“You like to see the best in people.” Austen turned toward me. I shifted my legs to give him more room, but he trapped them and pulled them onto his lap. “That’s a good trait, but not if you let people hurt you.”
“That’s a nice way of putting it.”
“How else could I?”
“My friend, Mel, says I just like to save people. She claims I like to go for guys who are broken and try to fix them.” It’s true that the few dates I’d been on since Tim had been with guys with their share of problems, but I never tried to save them. I didn’t have the strength.
Austen didn’t say anything for a moment. “You did marry a guy with anger issues…are there more I don’t know about?”
“Is that your way of asking about my recent dating history?” I teased.
“Maybe.” He finished off his soda and set it down on the floor next to him.
“I met a guy, but it’s not going to work out.” I felt a pang in my chest when I thought about Jake. I knew he’d probably have that reaction, but I liked the fantasy that things could work out.
Austen watched me for a minute, probably trying to make sure I wasn’t going to continue on my own. “Why not?”
“He wasn’t too excited when he found out about Noah.”
Austen ran a hand over my legs through the blanket. “He’s an idiot then. Any guy who’d give up the chance to be with you and Noah has to be out of his mind.”
“Or normal. What guy our age wants to date a single mom? It kind of takes the fun out of things.”
“Why? It doesn’t have to.”
“Come on. Would you really want to date someone like me?” I sat up a little.
“No.”
“See.” I tried to pull my legs away.
He gripped them so I couldn’t. “I would love to date you—not someone like you.”
I couldn’t ignore the chills that ran up my spine when he said it. I’d dreamed of those words coming out of his lips for years. Austen’s face wasn’t classically handsome like Jake’s, his features were more rugged, but he was definitely attractive.
“This is when you’re supposed to tell me you’d love to date me too.” He smiled.
“Even if you were being serious, which I don’t actually believe, how could it work? On top of balancing Noah, I’m supposed to do long distance?”
“Let’s deal with the second part of that first. I have a job opportunity in Wilmington. I just need a reason to take it. As to the first part—I’m serious. Completely serious.”
“Austen…”
“Does it really surprise you that much?”
“Yes. Why now?”
“When was it supposed to happen before? Your brother would have killed me if I asked you out in high school. And, well, you didn’t give me any time after you graduated…” He didn’t need to finish that sentence. I was pregnant before the end of senior year.
“Let’s not do this. We both know you don’t want to move to Wilmington, especially since we don’t know if it would work.”
“I already told you I’d do it if I had a reason. Do you really think I’d rather stay in Ridgeview alone? And the only way to find out if it works is to try it.”
“Try it? I’m only here for the weekend.”
“That leaves tomorrow night. I can make a big impression in one night.” He wriggled an eyebrow even though we both knew he wasn’t talking about us having sex.
“I can’t. Not now. It’s not that I don’t like you. I—”
“It’s that guy, right? You’re hung up on him.”
“Maybe.” Dating Austen would feel like a rebound so soon after Jake, and I could never be with Austen in that way. It would have to be all or nothing.
“Okay. Take some time. I’m not rushing this.”
“I don’t expect you to wait around for me.”
“I never said I was going to. But don’t be surprised if I check back in.” He shifted my legs so he could lean in closer to me. “Soon.”
His breath was warm on my face, and I thought he might kiss me, but instead he just kissed my forehead. “Good night, Em.”
“Good night.”
He smiled before walking around front to his car. I leaned back against the couch. I hoped I hadn’t just made a huge mistake.
I waited until I heard his car pull out of the driveway before I went upstairs and took a hot shower. I’d just pulled on a t-shirt to sleep in when I noticed a missed text message on my phone. I reacted like an idiot. Any way you’d give me another chance?
Seeing Jake’s name on the screen brought back memories from the night we spent together. Memories that hurt to think about.
I didn’t respond right away. I finished getting washed up and slipped into bed with a book. I never had time to read anymore, but I needed a distraction.
Finally, when my eyes got heavy, I put my mystery down on the bed stand and picked up my phone. You didn’t react like an idiot. You reacted like most guys would. Don’t beat yourself up about it. I wanted to add more, but I didn’t.
He responded right away, like he was sitting with the phone. How about the second chance?
I wanted to say yes. If I was just thinking of myself I’d say it in a heartbeat, but I had Noah to think about. Could I really get involved with a guy who reacted the way he did? I don’t think so. There are plenty of less complicated girls out there. Have fun.
I don’t want uncomplicated. I want you.
My stomach knotted when I saw the words. Why did it matter so much to me that he wanted me? I want you too, but it’s not just me.
How old is Noah?
I smiled. He remembered his name. Almost two.
He didn’t reply. Instead, my phone rang. I hesitated but decided to pick it up. “Hi, Jake.”
“Hi, Emily. I wanted to hear your voice.”
“I see.” I leaned back against my pillows, enjoying the familiar feel of my childhood bed.
“So almost two…that’s cool.”
I smiled. “Yes, very cool.”
“I like his name. Did you name him after the guy in the bible?”
I laughed. “The guy in the bible? I suppose every Noah is named after him in a way, but that’s not what I was thinking.”
“So you picked it?”
“Yes. His father wanted to name him Ted, but I won.”
“Oh. I like Noah better. I guess you have better taste than his dad.”