Page 46 of Single Mom's Secret Diary
“You can’t be left in the lab alone.”
Avery narrows her eyes. “How’s that supposed to help? Am I going to steal a sample? I help Wyatt tweak the formula. I know it forward and backward. This is ridiculous.”
I reach her, cupping her face and kissing her to distract her. Avery’s shoulders relax an inch, and her mouth softens under mine.
“The board is looking out for the company first. This was mild, considering the accusation. Okay?”
I caress her jaw and neck, letting my fingers weave through her hair. It’s soft and long and wraps so easily in my hand. Tugging her back to me, I kiss her with a little more gusto, letting her know just how much I’ve missed her.
I’ve spent so much of my life missing her.
She grabs onto my jacket lapels, and I might convince myself that she’s missed me, too.
When I release her mouth, she’s panting and holding onto me like she might wobble. I use an arm up her back to support her.
Taking a deep breath, she opens her eyes to look at me. “Okay.”
I grin as if it were my kisses that coaxed out that agreement. Untangling myself from her hair, I reluctantly let a few inches spread between us.
“So, your son plays hockey?”
Avery finally smiles. It’s wide and proud. “He does. He’s pretty good, too. Loves it.”
“I used to play, you know. I’d love to come watch one of his games.”
Her eyes narrow in contemplation.
I’ve been getting the feeling she doesn’t want me to meet her son. I haven’t even seen a picture of him, and as much as I don’t want to be suspicious about why, I am. Why doesn’t she want to show him off when she’s so proud of him?
She talks about Charlie all the time.
Something breaks in her gaze, both fear and hope. But over what?
“He’s got a game this weekend.”
22
Wyatt
It doesn’t feel right to escort Avery in and out of the lab. I don’t like it. Not that I’m not reaping the rewards. It means that she stays longer. Sometimes, she eats lunch with me.
I enjoy how she can sit with me in silence and not feel the need to fill it. That she’s not uncomfortable around me when we don’t have a task. I don’t like it when she leaves.
She sits at our shared lab table as I scribble the last of my notes and looks up at me when I hesitate. Her smile flares the new ever-present warmth in my chest, and a small version of my own smile surfaces.
“Do you want to sit with me as I plug this into the computer?” Because I don’t want her to go yet.
“Doyouwant me to sit with you as you plug those into your computer?”
I hesitate, but she’s teasing me. “Yes.”
“Okay, then yes.”
That pulls a bigger smile out of me, and I offer her my hand to help her down from her stool, although she doesn’t need it.Once we’re in my office, I peek out to see whether Laurel is hanging about.
My food tech has been hovering lately. Much more than she used to. Or, I’m noticing it more than I used to. It’s been annoying. Her presence used to go unnoticed until she needed something from me. Or I needed something from her, more often than not.
But now… she’s always lurking, drawing my attention when it’s not necessary.
