Walk With Me

14. Impressing Pretty Girls

For too long, all of her big stuff seemed to loom over us, the complicated things I already knew because of that call to Fairview Street, her quiet timidity that resulted. But now that I'm getting to know the real her, I can't stop thinking about the small things. So often, it's the small things that matter most and I'm ready to figure out what that means when it comes to Amber.

Inside the house, Lacy and I get to work on warming up the food and setting the table. We're just about done when the doorbell rings and I hear Trevor greeting his parents, followed by the chirp of a very excited little girl saying hello to her uncle. Everything fades away when all I hear next is the soft, pretty voice of the woman who haunts my every fucking thought and I officially can't focus.

"Go say hi to our guests, Tommy. I got it from here," Lacy says to me with a shake of her head. "Tell Amber there's chalk and bubbles on the patio for Mia."

"Alright," I mutter, anxiously rubbing my hands against my jeans at the thought of Amber's daughter. I haven't interacted with her too much since the night I met her at the barbeque and it's not that I'm nervous around kids, it's just that this is her kid.

When I make my way to the living room, Ed and Amelia are already walking in the direction of the kitchen, each holding some kind of dessert in their hands. We exchange a quick hello in passing as I search the room for Amber, my eyes attaching to hers like they're magnetically charged to seek her out.

She's standing there, looking like a damn supermodel in a sundress that clings to her body in all the right places and a face full of irresistible self-assurance that looks better on her every time I see her.

And yet, despite that confidence, I don't miss her hands as they glide down her body, smoothing out her dress before one moves up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. It's fucking cute and I'm relieved to see that I'm not the only one out of sorts here.

"Hey," I practically croak.

She smiles. "Hi."

Okay, can I hug her for real now? Have we made it to that point yet?

Before I let myself overthink it too much, I take the last necessary step toward her that would fully indicate I'd like to hug her and she steps right into my arms, her hand grazing my spine for a split second before we part again.

It was, by most human standards, a casual hug. Not awkward but lacking the intimacy of the one we shared on the beach. However, nothing with this woman actually feels casual and I have to force myself to refocus again and stop thinking about the smell of her shampoo as my eyes drift down to the other visitor in the room.

"Hey, kiddo," I say to Mia.

Eyes that just about match her mother's blink up at me with a smile and a little wave to go along with it. "Hey, Tommy."

My gaze floats back up to Amber. "Lacy said to tell you there's chalk and bubbles on the patio."

"Yay!" Mia jumps up excitedly, looking up at Amber with pleading eyes. "Can I go out back?"

"Sure. I'll be out in a little bit," she says with a smile. When Mia takes off, Amber calls out to her and adds, "Don't use all the chalk before I get there, missy!"

I look around the room and notice that Trevor has made himself scarce, probably off with his parents if I had to guess. I never even saw him leave but I'm grateful to have a few minutes with Amber alone. Just when I'm about to ask her how her week has been, a question I'd normally have to wait a couple more days to get the answer to, the doorbell rings and cuts me off. Of course.

Amber and I look at each other like we're deciding if one of us should get the door or wait for Trevor since this is his house. When it occurs to me that I'm technically hosting this dinner party with Lacy, I figure it's safe for me to get the door.