This cannot be happening.
“Olivia and her daughter, Bee, just moved to town a couple of months ago. They walked in one Saturday for muffins, and the girls immediately hit it off, and so did Olivia and I.”
“Olivia?” I hear the question in his voice, and I can tell the moment he notices me. The air shifts, and goosebumps appear onmy arms even though it’s a damn near inferno outside. The one guy in town I decide to have a fling with turns out to be my daughter’s best friend’s uncle. Heronlyfriend, which means I cannot mess this up for her. Not to mention, he’s part of myonlyfriend's family.
“Olivia, this is my brother-in-law, Miles.” Lyla’s voice rings out, penetrating the daze I’m in. I brace myself as best I can and slowly turn around. My eyes slowly lift to his, and his eyes widen in shock briefly before he quickly recovers.
He glances down at my daughter before landing on me again. I was prepared to see the confusion in his eyes and maybe even anger for not telling him, but I wasn’t expecting to see the hurt, or is it guilt? He hides it behind a smile, and my heart thuds painfully against my chest.
“Nice to see you again, Olivia.”
“You two know each other?” Lyla asks, looking between the two of us. I look away from his gaze, afraid I’ll let anything show. I don’t need questions right now for things I don’t have the answers to, and I especially don’t need things to come out at a kid’s birthday party.
I watch Charlie and Bee play with Gizmo at Miles’s feet before looking at Lyla.
“We met a couple of times through work. I’m helping him with the wine list for his bar.”
“Oh my God! With all the birthday planning and pregnancy brain, I completely forgot to tell you about Miles’s bar and how you two should connect on that.” She studies us for a moment, and I can almost hear all the questions swarming in that beautiful head of hers. Anyone with half a brain would notice and feel this tension between us.
I’m looking anywhere but at the tall, bare-chested guy in front of me. His intense gaze is like a heated branding iron against my skin, and all I want to do is run in the other directionwhere it’s safer…where I don’t have to face what I feel every time he’s next to me.
“That’s okay,” I plaster on a smile for Lyla and do my best to appear unfazed by all the heat I feel flowing off the body next to her. “It’s a small town, and we were bound to run into each other at some point.”
I just wish thatsome pointhadn’t been at a five-year-old birthday party that my daughter is attending.
“Do you mind watching Bee for a second? I need to use the bathroom,” I say, suddenly needing some air as I feel myself start to panic. Lyla glances at Miles, and I can tell she’s about to scold him.
“I’ve got her,” Miles says, ignoring the glare from Lyla. “Ready to get in the pool, girls?” They quickly get up, and he bends down to eye level with Bee. His gaze softens as he truly looks at her for the first time. “I’m Miles, Charlie’s uncle.”
“I’m Bee,” she smiles shyly.
“Well, Bee, it’s very nice to meet you.” He holds out his hand, and she giggles, putting her small hand in his.
“It’s nice to meet you, too,” she grins, showing off her dimples. His eyes briefly meet mine, and something stirs in them that has my heart wound tight. Seeing them together like this stirs up a whole other level of emotions that I didn’t even know I had.
Standing up, I notice he doesn’t let go of her hand, and neither does she. I watch them walk to the steps before the girls excitedly grab floaties and start playing with the other kids.
“I’ll be right back,” I barely get the words out before I’m fleeing to the safety of the house and away from everything I’m feeling.
I eventually find the bathroom in the hallway off the kitchen and shut the door before sinking against it. My legs arebarely able to support me as I place a shaky hand to my chest and will myself to relax.
A soft knock a few seconds later has me quickly stepping away.
“Olivia?” Miles’s voice filters through the bathroom door, and I look around as if a magical door is going to appear where I can run and hide. “I know you’re in there. I can feel you through the door.” His voice is low, but I feel it loudly in every inch of me.
Knowing I can’t hide in here forever, I take a deep breath and open the door. His arms are above the door frame, and he drops them when he sees me.
“Bee?” My first thought is of her and who’s watching her if he’s here with me.
“She’s with my brother Jake and Charlie, having the time of her life with all the kids.” He smiles briefly before his grey eyes search mine. “Why didn’t you tell me you had a child?”
“Now's not the time to get into this,” I say, shaking my head.
“Now’s the perfect time. Everyone is busy with the kids and won’t even notice we are gone.” He grabs my hand and pulls me down the hall before entering what appears to be a guest bedroom.
“Miles, we shouldn’t be in here. Someone will see us together.” He shuts the door before turning to me.
“Is that such a bad thing?”
