Hardwood - K.M. Neuhold Page 0,48

glancing over my shoulder to make sure we’re alone and pressing a quick kiss to my lips. “Have a good night.”

“You too.” I open the door for him and watch as he makes his way to his car, parked just across the street. I’m not sure why he parked there, but I’m glad he did. Otherwise Val would’ve likely had a lot more questions about the mysterious car in my driveway.

Once he pulls away, I close the door and go back into the living room to clean up the still full wine glasses, taking them to the kitchen and pouring the wine down the sink drain. I set the glasses in the sink with plans to wash them tomorrow and lean against the counter.

I pull out my phone to see the missed calls and texts from Val before she dropped Livi off. I clear them all and open the text thread.

Everett: I was on a date tonight actually. He’s an amazing guy, and I’m already crazy about him. I think you’ll like him. I know Livi does.

I read the words back to myself, smiling before I erase them without sending. Then, I back out of the thread and open the one I have with Watson.

Everett: That was the best first date I’ve ever had. Sweet dreams.

I know he won’t see the message right away since he’s driving home, so I lock my phone again and go get ready for bed.

Chapter 14

Watson

I roll over and stretch, yawning widely as I tilt my head to catch a streak of the morning sun across my face. I don’t think I’ve stopped smiling since I left Ev’s place last night. True, I didn’t anticipate his daughter crashing our date, but in a weird way, it made it all the sweeter. It was nice getting to know her a little better outside of school, and I’m never one to complain about watching Frozen.

I reach for my phone to see if he responded to the text I sent before falling into bed last night. I saw the message from him as soon as I got home, and I may have made a swoony, sigh sound and then proceeded to read it two dozen times in a row before finally texting back “This was your first first date, wasn’t it?”

Sure enough, my phone is blinking with a notification. I unlock it and pull up the text thread immediately, my stomach fluttering with giddy anticipation.

Everett: Irrelevant.

Watson: I mean, it’s a little bit like when my mom used to tell me I was her favorite son, but I guess I’ll take it.

Watson: And for the record, I thought it was an incredible first date too

As soon as I send the second message I wonder if it sounds too eager. Then again, he did send the first schmoopy message, so he can’t get freaked out by my response, right? Before I can spend too much time overthinking, I throw back my covers and get out of bed. Since I slept in my underwear, and it’s November and a bit too cold to go walking around my apartment mostly naked, I pull open my top dresser drawer to grab a pair of flannel pants, tug them on, and then drop my phone into the pocket.

I shuffle to my kitchen, yawning again as I fumble through starting the coffee maker. Once I have a cup of coffee in hand, I plop myself down at my small table just outside the kitchen. I rarely sit at it since it’s piled high with junk mail and random objects that don’t have another home or that I’ve been too lazy to find a good place for. I glance down at the half-finished application to be a foster parent, and my heart clenches. It’s probably not a great time to finish this now that Ev and I have just started dating. On the other hand, if things don’t work out, and let’s face it, my track record is pretty damning, then will I just have wasted another few months not making steps to finally make the life I want? And what if things do work out? Will Ev want more kids or is Olivia enough for him?

It’s easy to picture a future where I’m her stepdad. In fact, I would love that. But I still think I’d also want to adopt or at least foster.

Growing up, I always had foster brothers and sisters, and I know how difficult it can be for kids in the system.