Page 22 of Gifts

There’s no other way around it—Asa Hollingsworth looks ridiculous driving a minivan. It was all I could do not to laugh as he drove us to our favorite pizza place. He must have known I found him funny because when we got there, he smirked as he placed his big hand at the small of my back and leaned down to whisper in my ear, “If this becomes a thing, I’m buying a bigger car.”

I rolled my eyes. Like he’d buy a bigger car, and like this is going to become anything, let alone a thing.

This was all before the after-dinner conversation about him washing my hair, among other things. He and I were silent all the way home, but the silence wasn’t an uncomfortable one because—thank the good Lord for once—my daughter never stopped talking.

Saylor made plans for poor Emma. Honestly. What fifteen-year-old wants to be bossed around by a kindergartener? Emma’s been sweet about it all night, but soon enough she’s going to get sick of the one-and-only, bossy Saylor Lockhart.

Saylor dragged Emma to the kitchen and instructed me to start a fire out back. Just when I thought we could all say a quick thank you for dinner followed by a quicker goodbye, my daughter had us all sitting around the patio fireplace eating Chips Ahoy s’mores.

Chips Ahoy s’mores are a creation which fell straight from dessert heaven solely because one day we were out of graham crackers. We had to make do with the crunchy chocolate chip cookies, and the result was a keeper. There’s no need for graham crackers anymore. These things are too good not to be eaten every single time we sit in front of a fire.

But now, after pasta, two beers plus another on the patio, and a Chips Ahoy s’more, I feel like I’m going to bust out of my skinny jeans.

The sun has set and Knox and Saylor just dragged Emma off into the dark for flashlight tag. That poor girl is going to hate us. But even more importantly—or tragically, in my case—this leaves me alone again with Asa Hollingsworth.

He seems deep in thought. His handsome face is darker and broodier when lit by the flames of the fire. He’s leaning back in his chair with his fingers steepled in front of him looking out into the dark where my kids and his daughter just disappeared. He’s got his long, thick legs propped up on the stone of the hearth and his feet crossed at the ankle.

Having him here in my space—space that’s been mine and mine alone for almost two years now—is … strange. I’m trying hard not to let it make me nervous, but even more, I’m trying my damnedest not to like it. Liking him here will put a big kink in my plan to not date anyone, even though Asa explained earlier that he doesn’t date, so I guess it’s a moot point.

Still, trying to not like him here is hard.

He breaks into my muddled thoughts. “Can’t tell you how good it is to see Emma up and out of the house.”

Guilt pours over me. Here I am obsessing over myself and he’s worried about his daughter. I should know better than most what it’s like to worry about children. “I’ll have to apologize to Emma. My kids think everyone’s their best friend, we clearly need to work on boundaries. Saylor was climbing all over you like a jungle gym at dinner and Emma has become their newest toy. She’s a good sport.”

“She’s polite.” He looks back to me, his hazel eyes dark and somber. “That’s her mom’s doing. I’m lucky she did a good job with them. Up until I moved back to Virginia full-time, I had Emma and Levi a few days a month—maybe a week for a vacation here and there.”

I give him a small smile. “It sounds like you have a good relationship with your ex-wife. I don’t see that often—it’s great your kids have that. It makes a huge difference. I’m glad Emma got out to do something.”

He nods once and looks out into the darkness before over to the barn, and when he gazes back to me, changes the subject. “You’re on quite the piece of land here, Keelie.”

I sigh, looking out to where I hear the kids and see flashes of light in the woods. It took a long time, but I’m mostly okay with living here. I think it has more to do with the fact this is home for my kids. There’s no way I’d take it away from them now—no matter how tired I am of shoveling shit. “I guess. The land is why we’re here. Everything else is a work in progress. But that’s what you get when you buy a home that’s over ninety years old.”

He looks up at my house in back of us. “It’s a big house.”

“It is,” I agree. “Too big, but we’re here now. And like I said earlier, it’s slowly coming together. Even if the key word is slowly.”

He doesn’t take his eyes off me, but his voice is heavy when he states, “You doing it all on your own is a lot.”

I shrug and have nothing to say to that. It is, but I’m used to it. There’s no other choice.

He pins me with his eyes before slowly leaning up to rest his elbows on his knees. “Thanks for tonight.”

“Thank you for dinner.” As much as I argued, he insisted on getting the check.

“Tonight has been a distraction for Emma. It’s good for her, at least until I can figure out what made her sulk away from us to begin with.”

I give him a small smile and offer, “I’ll keep working on her case this week.”

He nods and stands, smoothly moving in front of me and holds out his hand. I stare at him a moment before taking his in mine and he instantly pulls me to a standing position. No sooner am I upright does he pull me the rest of the way, pressing my front to his.

He puts a firm hand to the middle of my back to keep me where I am—held tightly to his warm, very firm, muscular body. In my Converse, I barely come to his shoulders.

“I changed my mind,” he says.

Confused, I ask, “About what?”

“About dating. I’m taking you out—just us. I don’t care what you call it, but it’s happening. Soon.”

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