Page 33 of Fifty-Fifty

She opens her eyes, landing on my lips that are only a breath away from hers. If I leaned down an inch, they’d be touching. The thought shoots adrenaline into my system. I’d finally get to taste what I’ve been craving since that first day in the damn coffee shop when I thought she was Beau’s girlfriend, not the person I’d been searching for from the beginning.

I’m about to give in to my temptation, even though I know I shouldn’t, when Mac starts chattering about dinosaurs and coloring from her high chair. The foreign sound shatters the tension that’s becoming all too familiar anytime Beau and I are in the same room together.

I step away before clearing my throat.

Shit. That was a close one.

I point my thumb over my shoulder toward the front door. “I, uh, I should get going. I’ll let you know what they say at the hardware store.”

She’s nodding her head before I’ve even finished. “Yup. Great idea. I’ll, uh, I’ll see ya later, then.”

Now it’s my turn to nod. Hell, I feel like we’re a bunch of bobble heads. “Yup. See ya later.”

She waves. “Bye.”

“No!” Mac shouts, waving her chubby little arm at me and effectively grabbing my attention. “Hold you!”

I laugh before stepping closer and picking her up from her high chair. She immediately throws those same chubby arms around my neck and gives me a giant hug. I squeeze my eyes shut tightly, soaking in the unrestrained love that radiates from her little body.

If her mom hasn’t already weaseled her way into my heart, Mac sure has.

That little girl has me wrapped around her tiny finger, and I don’t know how to stop it.

“Come, too?” she mumbles into my neck, still squeezing the crap out of me with her little arms.

My gaze searches for Beau’s, silently asking if she’s okay with that with a lifted brow.

“Sorry, sweet pea, Noah doesn’t have a car seat. Maybe next time, okay?” Beau looks contrite at she steps forward and grabs Mac from my arms, making them feel empty in more than one way.

“No!” she screams, not understanding why she can’t come with me.

I squeeze the back of my neck while searching for a way to make her feel better so that she stops sobbing. I can’t handle her when she cries.

Quickly, I run to my room and grab my sketch book before taking the stairs two at a time until I’m back in the kitchen. Her screaming follows me the entire way.

Finding a blank page, I sketch three dinosaurs for her to color while I’m away. They look like shit, but I doubt Mac will mind. As soon as she sees what I’m doing, her tears dry on her reddened cheeks and her fascination takes over. Beau sets Mac on the counter and goes to find the crayons in the cupboard without saying a word.

“Will you color these for me while I’m gone?” I ask Mac.

She nods excitedly. “Color! Color!”

Beau hands over the yellow box of crayons and we both sigh in relief as we watch Mac scribble away.

“Thank you,” Beau sighs, “that was some quick thinkin’.”

I release a deep breath, relieved that my plan worked. “Glad I could help.”

Beau glances over at me, her eyes raking me in like the leaves in the yard. “I, uh, I’ll see you later, then?”

I nod. “Yeah. See you soon.” I turn on my heel and pull the keys to my truck from my front pocket.

“Noah?” she asks, stopping my steps toward the front door.

“Yeah?”

“Chantilly Lace.”

“You sure?” I probe.

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