Page 85 of Blindly Yours

I sink further into him and smile. “If we’re trying to take this slow, I should probably wait a little longer to watch you chop wood, then.”

Nate’s chest rumbles against me and he pulls me closer. He plants a soft kiss on the side of my forehead, and I feel more at home than I ever have.

EIGHTEEN

Nate

My burger sizzles on the flat cooktop behind the counter atNelson’s. I don’t have any work in the city today, but I couldn’t stay holed up in the house all day, so I walked here for lunch.

Last night’s NFL game plays on the TV above my head and just a few other customers mingle at the tables, but I’m the only one at the bar while Rob flips my burger.

He speaks over his shoulder. “So, word is you’ve been seeing that pretty girl quite a bit since we last talked?”

I unfold my paper-wrapped silverware and nod. “Rose. Yeah, we’ve been out a dozen or so times now.”

It’s been three weeks since our trip to the zoo, and Rose and I have seen each other almost every other day since then. I took her out to dinner a few times, she bought us lunch near the river and she introduced me to the Minneapolis Institute of Art. I’d never been, and it was fascinating to witness her knowledge of the pieces displayed there.

We’ve had two more evenings alone at my place, and they both played out much like the first. I haven’t pushed to go further with her, and honestly, it’s been good for me too. I haven’t been with a woman since Amber, and this step feels like it’ll be a big one. Part of me still feels tied to the vow I made on our wedding day, but I’m trying to train my brain to realize I can move on now. Amber wanted me to.

Rob turns and raises a spirited brow. “That sounds kinda serious. You met her only a month ago?”

“It’s been almost two, but yeah, we’re having a good time.” I can’t hide my smile.

Rob slaps a piece of American cheese on the patty and squeezes ketchup and mustard onto the waiting bun. “Agood time, huh?” he laughs.

I chuckle and take a swig of my Coke. “We’re taking it slow, Rob. Don’t let your imagination get the best of you.”

He shoves my finished burger across the counter and rests his elbow on the polished wood surface, studying me. “It’s so good to see you getting back out there. We’ve all been hoping for this…for you. Someone sweet.”

I nod. “She is. And things are going well, but we still have a lot to talk about…and sort through.”

“Of course.” Rob pulls a towel from his back pocket and scrubs at a spot on the counter. “What does she think about your…history?”

I take a quick bite of my meal and sit back. “She’s taken it really well, actually. But you know…things could change.”

“You think they would?” He peers up at me.

“I don’t know.” I shrug. “I can imagine she might feel like,” I wince, “a second choice. And that’s the last thing I want. Because that’ll never be the case.”

Rob smiles. “She’s gonna need that reminder, if things get that far.”

I take another bite and chew for a moment. I can do that. If Rose and I go the distance, I can show her I have my whole heart to give. But I shake my head and laugh again. “I don’t want to get ahead of myself.”

“Sure.” Rob grabs a new order slip from his waitress and gets back to work at the stove. “What does Kara think of her?”

“Karalovesher,” I reply, taking another bite.

“That’s a good sign.” He puts another burger on.

“Absolutely.”

“That’s great that they get along.” Rob turns from the stove and eyes me closely. “But do you think Rose could be amotherto her?”

My heart tightens. I don’t know if Kara will ever want to refer to anyone else as “mom,” and I won’t force her to. That’s her choice. But I do know that she’ll need a mother figure in her life, eventually.

I think back to the night in the hospital when Rose sat with her for hours. She was a friend to her then, but motherhood is an entirely different journey. I know Rose wants children someday, but is she ready to jump into that role with a child who isn’t her flesh and blood?

“It’s a conversation we haven’t had, yet,” I reply. “Do I think shecould?Yes. But I need to make sure that’s what she wants. Again, we’re taking it slow, so I’m not about to hit her with that question two months in,” I laugh.

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