Page 27 of Love Me Like It's Real
“Yes. He isveryhandsome.”
Arya and Elsa jump up and down, clapping their hands. I make a mental note to kill them when we get home.
“We think so too,” Arya says.
“We’re in agreement once again.” Hayworth nods.
“Does that mean you want to take our dad out for a date?” Elsa smiles so bright without a hint of shame or redness on her cheeks and I add to my mental note. She goes first.
“Oh. A date, huh?” Hayworth looks from her to me to Arya and chuckles.
“You don’t have to answer that.”
“Yes he does! He’s pretty!” Arya says and I grimace at my daughter.
What the hell does that have to do with anything?
“Verypretty,” he adds and I roll my eyes at him.
“Come on, Hayworth. It’s Valentine’s Day soon. You have to take our dad out for a date or he’ll sit alone at home and cry with a tub of ice cream in his lap.Nota pretty picture!”
“Elsa!” I snap.
The cheek of my daughter to say that. I mean, it’s true, but she doesn’t have to announce it to the whole world.
“Well, in that case?—”
“I’m not a pity party,” I tell him. “And you two, leave Hayworth alone. You’re very rude.”
“But he doesn’t mind,” Arya says.
“To me!” I tell them.
“That’s okay, Poppy. You only think that ’cause you’re shy. If Hayworth takes you out you’ll be happy again and you’ll forgive us,” Elsa replies.
Yep. I’m killing her first.
“So, Hayworth? Will you make our Poppy happy and take him out? He likes red wine, pasta and pizza, although pizza is not very first date material, and chocolate!” Elsa grabs Hayworth’s hand and looks at him with pleading eyes.
“Who doesn’t like chocolate?” Arya comments, only to get a glare from her sister.
Hayworth smiles at both girls and I suck in my cheeks to keep my frustration at bay or I might die from embarrassment.
But then he looks at me, not with pity, but with a hunger only adults can recognize and my insides flood with air and something else. Something bright and hot that makes me a little dizzy.
A sunlight of passion shining in every dark corner of my body as if for the first time.
“I’d love to. Especially if there’s chocolate involved,” he says to me and I can’t help but lick my lips.
“Perfect. We’ll plan everything. Give me your phone,” Elsa reaches her hand out and Hayworth gives it to her without breaking eye contact with me.
I know he’s only going along with it because of the girls. I know when they talk date he’s probably thinking sex, and when they talk chocolate he’s probably thinking about licking it off my body, but you know what?
I don’t care.
Because I want it too.
And right now I’m struggling to remember why I should say no to this.
