Page 25 of To Hate Adam Connor
“My son has something to say to you,” I said pointedly so she’d get that seeing her wasn’t my idea of fun. When Aiden decided to go all shy on me and hid behind my back, I was forced to take a step to the side so Miss Stalker could see the person responsible for our visit.
“Oh, hello. Hi there,” Lucy said, her expression softening when she finally saw Aiden. This time, instead of hiding behind me, he was hugging my leg to ensure I wouldn’t go too far away.
Aiden wasn’t normally a shy kid, but being around strangers wasn’t something he was used to. With all the media focus on us, we tried to keep our family life as private as possible, meaning Aiden wasn’t used to meeting new adults—not when we were so particular about his security.
“Hello,” he greeted in a small voice, giving her a small wave right before grabbing my leg and hiding his face.
Lucy took a small step forward, but when our eyes met, she stopped. I would’ve much rather taken my kid and gotten the hell away from her, but it was too late for that.
“Aiden,” I prompted so we could get it over with and leave. “What did you want to say to Miss Lucy?”
He’d been talking my ear off about seeing Miss Stalker again ever since I’d picked him up from his mom the day before.
“I want to ask her something,” he whispered.
“Go ahead then.”
“Can you ask her for me?”
“I would, buddy, but I have no idea what you want to ask her.”
“But I just told you, Daddy. On our way over here, remember?”
“Aiden, I told you—”
“Please, Daddy. Pleeeaaase.”
My lips twitched as he repeatedly nodded and widened his bright green eyes.
Without meeting Lucy’s eyes again, I said, “He was wondering if you hated him for getting you in trouble.”
She looked at me with eyes full of hatred, which was admittedly a look I wasn’t used to getting. It only accentuated those unique bluish-gray eyes of hers, eyes I had no place even noticing.
She shook her head as if she was disappointed in me. “Is that what you told him?”
Just as I was trying to figure out what the hell she meant, she handed the wooden spoon to her clearly amused friend and started sashaying toward us.
“Be nice, Lucy,” Jason murmured as he casually leaned against the wall and watched us.
Instead of answering him, she gave me a pointed look that pretty much said, Do you mind? and without waiting for an answer, lowered herself to sit cross-legged in front of me.
“Hi,” she said to Aiden again.
“So? Do you hate me?” he asked, his arm tightening around my leg as he waited for his answer.
“Nope.”
“Not even a little?”
“Not even a little. In fact, I’m very happy to see you again.”
Happy with the answers he was getting, Aiden let go of my leg and stood in front of Lucy. “You are?”
“Yes. I was worried about you after I left, so it’s good to see you here, standing strong.”
Charmed by her, Aiden threw his arms around her neck and awkwardly hugged her. “I don’t hate you either. I promise. Not like my dad does.”
That earned me another look.
