that sounds great,” she repeats.
“Oh, right.” Caramel too. Of course. I finish adding the toppings and carry our bowls over, setting one down in front of her before I take a seat next to her. “Enjoy.”
Let's Be Crazy Page 5
