Travis nods. “And it shows.”
I take the plunge. “So, listen, I’m sorry you had to find out the way you did about Daniel.”
He holds up his hand to stop me. “Daniel?” He lets out a breath. “I take it, he’s the husband.” Travis’s entire demeanor changes, and he stands straighter.
“Ex-husband,” I point out.
“Yeah, because I—”
“Stop right there.” I repeat his same gesture. “You need to understand, we were already having problems. I was there that night, contemplating leaving him.”
Travis steps closer to me. “Then, why didn’t you? Why did you leave my bed and go back to him, never even giving me a chance?”
I drop my head down. “For the same reasons you said earlier. I believed in my vows. I was a married woman, and I needed to make our marriage work.” I place my palm on his chest. “I promise you though, at that point in our marriage, he was not the same man I’d married. We had grown apart, and I wasn’t happy. Leaving you was the hardest thing I’d ever done. I was so confused. Being with you felt right, but that didn’t make sense to me because I was married. I can tell you this though … that one night with you was better than my entire marriage. And I’m not just talking about the sex. It was just spending time with you. I didn’t realize how much I’d settled for what I’d thought I wanted. For who I’d thought he was.”
Travis places his hand over mine that’s still on his chest and removes it. My eyes meet his, and he nods.
“Okay. I hear you. I still …” He takes a deep breath. “This is all just a lot to take in at one time. Let me get to know Leighton, and then we can focus on if there will be an us to go along with that.”
I blink away the tears that sting my eyes. “Okay.” I step toward my side of the car.
He rushes to open the door for me and holds on to it, standing firmly with the door in between us, which I take as a solid sign that he meant what he said.
“Thank you for meeting me tonight,” he says.
“Thank you for dinner.”
“Come over around ten tomorrow? We’ll play, and then I’ll grill us some cheeseburgers.”
I smile and nod. “Okay, we’ll be there.”
“I’ll text you the address. Night.”
I wave. “Night.”
I get in the car and want to bang my head on the steering wheel, but I am reminded very quickly that Leighton is still sitting behind me.
“You guys took forever!” he whines.
“Sorry, baby. We’re heading home right now.”
Lord knows, I need to put him to bed and pour myself a glass of wine!
Chapter Twelve
The next day, we arrive at Travis’s place, which is the cutest home ever. I can only imagine he makes good money, being a doctor, but his modest two-bedroom bungalow with a small porch doesn’t scream money. It screams home.
A long driveway on the side leads back to a detached garage, and I see a basketball hoop set up on the side.
We walk up the steps to his porch and ring the doorbell.
When Travis opens the door, he has a dish towel flung over his shoulder. “Hey, glad you guys found it okay. Come on in.”
Leighton runs in without a care in the world, but I stop and take my time. When I entered his apartment all those years ago, I didn’t look around to get a glimpse of who he was. Now, I want to see if I can understand him more by being in his personal surroundings.
His living room is not full bachelor pad but not full designer either. His black leather couches and sleek coffee table are counteracted with a homemade quilt flung across the back of the chair.
“Can I go out back to play?” Leighton asks, standing at the back door.
Travis slings the towel off his shoulder, placing it on the counter. “Sure! Here, let me get the basketball for you.” Travis opens the door, and the two head outside.
I lean against the frame, crossing my arms, as I watch them take a few shots. Leighton can barely get the ball high enough to reach the basket, so Travis holds him up, allowing him to make the shot.
“Yay!” Leighton says, holding his arms up in celebration and bouncing around once Travis puts him on the ground.
“Nice shot, buddy!” I cheer from my spot on the deck.
Travis turns my way, and the grin that’s covering his face is amazing. I know my dad looks at him like a grandpa, but seeing someone look at him like a father puts the biggest smile on my face. Travis should be proud of the little boy he created. Leighton has been such a special addition to my life, and I have Travis to thank.
They play for an hour more while I swing in the hammock he has set up on his back deck.
I so could get used to this …
I’m drifting away when I hear them laughing and walking toward me. When they notice my eyes are shut, I hear Travis whisper, “Shh. I think your mom fell asleep.”
“Should we tickle her?” Leighton asks.
“Well, duh,” Travis responds. “On three. One. Two. Three.”
They both charge me, and I let them, loving this moment and never wanting it to end. We are all giggles as I pick Leighton up and hug him tightly. To my surprise, Travis wraps his arms around both of us.
It feels good.
It feels right.
I turn to Travis. “We should tell him.”
Travis shoots up. “Seriously?” He doesn’t hide his surprise one bit.
I smile and nod, taking Leighton and sitting him up straight so we’re all swinging together.
“So, Leighton, how would you feel if you got to see Travis more often?”
“And play more basketball?” Leighton’s face lights up.
Travis and I laugh.
“Yes, and we can play more basketball, whenever you want,” Travis says.
“Yes!” Leighton celebrates.
I glance to Travis and grin, feeling so happy to be able to tell Leighton who Travis really is. “So, you like Travis?”
Leighton nods. “Of course I do. Did you see him pick me up for a basket?”
Travis holds out his hand to high-five Leighton.
“How would you feel if he were your daddy?”
Leighton’s eyes narrow slightly as he takes in what I just said. He holds his hand to his chest. “But I don’t have a daddy,” he says shyly.
Hearing him say that breaks my heart, but it heals when Travis grips my hand.
“You do now, son,” Travis says, his voice cracking. “Can I be your daddy?”
Leighton jumps off my lap and crawls up onto Travis’s. “Seriously?” he says, his voice laced with that of Christmas-morning excitement.
“Seriously,” I say as tears fill my eyes.
“Would you be okay with that?” Travis asks.
“Yes!” He wraps his arms around Travis’s neck. When he pulls away, he turns back to me. “Does this mean we get to move here? Shouldn’t I live with you and my daddy?”
My chest tightens at his question. “Well, sweetie—”
Travis grips my hand again. “I can imagine we can make that happen very soon.”
The tears I was holding back start to fall instantly.
“Just give your mommy and I some time to sort things out, and we’ll make sure your room is ready and fit for a king when you do move in.”