Edge(50)
I wanted to stay mad, but he was clearly trying to atone. I grinned and looked at Ky. This was so spur of the moment. But if I didn’t commit now, I’d rationalize my way out of it.
“You want to go to a game in Chicago?” I asked.
“Sure. Will Grandpa be there?”
“Not this time,” I said, texting Luke back.
Me: I’m off that day, so we could.
Luke: I know, checked ur schedule. Say yes.
Me: Yes.
It would be a fun night away for me and Kyler. We could stay at a hotel and go to the toy store downtown. Hopefully since he knew I’d have my son, Luke knew nothing would happen between the two of us that night.
Just the thought of seeing him excited me, though. Hearing his voice, seeing his smile, hugging him as long and hard as I could tastefully get away with …
I stood and reached for Kyler, sweeping him into my arms so I could get my hug on.
“Mom,” he said, sounding aggravated. “I’m not a baby.”
“You’re my baby, though.”
He let me squeeze him a few more seconds before wiggling away. “Mom, what’s nut-cuttin’?”
“What? Where did you hear that?”
“Grandpa said it at his practice. He yelled that it was nut cuttin’ time. He sounded really mad.”
My pulse kicked up with anger. “He took you to his practice?”
“I wanted to go.”
I’d let my mom come up and get Kyler so he could spend a couple days and nights with my parents, but I had no idea Dad had taken him to practice. My son had probably been exposed to every profane word in the English language, plus a few foreign ones.
“I can’t believe he took you there.” I was seething – itching to call my father and have one of our ‘discussions’.
“He let me blow the whistle.” Kyler grinned proudly. “And I got to score in their net. It was cool.”
I softened a little. As brash as my Dad could be, Kyler was his pride and joy. His only child was a daughter, and now he had a boy to be rough and tumble with. And it was probably good for Kyler, since he saw his dad so infrequently.
“Alright, guess I better get us a room in Chicago,” I said.
“Can we stay somewhere with a pool?”
“Sure.”
“Is Sadie coming?”
“If she wants to.”
He ran to her room to ask her, and I opened my laptop to search for a hotel. Had I forgiven Luke too quickly? No. He’d apologized, and I didn’t want to be one of those women who played stupid mind games.
I couldn’t wait to see him, even if it was just at a game he was playing in. Maybe he’d have time for lunch with me and Kyler before we left. A slow goodbye to whatever it was we had would be good for me. Luke Hudson wasn’t the kind of man a woman could quit cold turkey.
***
Dell
The suburban house I parked in front of was incredible. It was a sprawling brick home with a horseshoe drive. Like my parents’ home in Nashville, it was luxurious. Private, well-landscaped and mansion-sized.
When I saw Luke’s SUV in the driveway, I sighed with relief. I didn’t think I could meet his rich friends alone. He’d said he’d hurry over here from the pregame skate, and he must have.
“Whose house is this again?” Kyler asked as we walked up to the arched front door.
“Mr. and Mrs. Ryker. Mr. Ryker is on Luke’s team.”
“So Luke’s never coming back to your team?”
A momentary pang of sadness hit. “Probably not. He was just getting his knee all better on my team. His real team is here in Chicago.”
“Did you help get his knee all better?”
“A little.”
Kyler pressed the doorbell and soon a gorgeous, petite blonde woman pulled the front door open.
“Hi guys, come on in.” She smiled and reached for me with a hug. “I’m Kate. I’m so glad you guys are here.”
A little girl with a light brown ponytail ran into the entryway.
“Kyler?” Her smile was as warm as her mother’s. “I’m Melody. Wanna play in the playroom?”
“Let him come in and see everyone first,” Kate said, closing the door. “Can I take your coats?”
We handed them over and she hung them in a closet and led us into an enormous kitchen with a vaulted ceiling, warm wood cabinets and huge stainless appliances. My heart went into overdrive when I saw Luke leaning against a large kitchen island. He pushed off and approached me.
“Hey, you made it.” His happy grin made my panties burst into flames. I’d gone years without sex and never felt this way before. I stood behind Kyler, my hands on his shoulders, hoping Luke would get the message that I didn’t want to confuse my son with any public displays of affection.