Page 120 of Don't Date A DILF

He squared his little shoulders and marched over to a glass case of jewelry. I followed, resisting the urge to pull him in for a hug to reassure myself he was okay. Toby wasn’t happy when he found out about me and Hunter dating, and nothing had changed. It wasn’t my place to comfort him, no matter how my heart ached to do so, so I kept my mouth shut as we shopped. I would let Toby decide if and when to open up to me.

We picked out a couple of gifts to purchase. Toby selected a silver-plated mirror, and I grabbed a candle set. So, it wasn’t the most imaginative gift, but Agatha owned an entire antique store for goodness’ sake. It wasn’t as if she really needed anything.

When we returned to the dressing room area, Holly and Maisie were both wearing their dresses.

“You look lovely,” Maisie said sincerely.

She wasn’t wrong. Holly did look beautiful.

“You think so?” Holly said, plucking at the skirt of the sundress. “It’s not too flowery?”

“Just flowery enough,” I said. “You’ll fit in but look great doing it.”

“It’s a flattering color on you,” Maisie added.

Holly finally broke into a relieved smile. “Thank you. Your dress looks lovely as well.”

Maisie turned to the mirror. “It does, doesn’t it? I’m going to snap it up. You better do the same with that one so I don’t have to buy two dresses. I have to live on a lowly teacher’s salary.”

More like my lowly teacher’s salary. I’d be handing over my credit card at check-out since I’d roped her into buying a dress. But it was worth it to see Holly smile and Toby finally relax.

After Maisie ducked back into the dressing room, Holly gave me a sheepish look. “Well, uh, thanks. I guess I better finish up shopping so we can get home. Hunter will be wondering what happened to us.”

I nodded. “Sure.”

“Could you…not tell him about this?” she asked. “I mean, I was just a little frazzled. No harm done, right?”

I glanced toward Toby, who had taken a seat a few feet away, looking exhausted for a ten-year-old kid. “Well, it’s not for me to say anything, but…Toby might want to talk to his father about it.”

She frowned. “Toby’s fine.”

“He’s trying to be, yeah.”

Holly’s face tensed, and she looked as if she were about to counter-attack, but then her shoulders slumped and she sighed. “Yeah, you’re right. He’s a good kid. He shouldn’t have to put up with me.”

“No, he loves you a crazy amount,” I said. “This year has been hard on him. He’s missed you. Just don’t ask him to bottle all this up, okay? It’s not good for him. I’m guessing it’s not good for you either.”

“Great,” she said dryly, though she smiled. “My husband went and found himself a know-it-all.”

We spoke at the same time. “Ex-husband.”

Toby glanced over, confused, as we laughed together.

In the right circumstances, I could see myself being friends with Holly. I felt a little bad for viewing her as the enemy. As much as I loved the Rhodes boys, they were her family.

Did I really want to be the one that kept Holly from reclaiming her husband and son if she moved back to Granville? To keep Toby from having both his parents again?

I loved Hunter and Toby so much that the thought of giving them up physically pained me. But more than anything, I wanted them to be happy.

Even if it wasn’t with me.

* * *

HUNTER

I’d bracedmyself for drama over getting ready for the wedding. Holly had never handled social events particularly well. But she was surprisingly calm as she dressed for the reception.

When she emerged from my en suite bathroom, which she’d borrowed to do her makeup, she reminded me of the woman I’d fallen in love with, the one who’d gone to a party and hooked a small-town boy with one bright smile.

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