His words brought my mind back to the issue at hand. “Um…let me think on it.”
Valentino shook his head. “No pressure at all. Just thought it’d be fun to catch up sometime, just the two of us.”
“Oh, definitely, I think so too. It’s just that when you’re a single mom it’s hard to do something like that without tons of planning, especially since my go-to babysitter’s on the other side of the city now.”
Valentino nodded in understanding.
“I suppose Ididskip out on you the last time we were supposed to get dinner.”
He laughed. “I wasn’t planning on playing that card, but now that you mention it…”
“Still, my schedule’s all kinds of crazy right now. We’re moving in, I’ve got to get my office set up, and once that’s done, I’ll need to get started on all the work that’s been piling up.”
“Sure, I understand.” A slight frown formed on his face, which happened to be pretty damn sexy. He wasn’t being sulky or anything, but I could sense a touch of disappointment. “Maybe sometime down the road. No pressure.”
I needed to get my intentions across better than I was doing.
“I’d love to, don’t get me wrong. I just need to get things a little more organized first.”
His expression softened. “Hey, look. It’s no problem at all, really. If a dinner between us is in the cards, then…what was it you said, ‘the universe will make it happen’?”
I laughed at the memory of that night, remembering how I’d said those exact words.
Valentino chuckled. “How about this—the offer’s on the table. When you’re ready and have the time, then we can make it happen. Otherwise, no hard feelings in the slightest.”
“Deal.”
I was very pleased with how chill he was being about the subject. The more time I spent talking to him, the more I started remembering why I’d gotten so swept away all those years ago.
Maddie let out a happy squeal, breaking out into a run with Mick in close pursuit. Together, they ran around the house and vanished out of sight.
“Mads!” I shouted, springing out of my seat. “Where are you going?”
“Backyard!” she called out, her voice trailing behind her.
Valentino, looking completely cool and calm, checked his watch. “Alright, I think I’ve put off work for long enough.”
“Good luck getting your buddy back,” I said. “Looks like Mads has just taken this playdate into round two.”
He smiled. “I’m fine with it as long as you are. Might be good for both of us if they wear each other out.”
“You’re right about that.”
“There’s a gate in the stone fence between our backyards. When they’re done, go ahead and open it. I’ll leave the back door open so he can come right inside.”
“Sounds good.”
He stood and finished the last bit of his iced tea. I watched him as if in a trance, my eyes locked onto the bobbing up and down of his Adam’s apple.
“Thanks for the tea,” he said, setting the glass down. “Next time, I’ll provide the drinks.”
He flashed me one more impossible sexy smile before starting down the stairs.
“Yeah. Next time.”
When he reached the bottom of the stairs, he turned and waved at me one last time before going home.
Once he was gone, I got up to go watch Maddie and Mick in the back. Two things were swirling around in my mind. One, that I was definitely going to have dinner with him. Two, that it was going to be next to impossible to leave it at just that.
