Page 24 of Secret Love (The Single Dad Playbook #2)

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

SUFFERING

TRU

I’ve managed to get through a day and a half of not texting Henley. I feel the void like an aching hole in my chest because we’ve been talking more and more every day. I feel sick about the way we ended things. I thought I’d hear from him yesterday and am surprised…and a little hurt that I still haven’t.

But you ended it, I remind myself. You said it was best to not see each other until the summer, if then.

But why did he have to go and listen to me?

I park in front of The Fairy Hut to meet the girls and am glad for the distraction tonight. Sadie invited Calista and Elle while we were together at the book store yesterday and I’m excited to spend time with all of them again, Felicity too.

When I walk in, Sadie and Felicity are already at a table and they wave me over. Felicity stands up to hug me and then I hug Sadie too before sitting down.

“This is such a cute place.” I look around, taken in by the whimsical decor.

The doors and windows are arched, and it looks like it could be the same builder who designed Henley’s kitchen with the unique wooden turrets.

Calista and Elle come in while I’m laughing about the menu. The names are hilarious.

“Don’t be scared off by the names of things,” Elle says, when I repeat Cow Slobber Soup? under my breath.

“Beyond the Goat Hollow has become my signature drink,” Sadie says, laughing. “I couldn’t tell you what all is in it…too many things to remember…but it’s delicious.”

Sadie and Felicity talk about their day with the wedding plans and both have us laughing hysterically over Felicity’s Type-A level of organization and Sadie’s go-with-the-flow, keep-things-simple mentality. They're a riot together and I love that they're gonna be sisters-in-law because you can tell they adore one another. Henley has told me just a little bit about Sadie. She lost her sister unexpectedly, so I'm really glad she has people she cares about in her life who have helped her through this healing process. They all seem like such great people. I find out too that Rhodes has a little boy named Levi who Elle is crazy about.

“So you guys are best friends, or is there maybe more?” I ask.

Everyone stops and looks at Elle as she shakes her head and laughs.

“No, we're just friends. We've always just been friends. And we’ll only ever be friends. He’s always been hands-off, but now that I’m trying out for a spot on the Mustangs cheer team, that settles it!” She laughs and does a little dance in her seat. “The cheerleaders can’t associate with the players.”

“What? I didn’t know you’re a cheerleader! It makes sense though. You are hot ,” I say.

They all laugh, and Elle’s cheeks flush. “Thank you. We’ll see if I get far enough. And I’m surrounded by hotties,” she says. “I’ve been in a relationship for a long time with Bernard, but—” She and Calista exchange a look.

“But we're trying to talk her out of that one, me and Rhodes,” Calista says. “Have been for a while.”

Elle makes a face. “Yeah, she's not lying. He's not their favorite. And not mine right now either.” She shakes her head. She's quiet for a few minutes after that and the conversation turns to Henley.

“Have you heard from him?” Sadie asks.

“No, nothing, but I can't blame him. I told him we should end things.” I swallow hard. “It's my fault and I knew we were a bad idea to begin with, but?—”

I hear a loud burst of laughter coming through the door and turn to see the five men from the Colorado Mustangs walking in together, looking like every woman's fantasy.

Every woman in the restaurant turns and looks their way. It's like a collective pause that takes place, the noisy chatter dying down to a bated breath of anticipation. I watch as they sit down not too far from us, and Weston and Sadie make eye contact. He blows her a kiss and she blows one back.

“Did you plan this?” I ask her.

“No, I swear I didn’t,” she says, laughing. “But there are only so many places you can go in Silver Hills without running into someone you know. I did plan the other time…and the time before that.” She laughs. “But not tonight, I promise.”

I'm laughing when I look at Henley and he catches me staring at him. He looks serious and like he hasn't slept since our night together. I haven't slept much either, so I know the feeling. He still looks so good, but I feel the weight of his sad eyes on me and stand up suddenly, moving toward the restroom. I need to get away from here or I will be tempted to jog over there and crawl into his lap.

I rinse my face with cold water, shake my hands out, jump around, wiggling my arms as I try to psych myself out in the mirror.

