He looks uncertain but pulls his jacket on after zipping Hailey’s. “Okay.”
I convince him to let me drive us and putting Hailey’s booster seat in the backseat of my car since it’s a thirty-minute drive to my parent’s house out in the country. They’re retired and done with city life.
The ride is fairly quiet except for Hailey belting out her own words to the pop hits on the radio, and when we arrive, I smile when I see the farmhouse, out in the middle of nowhere and surrounded by trees, that my parents call home.
“This is awesome,” Rafe says, looking at the same thing I am.
I climb out of the car while he helps Hailey out, and then we walk toward the front door. Not surprisingly, my mother walks out before we even reach the porch. Her arms wrap around my neck as she stands on her tiptoes to reach me. “Nolan. I’ve missed you.”
I chuckle but wrap my arms around her too. “Mom, it’s barely been a month.”
She laughs, a warm, comforting sound before releasing me, looking at my face. “I know, but I worry.”
“I know.”
She waves me off and then turns to Rafe and Hailey. “It’s so nice to meet you two. I’m Janine, Nolan’s mom.”
“I’m Hailey!” Hailey has no problem with introductions.
My mom melts, like everyone does in Hailey’s presence, placing a hand over her heart. “Oh, aren’t you just the cutest little thing!”
Hailey nods her head. “Yes.”
“Hailey,” Rafe warns, shaking his head, but he has a small smile playing on his lips. “I’m sorry. We’re working on manners,” Rafe says in my mom’s direction.
Her smile only widens as she looks Rafe over. Seeing where her mind is going, I pray she doesn’t say anything embarrassing. “I think she’s got manners down. She just happens to know how cute she is.” Hailey beams, and my mom assesses Rafe even further. “And you’re Rafe?”
He nods, holding his hand out for her. “Yes. It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Burke.”
She bats his hand away and pulls him into a hug. “Please, never call me that again. That’s my mother-in-law’s title. Call me Janine.”
Rafe smiles as my mom squeezes the life out of him. “Okay.”
“Mom, let him go.”
She laughs and then kneels down in front of Hailey. “How old are you, sweetie?”
“I’m five,” Hailey answers, always happy to have attention focused on her. The field next to my parent’s house, however, quickly captures her attention. “Horses!”
“Yes, do you like horses?”
Hailey nods but looks pensive. “I think so.”
Rafe grins. “I don’t think she’s ever been around them before.”
My mom stands and holds her hand out for Hailey. “You want to meet them?” She looks at Rafe. “That is, if it’s okay with you?”
“Of course.” Rafe gives a quick nod, and that’s all it takes before Hailey is dragging my mom in the direction of the fence where the horses are waiting.
My mom looks over her shoulder at me. “Your father is inside. Do not let him get into the chocolate pie I made for dessert.”
“I won’t,” I laugh, knowing my parents will never change. I turn to Rafe, who’s watching his daughter with a smile. “You want to go inside?”
He turns to me, and I see a small trace of worry. “Yeah, okay.”
“Or we can go meet the horses too?” It’s a question because I know he isn’t used to trusting people with Hailey.
“No, that’s okay.” He gives me a smile, and I walk with him into the house.
“My mom was a kindergarten teacher for nearly thirty years before she retired last year. Hailey’s in good hands with her, I promise.” I assure him when I close the door behind us.
He grins at that and noticeably relaxes. “Your mom was a teacher too?”
I nod, but before I can give a verbal answer, I hear my dad’s booming voice. “His dad was too.”
I laugh and turn just in time to be bear-hugged by my dad. “Oof.” The man may be sixty, but he’s as strong as ever. “Hey, Dad.”
“Hey, son.” He finally releases me, and some of the air comes back into my lungs before he reaches his hand out for Rafe. “I’m Pete Burke. Nolan’s dad.”
Rafe shakes his hand, standing tall. “I’m Rafe. Nolan’s friend.”
The word “friend” is said like a question, and my stupid-ass heart does a little dance in my chest because maybe he wants more. Maybe Gavin was right, and by taking it slow, we’ll end up exactly where I want to someday be. “Well, it’s always nice to meet Nolan’s friends.”
My dad is not subtle whatsoever, and I can see how uncomfortable the way he emphasized that word makes Rafe, although he tries his best to hide it. Or maybe he doesn’t want anything more than a friends with sex arrangement.
Shit.
I should have had a serious talk with him by now. Gavin thinks it’s too soon, but I’m afraid I’m going under. I don’t want to drown in Rafe before I even know what’s happening between us. But I can’t exactly think about that at the moment, so I decide to just enjoy myself. “It smells good in here.” I walk into the kitchen, and my dad and Rafe follow.
“Yeah. You know your mama. Always was good in the kitchen.” He looks out the kitchen window, and I see Hailey and Mom feeding the horses. My dad chuckles, “Ah, she found herself a little friend, huh?”
“That’s my daughter, Hailey,” Rafe supplies.
“Oh, boy.” He looks Rafe over and chuckles again. “You’re going to be her new favorite. So where’s her mama?”
Shit. Rafe tenses, and I step in quickly. “Dad.” I hope he reads the “please shut up” on my face.
“What?” My mom’s much better at picking up hints.
Rafe clears his throat. “Her mother died when she was really small.”
“Oh.” My dad scratches the back of his head uncomfortably. “I’m sorry to hear that, son.” He pats Rafe on the shoulder, and Rafe offers a weak smile and a nod.
“Thank you, sir.”
The door bursts open and Hailey runs inside the house with my mom trailing behind her. And of course, Mom immediately picks up on the awkwardness in the room, and worry crosses her face. “What’s the matter?”
“Oh, you know, just me putting my foot in my mouth.” My dad smiles as she wraps her arms around his middle and kisses his nose.
“What did you do?”
“It’s really nothing,” Rafe says quietly and then looks over at Hailey cautiously.
My mother—bless her—gets it and releases my dad to have Hailey help her set the table before we all sit down for dinner. It’s mostly small talk after that, with my mom asking Hailey questions and reminiscing about teaching kindergarten.
“You’re fun,” Hailey says to my mother, who’s beaming with the compliment.
“Well, so are you.”
“Are you a grandma?” Hailey asks her, and it’s my turn to tense, knowing what’s coming. I love my mother. I do, but sometimes her need to be a grandma and have me married with kids is a little much.