Page 31 of Cash

"I'll get that in for you guys," she said, her eyes lingering on Cash.

"How's the camp going?” Taylor continued. “You're doing that with Wes, right?"

Cash nodded. "It's good. I've been a little distracted this week though. My nephew showed up in the city without his mom knowing, now he's staying with me for the summer."

"Now you’re actually Daddy Cash," Taylor said with a straight face.

Cash just shook his head and dropped it.

"I've heard lots of the girls call you that,” he continued. “I think it's the beard. And the fact that you always look like you are about to kick someone's ass. I bet our waitress would call you daddy."

"Enough,” he said, irritation creeping into his voice.

Taylor looked at him with a curious look. "I just assumed you were going home with her, but I guess a teenager at home will really cramp your style, huh?"

"Number one, there is no teenager there, he went to the city again today while I was gone. If he's not at the train station at eight O'clock I'm going to send his ass back to his mom. But I don't know...I think I'm just tired of the casual stuff."

“I took a train into the city by myself once when I was his age.”

“Oh yeah? What did you do there?”

“I just like trains,” Taylor said matter-of-factly.

This made Cash laugh. He enjoyed his friendship with Taylor. Cash wasn’t someone who dealt with bullshit well, and Taylor was even more straightforward than he was.

Taylor continued. “So, you really think you’re done with all the casual stuff? I thought you liked it like that.”

“I did…I don’t know…I think I might be ready for a change. I met this woman at the gala, and I can’t get her out of my head,” he said with a deep sigh. “I know who I’ve been, maybe it’s stupid to think I can change.”

“Not really,” Taylor answered. “There is lots of monogamy in the animal kingdom. Albatrosses mate for life, they’ll travel thousands of miles but still year after year return to the same mate. Bald Eagles build nests together as a symbol of fidelity. That’s why some of their nests are the size of a car.”

“So, you’re saying if Bald Eagles can do it, so can I?”

“I’m just saying monogamy is an option if you want it to be…or I stand by the fact that you could have our waitress calling you daddy by the end of the night.”

“Never change,” Cash said warmly.

“I don’t think I could if I wanted to.”

After that, the waitress brought their food. As they ate, they watched the game and Cash was happy to enjoy Taylor’s straightforward nature. He could use some real talk after trying to figure out where he stood with Evie.

The waitress dropped off the bill, and of course, on it was her phone number.

“I told you she’d call you daddy,” Taylor said as they settled up.

He made it to the train station, where luckily River was getting off the train.

"I hope you had fun today. You're coming to the rink with me tomorrow, kid." That was all he said, and they drove home in silence.

He was in his bed that night when he heard his phone ding.

Evie - unblocked. Are you happy now?

And as much as he wished it didn't, his heart skipped a fucking beat. What kind of spell did this woman have him under?

Cash - I am. Looking forward to that ass in leggings tomorrow.

He waited for an answer, but that was it. He wanted more, but that was enough for now. He needed to figure out how to handle things with her. She was keeping him on his toes, and he loved it. That might not be the healthiest thing, but he did love a challenge. And the sex...he would do anything for that. And just that thought had his hand wrapped around his dick, just like it had been every night he thought about her since the gala. Tomorrow he would try and ask her out on a real date... that is if she was speaking to him tomorrow.