Page 55 of Fierce-Baker

But that was before Shane. Before the guy who broke her heart and left her shattered to pick up the pieces of a changed life without him.

With a daily reminder of him.

Thankfully, Micah looked like her. She didn’t look at her son and see the man she used to love. She didn’t see the one who lied to her. Who destroyed everything she’d told herself she’d never become or get mixed up in.

All she saw was her little boy who she loved more than she could breathe.

“Then let’s go to lunch. Let’s make this a date.”

“Not our first,” she said, walking to grab a pair of sandals to put on. “Then you’d think I was loose.”

“We’ve been doing our form of dating for weeks,” he said. “Going out to dinner or doing other activities outside the house doesn’t change that.”

“You’re right.”

“Then we can talk about the next step.”

Which they needed to do.

It always felt as if she was the one pushing those things and it felt odd that a man was.

Rather than feel relieved he wasn’t just tugging her along for his enjoyment, she felt a touch of fear of what may come next.

They talked little in his SUV driving to a restaurant for lunch.

The silence was grating on her nerves more than she cared for.

As if the fun and excitement they’d just shared had vanished and in its place was a step that could take them up to something better, or down to saying goodbye.

The minute they were seated and drinks brought out, she said, “I don’t want this to be awkward and I feel as if it is now.”

“It doesn’t have to be. I like you. We have a good time together. I’m not asking you to move in with me. We said we were dipping our toes in, but from my perspective, we both did a high dive into the deep end.”

“I’m a good swimmer.”

“So am I.”

“So we aren’t still testing the waters?” she asked.

“I’m not. But I’m the last person who is going to pressure another one.”

She’d seen that already.

The guy was all but vibrating with need more than her, though he’d try to say otherwise, yet he’d offered for them to put it off for another day.

Shecouldn’t wait another day.

But that meant the hard conversation now.

It shouldn’t be hard though.Shewas the one making it that way.

“I appreciate that. If I asked my parents to take Micah again, over a weekend, would you be willing to make plans?”

“Absolutely. I normally have weekends off unless I choose to go in. I don’t have the timelines as much as they do in the brewery. My stuff can sit longer and be fine.”

“Once I’m done there, the first few weeks of school are crazy. I’m getting ready, talking to kids and parents. It might not seem it to you.”

“You know your job. It’s for you to tell me what works. I also know you’ve got another priority before me.”