caught glimpses of him coming or going from his house and around town, but I haven’t talked to him again.
“Hey.” I rest against the doorframe, wondering what he’s doing here so early. Looking like he just got out of the shower, his dark hair is still wet. The stubble that was on his jaw days ago is gone, leaving me wondering if I like him more with the facial hair or without. Instead of a plaid shirt today, he has on a long-sleeved Henley that is the same green as his eyes.
“Corneal left this with Aubrey yesterday.” He dips his chin to a large box in his hands then steps forward, forcing me back into the house. I watch him head for the living room, just off the front door, and set the box down on the coffee table, causing it to shake with the weight.
“Thanks for dropping it off.” I feel my skin heat as he turns to face me, and his eyes trek slowly down my body, making me realize I only have on a thin tank top and a pair of very short sleep shorts.
“Hey, Mr. Watters.”
Zach’s eyes go to Hunter, and the intensity that had been in his eyes moments ago disappears as he smiles. “Hey, kid. Just call me Zach. How are you settling in?”
“Good, I have the coolest room, and Mom and I are going fishing today.”
“Oh yeah?” Zach asks, looking at me with a raised brow, probably remembering that I use to hate fishing.
“I’m going to take him out to the road where Gramps used to take me,” I admit softly, feeling my cheeks heat. That spot is the same one Zach and I used to spend hours during the summer, sitting on the tailgate of his old pickup with our fishing poles in the water and our faces glued together.
“I know Pat took his poles with him when he left, but I have a few if you want to borrow them.”
“That’s not necessary.” I shake my head, knowing if we borrow them from him today, I’ll have to see him again when we return them, and there is only so much of being around him that I can take. And I think I’ve reached my limit.
“It’s not a big deal, Shel.”
“Yeah, Mom, it’s not a big deal,” Hunter agrees from my side, but my mind is totally focused on Zach and the fact he called me Shel. “Mom.” Hunter nudges my shoulder, and my eyes swing toward him.
“Um…” I bite my lip, wondering how to get out of this without sounding rude.
“Do you want to come with us?” Hunter asks, looking at Zach, and my eyes widen.
“I’m sure Zach is busy today, honey,” I cut in swiftly, looking at Zach and praying I suddenly have the power of mind control. There is no way I could possibly spend the day with him.
“I’m not.” He smiles, holding my gaze, and my heart plummets.
Crap.
“Let me get the kids. We can take my boat out. They’d probably enjoy getting out on the water for a few hours.”
“A boat?” Hunter breathes, in little boy excitement, and I so badly want to cover my face with my hands and scream at the top of my lungs that this is not happening.
“On a boat,” Zach agrees softly, with his eyes on Hunter.
“Heck yeah,” Hunter shouts, throwing his arms up in the air before proceeding to jump around the room.
“We’ll meet you guys out front in an hour. It’s gonna take me that long to get Aubrey and Steven out of bed.” Zach smiles, ruffling Hunter’s hair as he moves past him and heads for the front door.
“I’m gonna go get ready!” Hunter cries, running out of the room. This leaves me standing there listening to the front door close behind Zach, and the sound of Hunter’s feet pounding up the stairs.
Leaning my head back, I look up at the ceiling and close my eyes, praying to get struck by lightning. When that doesn’t happen, I give up and head for my room to get ready. Finally, after pulling almost every single item of clothing out of my closet, I settle on sneakers, worn jeans that had gotten too tight for me but now fit me comfortably, my warm, light grey sweater, and my thin black raincoat.
I kept telling myself while I was getting ready that it didn’t matter at all what I wore, or if I had on mascara. All we were doing was going fishing. Although, I