“You can do this. He's just a very hot, sexy man that you like so much and had a life-altering night with. You can be in the same room with him and not jump him. You can be in the same room with him and not look desperate. You’ve got this.”

I point at myself once more emphatically before I walk out and run right into Henley Ward.

Damn, he feels so good.

“Hey,” he says, looking down at me.

His hands steady my shoulders.

“Hey,” I say back.

“You look beautiful.”

“So do you.”

“I miss you.”

“It has felt like a long day and a half.” My voice is half tease, half earnest.

He smiles. “The longest.” He leans in close and whispers, “I don't want to wait until summer.”

“I don't either.”

“It's been torture not talking to you for the past… longest day and a half.”

“I know. I’ve hated it.” I stare at the scruff he’s grown over the weekend, thinking there’s no way this man could ever look bad. “But our situation hasn't changed.”

He groans. “I know. The girls planned an elaborate setup for me and Bree last night. Steak dinner on the deck, candles, flowers, the whole works. We had a talk. I think they get the message that their mom and I are not gonna be together. But things might take a little longer for Cassidy to be on board with me dating you. And it's not because she's not crazy about you. I think it’s because she is .”

“It’s okay. I get it. I would be worried about the whole thing if I were her. Especially at that age, it would have been a lot to take in. I don't blame her for feeling weird about it.”

Someone walks past us and he takes a step back until they move into the restroom and then he steps closer again.

“It's hard to be this close to you and not touch you,” he says.

“Believe me, I'm struggling with not climbing your body like a tree right now.”

He groans. “You can't say things like that to me and not expect me to kiss you senseless.”

“I don't feel your lips on mine.” I lift my shoulder, smirking.

“Oh, you’re trouble, tiny dancer. How about this? We don't have any public tree climbing or declarations. But what happens at my house or your house…or when we're alone in a dark alcove at The Fairy Hut stays between us.”

“I may or may not have told my new girlfriends about my crush.”

“Is that what we're calling it? Because my guys know and have from the beginning. The very first day I met you, I told them about you.”

“You're kidding,” I say, intrigued and a little dizzy from all the swooning going on inside. “But okay, I can agree to those terms. We keep this a secret except between our close friends for now. Are you really okay with that?”

“I don't like Cassidy not being on board with this,” he says. “But I feel like she just needs time and we can give her that while we see where all this can go between us.”

I nod, feeling winded just being near him. “Okay, I can do that. No pressure, just the two of us privately…seeing what happens.”

“Can I see what happens at your place tonight after this?” His lips lift and I laugh, looking away from him because if I don’t, I won’t be able to resist him.

“I think we need to sleep through the night. You at your place and me at mine,” I add, when he starts to insist we will sleep. “I already don’t know if I can look Cassidy in the eye tomorrow. If we spent the night together tonight, I…” I shake my head and make a face.

He lifts his hand to my cheek and glides it over my skin softly. “Fair enough,” he says. “I’ll be thinking about you all night long though. You invaded my dreams last night and woke me up multiple times. This body is suffering from the loss.”

I laugh, thrilled by the things he’s saying. Knowing I have this effect on him makes all the suffering I’ve dealt with since yesterday morning worth it.

“You’ll survive,” I tell him.

He shakes his head. “I’m not sure I will, but this tonight has been almost exactly what I needed.”

We grin at each other like two whipped puppies and I take a step back.

“Oh…how about I meet with Cassidy at school this week, just to make it a little easier on all of us?”

“That doesn’t sound easier for me at all, but I’ll agree to whatever you say.”

I nod. “I think that would be the best. We can gradually move back to house sessions if she gets more comfortable, but for now, let’s do this.”

“Okay, I’ll follow your lead.”

I lean up and kiss him on the cheek and he turns at the last second so our lips brush against each other’s. I suck in a breath and meet his eyes, feeling a rush of adrenaline so powerful it makes me woozy.

“I’ll just go sit down now with my friends,” I say, breathlessly.

He holds his hand out gallantly. “After you.”

When we get back, a table has been pulled up to ours and the guys are sitting there. Henley ends up next to me, his thigh touching mine. He slides his hand up my leg and looks over at me.

“Things are looking up, tiny dancer.”