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Now he looked even more embarrassed. “Ah, no. I made it.”
“What?” Man, I was confused. “As in, you cooked it?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“On the stove.”
I blinked at him for a few moments. “But…you don’t know how to cook.”
“I’m learning,” he shrugged.
“I see,” I replied, even though I didn’t see. At all. “Well, thank you very much. That’s very thoughtful of you.”
“Uh, no problem. I just thought it might help out a bit.”
Oh god, he looked so awkward I just wanted to hug him. “It really does.”
“Great. I’m glad.”
Then we just stood there, in my living room, gazing at each other. It was more than a little strained, but just the same, the longing that hit me almost knocked me over. I pulled the cooler bag to my chest like a shield.
“I should probably get going.”
“Okay then,” I said, swallowing hard against the lump in my throat. “Take care, Wolfe.”
“You too, Esme,” he said softly before turning and walking out the door. I watched as he pulled out of the driveway, my heart aching with the weight of yearning I felt for him.
Closing the door, I carried the cooler bag to the kitchen and placed it on the counter, curiosity mingling with anticipation. Unzipping the bag, I found neatly packed containers holding the components for what appeared to be make-your-own mini burgers. There were even instructions on how to warm up the precooked patties and assemble the burgers. What the fuck was this, really? It was super cute, but as I put the containers away, I couldn’t figure out what had prompted Wolfe to learn to cook in the first place, but then, to bring us a meal? What was that about? The gesture was wholly unexpected, yet undeniably endearing, and I just didn’t know what to make of it.
CHAPTER35
Wolfe
Ilay back on the sofa in my house in Esperance, hands behind my head, gazing up at the ceiling, still basking in the success of the meal drop-off. A small but triumphant smile played at the corners of my mouth as I replayed the moment in my head. I’d stayed cool, composed, even a bit aloof, while handing over the cooler bag. No declarations of undying love, even though every fiber of my being screamed to do just that. No clinginess, just a casual, “I made you dinner.”
And okay, Esme didn’t need to know that I’d had to remake the burgers five times because I kept burning them on the outside and leaving them raw in the middle. Or that, in a fit of desperation, I’d phoned the head chef at my favorite burger joint in New York for guidance.
Esme’s face when I’d handed over the bag had made it all worth it. Christ, she was unbelievably gorgeous. I just wanted to drag her into my arms and hold her forever.Slow down.Even though my feelings for Esme were stronger than ever, I knew I had to proceed carefully. The last thing she needed was for me to barge back into her life like the knight in shining armor she didn’t need. No, I needed to be her friend first and foremost. This was the long game, and I was prepared to play it for as long as I needed to.
Feeling too restless to sit, I pushed to my feet, pacing around the living room. I barely noticed the sunset sky outside, streaked with mauve and peach, or how dim it was inside. What else could I do for Esme? What did she need from me? I blew out a breath of frustration because fuck it; I had no idea. I wanted to do more for her than just be a meal delivery service, but how was I supposed to know what else I could do?
What I needed was guidance. A roadmap to navigate the unfamiliar territory of being a supportive friend without making Esme feel like she owed me anything. Rubbing my hands over my face, I tried to control the frustration that was building. I needed to ask someone, dammit, but who? My sister Caitlyn? Single, childless, and would laugh in my face if she knew what I was trying to do. Don’t know why I even thought of her. Stef? How would that go, exactly?I’m in love with your best friend and want to prove to her she can trust me enough to share her life with me. Care to help me?I flinched at the thought.
No, the people I really needed to speak to were other single moms. The obvious problem with that was any single moms in my circle weren’t struggling with running households on their own. My gaze fell on my laptop and that’s when it hit me. Where better to find a lot of single moms than the internet? I hurried over to the table, dragged a chair out, and opened the laptop in one fluid motion. The time it took the computer to start up felt like an eternity, and I sat there, tapping my finger on the table while I waited. Finally, I opened a browser and typed “single mom forums” into the search bar.
The third one on the list was calledExtraordinary Chaos Mammas Uniteand for some reason, it stood out, so I clicked it. It looked pretty good, with a lot of friendly chitchat, so I set up a profile and dived straight in.
HelpingHand_W:Hey everyone. A close buddy of mine is a single mom, and I’m on a mission to become the world’s best unofficial uncle. What’s the secret sauce to helping out?
Then I waited. But not for long, because holy shit, these women loved the idea.
SunshineMom82:Hey HelpingHand_W,Welcome! Your friend’s super lucky to have you. Not many people would go this far. Can’t wait to chat more with you!
SoloParentSarah:Hey there,HelpingHand_W!Your post really hit home. It’s so cool that you want to help your friend like this. Looking forward to hearing more from you!
Mindful_Motherhood:HiHelpingHand_W!Wow, your message really made me smile. You’re doing something special here, and I can’t wait to see what you bring to our group.