“Mmm.” He nods his head. “That is good.”
I pick up the other half and hand it to him. “Here, take the second half.”
He scoots closer to share the box with me as he takes a bite.
When I glance over to Charity, she’s got hearts in her eyes as she takes in the ease between Sebastian and me. She’s right. We’re like an old married couple even though we’ve only officially been together for a few weeks. There’s been this level of comfort between us since the day we met, and it’s only getting better as each day passes.
We see each other when we can, and there aren’t hard feelings when we can’t. He opens doors and pays for dinner. He tries my chocolate recipes and listens to me drivel on about the new layout ideas for the website. I listen as he talks about past cases he’s worked on, and I even indulged in a game of Pictionary with him because it’s his favorite. He’s theatrical and competitive, so I can see why. We walk our dogs and talk about music. It’s by far the easiest relationship I’ve ever been in.
“So, you’re wanting to meet someone?” Sebastian asks Charity, who snaps out of her dazed expression.
“Aren’t we all?” She tries to blow it off with a wave and takes a sip from her drink. “Not everyone is as lucky as you two meeting via a wrong text. If you know of anyone who’s not a total asshole or who doesn’t have massive baggage, let me know.”
My chest tightens at the baggage comment. While being with Sebastian has been easy, there is a very large elephant in the relationship that threatens to make it difficult.
Yes, I’ve come to terms with Sebastian being a father, but coming to terms and fully knowing what will happen in a few short months are two completely different things.
I know I’m living in blissful ignorance, but it’s like the song “The Dance” by Garth Brooks. I guess I’ll never know if the pain was worth it if I don’t take the dance first. I just pray I don’t fall too hard if he decides a relationship with me is too much in the juggle of his life.
When I turn back to Sebastian, I can tell the wheels in his mind are spinning as he stares off to the ceiling, like I’ve seen him do when he’s trying to find the right words to say as he works on his closing arguments.
He slowly starts to nod his head. “I think I might know a guy. He’s a lawyer too, and last I heard, he was single. Good guy, and he went into real estate law, so he doesn’t work the long hours I do.”
“Well, I’m game if you think he’s worthy of all of this.” She shimmies her hand down her body in an overdramatic way as she shakes slightly in her chair.
We both chuckle at her antics.
“Yeah, I think you two will do just fine,” he says.
Charity’s phone alarm goes off. “Time for me to run. I have to get to work.” She takes a final bite of her sandwich and then packs up the remnants in the cardboard box.
Sebastian finds her endearing. “Do you have an alarm on your phone, telling you when you need to leave?”
“Hell yeah, I do. I tend to lose track of time pretty easily, especially when I get to hang out with my bestie here.” She points at me and then stands, tossing her garbage in a nearby trash and recycling bin. “It’s saved my ass plenty of times. It was great finally meeting you, Sebastian. Talk to your guy, and if he’s down, we can go on a double date.”
His chuckle fills the room. “I will. Great meeting you too.”
Charity leaves with a wave, and I turn to Sebastian. “You’re pretty wonderful, you know that?”
He turns to me and slides an arm on the back of my chair. “Is that only because I told her I’d hook her up with my friend?”
He leans in and kisses my neck and then the tender spot of my jaw, sending chills throughout my body that pool right where they shouldn’t since we’re sitting in the middle of a coffee shop and can’t do anything about it.
I run my fingers up his thigh. “Not only that. You’re wonderful because you’re you.”
“Well, you’re pretty spectacular, so I guess that makes us a dynamic couple.” He kisses my lips before pulling back with a smirk, knowing damn well how turned on he just got me.
I take a deep breath and then pick up my latte, needing to change my thought process, and then I remember I needed to ask him something. “Hey, do you have plans tonight? I have a meeting at the bank at four, but I was hoping we could toast in celebration of my new loan.”
His smile falls as he shakes his head. “I’m sorry, but I do. Lauren has a sonogram tonight. I asked her to make it the last appointment of the day, so I could attend. It’s a 3-D image, so I’ll be able to see his face.”
There’s that gleam that ignites in his eyes when he talks about his son. It’s hard for me to be annoyed with him when he is so genuinely happy.
“That sounds awesome. Have you thought of names yet?”
“I have. I’d like to name him Oliver, after my father, but I’m sure she has some very hip names planned, like Wyatt or Hudson. Perhaps she’ll let me tug on her ear a bit at dinner tonight.”
I sit up in my seat at this news. “Dinner?”
His stature tilts a bit as he sits back, looking at me to assess my reaction. “Yes. The plan was to go to dinner afterward. There are a few things I want to discuss with her. Are you okay with that?”
“Yes!” I say rather too convincingly. “You should take the mother of your child out for a meal.”
I swallow down any bad feelings I have about this dinner—because I do have a few. I know how charismatic Sebastian can be. He is a natural flirt and can woo any woman, just with a greeting. I know he wouldn’t cheat on me, but I can’t deny that he wouldn’t give Lauren false hope. I shake my head and rid myself of the dramatic thoughts. I’m getting way ahead of myself.
“What sort of things did you plan to discuss?”
“Her birth plan, for starters. I think we should take a few parenting classes, as neither of us has had small children in our families for quite some time. I’d also like to discuss our joint custody. Where our son will live and how often I’ll get to see him.”
I blink at the details. “That’s a lot to discuss.”
“It’s a long relationship the two of us will have together. I’ve seen these things go south fast. If we do this with the mind-set that we’re a family, I think the three of us can make it work.”
“Three of us?” I perk up, feeling included.
“Yes. Me, Lauren, and Oliver. Well, assuming she lets me have my way.” His grin showcases his positivity that he can convince her. He repeats the name of his future child a few times and continues to grin.
Meanwhile, I’m stuck on the word family.
The fact that he already sees them as one is his greatest virtue. It’s the kind of thing that could make me fall in love with him. It’s also the thing that scares me the most.
He grins and leans over to kiss me. I let his tongue will my mind away from all thoughts that bare the things out of my control as I melt into him. My eyes are hooded, and my lips are still puckered when he pulls back and rubs his thumb along my cheek.
“Sorry tonight won’t work, but I have the entire weekend dedicated to you. Anything you want, I am at your beck and call.”