Page 19 of Layla Meets Her Match

“Yep.” I grab my clutch from inside the diaper bag and head over to the couch, where Mila is playing with Margot. “Bye-bye, sweet girl,” I say softly, leaning over to make my own assault of kisses on her cheeks. Gosh, her skin is so soft and perfect, and since she had a bath before coming over, she smells just like babies should—clean and fresh with a light lavender scent. Mm-mm.

When I look up at Lincoln, he stares at me, a soft expression on his face, and my heart does that little skip again. He glances back to Landon, and I tell my heart to knock it off. Lincoln Knight might be sweet and good-looking, but I am not dating.

Even if I’m going on a date with him right now.

But not a real date. We both know we’re just friends.

Lincoln opens the door when I cross the room, and his hand skims across my back as we walk out and he guides me. A full shiver runs through me at the warmth of his hands.

Layla, girl, pull yourself together. It’s just that it’s been a long time since I went out with a guy, even if this is a fake date. Mr. Big-Headed was the last person I dated, and I thought for too long while I was pregnant that he was going to figure us out. That he loved me. That he’d come back after he was done filming the Phantom Hex remake and we’d get back together and have our happily ever after.

Then I realized he’s an idiot and I had Margot and decided dating just wasn’t for me. And Lincoln’s very brief touch just made me miss that companionship. That’s all.

“How’s unpacking going?” Lincoln asks as we head downstairs to his Bronco. He’s stuffed his hands into his pockets, and it makes his biceps stand out in the fitted sweater.

I think my first date—fake date or friendly date or … whatever—in over a year should maybe not have been with someone as gorgeous as Lincoln Knight.

“Um …” I scramble to gather my thoughts on what he asked. Oh! My apartment. “It’s going good. Yeah, I’m almost done. I don’t have very much.” I give a shrug. “So it’s not going to take very long.”

Lincoln nods multiple times and then abruptly stops. “So, speaking of your apartment … I have a couch in my family room I’ve been meaning to give away. It’s small, and my mom says it doesn’t work in the space. You want it?”

He says everything so fast, and despite how great he looks right now, his nerves remind me that he’s my sweet friend. I relax.

“That’s really nice of you Lincoln.” I bump into him as we step out onto the sidewalk. “Thanks. I’d love it.”

“Mark Travis has a truck,” he says.

“Yeah, he and Eli are bringing over the rocker recliner tomorrow night.”

“Oh yeah, right. I’ll ask him if we can bring the couch over next week sometime?” His words come out slower, and lightness bubbles in me to think that my settling in has calmed him too.

“Perfect.” We’ve reached his Bronco, and he pulls open the passenger door for me. I slide in and then take the few seconds while he closes it and walks around to the driver’s side to take a long, deep breath.

“So,” I say once he’s gotten into the car, “what does Lincoln Knight do in his spare time?” I want to keep the conversation chill since that will help Lincoln.

He gives a short laugh. “During the season there’s not much of that, so it’s pretty lame. Hanging out with guys from the team sometimes, mostly Eli lately, sometimes playing video games, sometimes watching TV. I … uh … I’ve kind of gotten into LA Lights.”

“I love that show,” I say, smirking at him.

“I thought you were great.” He doesn’t look at me while he says it. “Although it was kind of annoying that you were wearing Hurley’s number in that one scene.”

Laughter bursts out of me. “I didn’t even notice whose name was on the back. I didn’t know Mila that well back then, and I didn’t know Eli at all, so I didn’t pay a whole lot of attention to the Rays.” I give him an apologetic look.

“I’ll let it go then, I guess,” he teases.

“And what about when it’s the off season?” I ask.

“I go out east and spend time with my parents. We like to camp together or take educational day trips. Or my mom does, and Dad and I like to go with her. For the educational trips.”

That’s so sweet. I have to quickly come up with another question so I don’t dwell on it. “What’s been your favorite educational day trip?” I ask.

“This one was actually a weekend thing, but we went down to North Carolina and toured the Biltmore mansion, stayed there and everything. It was very cool.” He’s focusing on the traffic right now, but his expression is happy and content.

I’ve never heard of Biltmore—although I’ll go look it up tonight—but my mind slips into a little daydream of wandering around a quirky little museum with Lincoln, his hand brushing my back every so often the way it did back at Landon’s apartment. Holding hands. Slipping into an unused corner and Lincoln lowering his lips to mine, hands gripped on my hips and holding me close to him?—

“Layla?” His voice yanks me from the crazy thoughts, and I whirl to look at him.

“Hmmm?” My neck and cheeks are on fire right now, and I’m desperately trying to rid my brain of that image of kissing him.

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