Page 23 of Wood You Knot

I opened my mouth, but I couldn’t think of a reply. Aside from inviting her to The Quarter Lounge that day Parker and I moved her couch in, I hadn’t even tried. When I asked her out then, I hadn’t known she had a daughter.

Not that her being a mother was a turnoff—far from it. In fact, in the last week, I found myself thinking about settling down more and more. Kids weren’t a deal breaker for me—in fact, I wanted a big family. But I knew I couldn’t just invite Sage out at the last minute to go hang out at a bar. I’d have to get a little more creative.

“I plan on it when the time is right. She just moved here. I thought maybe I’d let her get settled first,” I answered. “I don’t want to rush her or make her feel like she’s fresh meat…you know?”

Tabitha’s expression softened. “You’re a good guy, Nix.”

Chapter Eight

Sage

At six o’clock, I pulled into Parker and Tabitha’s driveway. I was exhausted after doing inventory all day with Uncle Ed and couldn’t help but feel relieved that the first official workweek was over.

I sat in my car for a minute, just pepping myself up to go knock on the door. I could see the second truck parked in the driveway, the white Hutchinson’s Lumber & Construction truck, and I knew exactly which Hutchinson brother it belonged to.

Nix hadn’t been around the last few days when I’d picked Daphne up, but he was here now. Of course he was when I looked more haggard than ever. I checked my reflection in the visor mirror, confirming that I looked about as tired as I felt.

Several flyaway hairs had escaped the ponytail I’d tossed my hair up in earlier that morning. I debated tugging the band free, but then I’d have a bump in my hair. Shaking my head, I frowned at my reflection.

Why did I even care what I looked like? Of course, the second that thought came into my mind, it was followed with another.

Nix was the reason, naturally. My attraction to him was undeniable, even if I played the game of denying it to myself. Which I fully intended on doing.

Sighing, I flipped the visor back up and climbed out of my car. I could hear the girls playing in the backyard.

Tabitha had been watching Daphne after school every day this week for me, and I could usually find them in the backyard playing. When they were out back, Tabitha wouldn’t hear me knocking, so I went around the side of the house and opened the gate, letting myself in.

Daphne just so happened to be looking in my direction when I walked through the gate. Her face split into a grin, and she ran toward me, shouting, “Mommy.”

Her arms wrapped around my waist, the momentum of her little body propelling me back two steps. “Hello, Squirt. How was school?”

“Good.”

“Just good?” I pressed, and she shrugged.

“I’ll tell you later. Are we still going to Auntie Em’s tonight?”

“Sure are. Just need to head home and grab a quick shower,” I told her before looking around for Tabitha. She was walking down the deck steps to meet me. “Thanks again for watching her, Tabitha.”

“It’s my pleasure,” Tabitha insisted. “We’ll see you ladies Monday!”

Despite my efforts, my gaze drifted to Nix. He was leaning against the porch railing, his brown eyes watching me. The corners of his lips lifted in an almost shy, half smile that had my heart rate jumping a little.

I hated I liked having Nix watch me. I hated I was so aware of him, of how he had the potential to make me feel dangerous things. Things I had no business feeling. I was healing and here to rebuild my life with my daughter.

The last thing I wanted was for people to think I couldn’t stand on my own two feet, but I couldn’t be rude about it either. It wasn’t Nix’s fault my traitorous body responded to him. He was just trying to be nice and welcoming. I was probably reading into things more than I should. I had a tendency of doing that, and it usually resulted in me feeling disappointment when things didn’t work out the way I hoped.

* * *

Later that evening, Daphne and I sat at my aunt and uncle’s table, enjoying Auntie Em’s chicken alfredo lasagna and homemade garlic bread.

Auntie Em and Uncle Ed lived a few streets away from Tabitha and Parker, in an elegant white house with black shutters on a tranquil lot nestled by tall pines, birch trees, and beautiful landscaping. They’d lived here for as long as I could remember, raising their four daughters in the enchanting five-bedroom home.

Their gourmet kitchen had white sand-coloured cabinets offset by oyster-shell granite counters and glass tile backsplash. It was set up with a five-burner gas stove, a built-in microwave and convection oven, and a huge pantry that made for incredibly fun hide-and-seek games with my cousins as a child.

With just the four of us, we were eating in the kitchen tonight, but they also had a formal dining area that accommodated large family gatherings. I cherished my visits to Hartwood Creek as a child because, for a little while, I got a snippet of what it felt like to be a part of a family.

“How are you girls finding Hartwood Creek?” Auntie Em asked us both, looking at us expectantly.

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