Page 159 of As The Shifter World Turns

“But we need time not together. I love you. You love me. But I think we stand a better chance of still feeling that way if we aren’t with one another all of the time.” He set his fork down and faced me. “And funny thing is, if you asked me before I started seeing Joy, my therapist, I’d have said yes so I could keep an eye on your help.” He’d gotten a recommendation for Joy from Neil’s former therapist. The guy was probably a little wary about seeing the friend of the client who developed feelings for him.

“And now?” I asked.

“Now I want to keep my job. It’s for the best. Don’t be mad, please.”

“I’m not mad. I promise, but if you don’t feed our baby waffles I might get a little cross. Babies love waffles.”

“Did someone take a survey?” he chuckled.

“I think a phone survey… now eat.”

And I hadn’t lied to him. I wasn’t mad, but it did sting a bit.

Neil

“Go fish.” Toby smiled up at me with a grin.

I drew my card… an ace of hearts which while an awesome card, was completely useless to my hand.

“Ace of hearts.” He had to be kidding me. This kid was a card shark if I ever met one.

I handed the card to him and he lay down his last pair. “That means you owe me ice cream.”

“That was my promise. Let me ask your dad first.”

“He’s going to say it’ll spoil my dinner,” he grumbled.

“Then we can go after dinner or tomorrow. A promise is a promise.” I took out my phone to text Martin. He had to work late and I’d offered to hang out with Toby. I refused to call it babysitting because that implied he would owe me for my time or something and that’s not how it was or at least not how I wanted it to be.

“If you were mated you could just decide.”

I dropped my phone. Of all the things I thought might come from his mouth, something about his father being mated to me wasn’t one of them.

“We’re not, though.” I bent down to grab my phone, crossing everything that was the end of the conversation.

I unlocked my phone and started to type when Toby decided it was a great time to have me drop it again. “Why aren’t you and my dad mated yet?”

This time it was more of a fumble than a drop.

“Grown-ups need—-because—we aren’t ready.” There. That wasn’t going to get me into trouble, probably. I really needed a manual on this stuff.

Toby won Go Fish. Can I take him to get ice cream?

“I messaged your father. I’ll let you know when he gets back to me. Why don’t you use the bathroom in case we can go.”

“Okay.” He started to bound off, then stopped and looked back towards me. “I think he’ll text back yes,” he conjectured and then ran into the bathroom.

That’s fine. Thanks for watching him.

Thank me after you find out what he asked me.I put a winky face so he wouldn’t worry, but there was no way I could avoid telling him about that fun little conversation and my inability to answer it.

If it was about getting a dog, the answer is no,hesent back right away.

Toby was determined to get a dog. Martin would cave too. He just hadn’t yet, but I suspected it would happen soon.

Noted. See you after work.

Toby came running out. “What did he say?”

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