sure I looked like a half-crazed woman as we wandered the parking lot in search of my car.
“Can I help?”
I yelped and turned, only to find Danny standing behind me with a ridiculous grin across his lips. He was holding a paper bag and looking chipper. I wanted to run and hide behind the blue minivan next to me, but I also didn’t want to look like a fool—which I was pretty sure he thought I was anyway.
“I’m good,” I whispered and moved to get away from him.
“Are you sure?” he asked as he fell in step with me. “I’m great at finding lost cars.”
I glanced at him, sweeping my gaze over his long legs and ridiculously toned torso. T-shirt makers really knew how to fashion their material so it covered yet hinted to the muscles underneath.
My temperature spiked at the thought of Danny’s muscles.
Yes, Danny was fit. He was young and, from the looks of it, had no worries. I, on the other hand, was covered in stretch marks and enjoyed weekends filled with chocolate and wine. We were on different planets. He was on the hot, young, and fit planet, where I was on the single-mom planet.
Never shall the two meet.
“I bet you are,” I said as I hiked my purse strap higher up onto my shoulder. “But I’m almost there.” To my satisfaction, when I raised my arm one more time and clicked the fob, my car beeped and the rear lights flashed.
All I needed to do was walk down ten cars, and I would be safe from this man.
“See,” I said triumphantly as I motioned toward my car. “All good.”
Danny gave me a look that said he didn’t believe me, but he didn’t fight me. Instead, he followed next to me as we walked toward the car. Tag distracted him by talking about whatever game they’d been discussing in the store, so I took the time to gather my thoughts and regain my composure.
Tag’s outburst plus running into Danny had definitely exhausted me. I was ready to get home, get into my pajamas, and pretend that this entire day hadn’t happened.
“All right, we’re here,” I sang out as I turned to motion for my kids to get in. Bella twirled to her door and disappeared inside. Tag lingered as he finished up his conversation with Danny and then walked past me. The slamming of his car door made me sigh.
Not wanting Danny to ask me what was wrong, I turned to smile at him. But as my gaze met his, my breath caught in my throat. He was staring down at me…smiling. Not in a creepy neighbor way or in a pity way. In a genuine way that had me wondering if he was happy to see me.
Which was weird. We weren’t friends. I didn’t know him, and he didn’t know me. I was pretty sure as soon as I drove away from here, I was never going to see him again.
“Well, it was great running into you again,” I said, and before I could stop myself, I stretched out my hand to shake his.
His gaze dipped down to my hand and then back up to meet my gaze head-on. “Really? Was it?”
What did that mean?
He must have seen my confused expression because a second later, he added, “You left in a hurry last night.” He reached up to push his hand through his hair, and all I could think about was how he would look incredible in a shampoo commercial. His hair looked smooth and soft. And his muscles rippled when he moved. Craig had never had muscles like this. Like, ever.
I blinked a few times when I realized that I was full-on staring at this man. What was wrong with me? Maybe I had some strange virus that caused women to do crazy things when they were around attractive men.
I stopped my mind when it seemed to want to expound on that thought.
I did have a virus. It was called single-woman syndrome. And even though I was going through a divorce, it didn’t mean that I was ignorant of the male form. Or what said male form could do to a woman.
Heat pricked at the back of my neck, and I cleared my throat in an effort to clear my head. What were we talking about?
Right. My leaving last night.
“Well, as you have now been privy to, I am a very busy person.” I nodded toward my car.
Danny’s gaze followed my gesture and then