Lucas pulls his phone out of his pocket and quickly swipes the screen, then turns it towards me. Looking, I see a sweet-looking kid with curly brown hair, and he’s sitting on the floor building with Lego.
I smile, “He’s adorable. I can see the resemblance.”
“Oh, so I’m adorable?” Lucas gives me a cheeky look.
I roll my eyes and move on. “He lives with his mom?”
Lucas gently nods, “Yeah, we split custody. Not my ideal, but that is a story for another time.”
Without hesitation, my fingers reach out and touch his arm to give him reassurance and comfort. His lips twitch with my touch. I’m really trying to be a normal friend, but my sensors pick up on his hard muscles underneath his shirt and it’s apparent that I’m feeling something that I shouldn’t feel for just a friend.
“And you? Ex-husband a nightmare? New boyfriend a prince?”
My eyes flick up to meet his, and a wry smile forms on my mouth. “Well. Ex-husband and I don’t speak, we don’t have a need to. I consider myself lucky in that we both just knew it was for the best. And… no boyfriend.”
Lucas licks his lips, and it seems he’s trying to hide a grin. There’s a pause between us as we just look at each other and his eyes are just like I saw earlier today on a Labrador puppy, except these eyes have a tint of sexiness to it.
We’re broken by Leo slapping a hand on Lucas’s back and Jess coming to my side.
“Catching up?” Leo enquires with a cunning grin.
“Abby, want to head out? Max and Leo were talking about doing shots, but to be honest, my tolerance for assholes is running thin.” There is attitude in Jess’s voice as she gives a murderous look to Leo who seems to enjoy the rise.
Looking at Lucas, I can see that even if I stay, there are too many people around to really talk more. Matchbox is getting busy, and soon live music will play, making it impossible to speak.
“Yeah. I’m going to head out. It was a long day,” I answer, and it’s the truth as I’m exhausted.
“It was good to catch up a little,” Lucas mentions softly, and I nod gently.
Getting up, my fingers brush along his arm as I walk away with a conscious sway, fairly confident his brown eyes, smooth as glass marbles, are watching my movements.
LUCAS
What was I freaking thinking? Saturday morning at the grocery store? I may need to question my mental state.
Walking along the aisles, I throw random crap into the cart. Theo’s favorite crackers for next time he visits and cereal for me.
Looking up from my cart, I notice the occasional blush and smile from ladies. It is a small enough town that people either remember me or heard the latest gossip that I’m the new doctor in town. The brunette by the peanut butter jars is throwing fuck-me eyes in my direction for sure. For six years, I was off the market and turned off my radar. Now, my radar has been updated and the fish seem to be even more eager for a nibble.
Shaking my head to myself, I pull out my phone from my pocket and roam the group message with the guys and continue to push my cart gently. I abruptly stop when my cart bangs into something, and I immediately shoot my eyes up.
“So sor—” my look of apology grows into a satisfied grin.
There’s a pair of green eyes that resemble little lakes staring at me as she stands tall with a hand on her hip. “You must be stalking me.”
“You could be stalking me,” I counter.
“Or I could be like a normal human and just shopping at the one of two supermarkets in this town,” Abby quips.
Adjusting my posture so I lean behind my cart, I take a second to register the view of Abby in jeans and a thick coat. Glancing at her cart, I notice that she has vegetables, fruit, yogurt, and everything that this bachelor would never keep in his kitchen pantry.
She must be inspecting my contents too. “Since you have a little boy, I’m going to let your box of Cap’n Crunch and lack of vegetables in the cart go.”
“Cap’n Crunch is the breakfast of champions, and maybe I haven’t gone to the vegetable aisle yet.”
Her face says she isn’t buying it. “Hmm, doubt it as that is at the entry of the store,” she volleys.
I chuckle slightly. “True. But I do need to get a bunch of meat and stuff for a BBQ, so I’m thinking I didn’t plan this journey right.”
Lines form on her face. “A BBQ in winter?”
“Yeah, the guys convinced me since my parents decked out the backyard with a hot tub and woodburning fire.”
Her laugh fills the aisle. “You guys are basically throwing a party like you’re 17 again, aren’t you?” Her eyes give me a knowing look.
My head bobs side to side and I think about it for a second. Scratching my cheek, I have to grin. “I didn’t look at it that way, but now that you mention it…”
“Let me guess, Max is making his signature drink, and a stop on your journey here is the beer aisle?”
I nod and a scoff escapes me. She nailed it exactly.
A thought comes to me in that second as I get lost in her bright smile. She and I once kissed; we were young and inexperienced, but we kissed. My guess is it would be different this time. More skilled. More possibilities of where it could go physically.
Gosh, back in the day we were all careless-and-free kids. Now we are adults with responsibilities and experience that have proven all our teenage expectations of romance and life wrong. I still have fun, but it’s different now. It is sensible, and I am always aware that there is a little guy needing me to be a strong role model.
Maybe I got lost too much in that thought as I’m brought back to Abby when she clears her throat.
“Anyhow. It was good to run into you. Again. But I’ll let you get on with your shopping.”
My mouth opens before I register what is about to come out. “You should come to the BBQ,” I invite her, and I realize my filter thinks it is a great idea.
She looks slightly taken aback.
“Come on. It’ll be a blast. Jess can come. We can throw some Weezer or Nada Surf on the speakers. It’ll be like old times, except something tells me we handle our alcohol better,” I try to persuade her.
There’s still a little hesitation on her face. “I-I guess it would be fun. I’m not on call this weekend so I can have a drink or two.” Her reluctance fades to a smile. “What can I bring?”
I shrug a shoulder. “Nothing. I’ll get everything now for the BBQ. Just bring your bikini as we’re starting up the hot tub tonight.” It came out innocently, but I realize in retrospect that it could be taken out of context. But I like that. I like that a lot.
“Okay, Dr. Kade. I guess…I will see you later.” She nibbles her bottom lip and looks adorable. Her eyes giving me a sparkle before she walks away.
It takes a minute before I knock myself back into action mode. I have items to buy and a need to up the ante with my wine selection for tonight.
Chapter Three
Lucas
One thing I hate to admit—and a ping of guilt takes over me—is that not having Theo with me 24/7 as before means it’s easier to throw back a few good drinks and not have to worry about getting home to let the babysitter go. It’s a taste of my life pre-fatherhood. It’s not like I missed it. Being a parent is everything I wanted and more. I took to it better than my ex did. For Isabella, Theo was an obstacle to the life she wanted. For me, my son has enhanced my life to the fullest, and I relish my time with him. But I can’t deny that it is also enjoyable to have more time for myself again.