“They won’t hear it from me,” James told him and Chris thanked him before leaving. James stood outside for a moment; he still couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to the way they were acting than the fact that Chris had a new mate. When he arrived at his apartment that night, he tossed his keys on the coffee table and walked into his bedroom, wondering about the events of the day.
Were Lily and Chris hiding something else? If so what? He started to think about A. J. and for the first time since he started working for Freddie, he wished he didn’t have to go to work tomorrow so he could spend the whole day with him, but he couldn’t leave Freddie hanging like that. Friday was usually their busiest day besides Monday.
They were slammed with work all day; James hardly had time to think as they rushed from one house to the next. So by the time he was finished for the day the only thing he wanted to do was crawl into bed despite his original idea of going over to see A. J. It didn’t help that since Lily came back he hadn’t been sleeping too well either. He kept thinking about her, about what she’d done, A. J. and what was going to happen in the future.
He understood that Lily was only taking a vacation so she’d leave again but he wasn’t going to let her leave with A. J. So was she would she stay? Did he want her to stay? He didn’t know anymore, everything was so muddled and confusing that he had no idea what he felt or what he wanted. James sighed as he stared at the dark ceiling. Why did Lily always have to be so complicated? She wouldn’t be Lily if she weren’t, his subconscious told him.
The next morning James sat with Andrew, A. J., and Sandy in the kitchen, the ex-alpha was reading the paper while Sandy gushed over A. J. “Want to see if you can get him to eat some more, James. He seems more content to throw his cereal around than actually put it in his mouth,” Sandy said, with feigned exasperation. He could see she loved her time her new grandson.
“Not sure what I can do about it but I guess I will try,” James replied with a shrug picking up a piece of cereal and handing it to A. J. encouraging him to eat it. For a moment, it looked like James was having success then the toddler took a piece of cereal and threw it hitting Andrew right between the eyes. He lowered his paper giving the toddler a stern look, but A. J. was oblivious as he grabbed another handful and tossing it to the floor.
Sandy tried to hide her laughter behind her hand as Andrew shook his head side to side. “He’s got his mother’s authority issues I see,” he said with a stern tone, but there was a hint of a smile on the corners of his mouth.
“I do not have authority issues, I just don’t like to be bossed around,” Lily demanded as she walked into the kitchen. He looked up at her and his mouth suddenly went dry. She was wearing nothing but a thin tank top and really short shorts. The curves of her body and the way she moved to the refrigerator were sultry and enticing. His body reacting in ways he’d prefer it didn’t.
He looked back to A. J. and let out a long slow breath, attempting to reign in his body’s reactions. “A. J. don’t be throwing cereal now. If you’re done then say I’m done okay,” Lily lectured him.
“Okay,” A. J. chimed. “I done!” He lifted his arms and Sandy quickly got up to let him out as Lily sat at the table with them.
“Sorry James, I know you said ten. I was up late looking at some stuff my boss sent me and I lost track of time,” She apologized. “Just let me eat this muffin real quick and I’ll get A. J. dressed.”
“Actually if you want Lily I’ll get him dressed while you eat. Breakfast shouldn’t be rushed,” Sandy said with a stern look. “Want me to set something out for you too?”
“Oh I’m not going,” Lily said quickly then glanced at him. “Am I?”
“You’d let me take him out by myself?” James asked back, curious to know how she felt about that.
“Well yeah… you are his father after all,” She said with a “well duh” tone to her voice and that made him feel happier than he thought it would.
“To be honest I actually thought you were going to come with us. At least until I get a handle on this kid stuff,” James admitted. “I know how to handle the older ones but never been around the little ones.”
“There’s really nothing to it, but I’ll come with,” Lily offered. “Yeah, Sandy, can you put me out something too.” Her mother nodded before disappearing with A. J. out of the kitchen. “So what’s the plan?” Lily asked as she tore off a chunk of muffin then ate it. James couldn’t help but watch her as she popped it into her mouth then proceeded to suck off the crumbs on her finger. His body tightened and again he forced himself to look anywhere but at her.
“Uh,” James started, trying to regain his capacity to think. “I want the whole day with him.”
“Okay, like I said earlier the new park on main looks good,” she replied.
“Yeah I thought about taking him there first, then going out for lunch,” he said, looking at her direction but not exactly at her. She was really distracting today. He wondered if she was doing it on purpose but then what possible reason would she have in trying to seduce him?
Finally, she got up from the table and followed Sandy to wherever she had gone. “Are you two patching things up?” Andrew asked once she was out of earshot.
“Sort of, maybe in time we’ll manage friends,” James replied and noticed a brief look of disappointment on the ex- alpha’s face.
“Well, that’s good. Spending time with her and A. J. seems like a good start to get the ball rolling,” Andrew told him and James nodded in agreement. Lily came down with A. J. soon after, both ready to go.
“We can take my car,” Lily told him as they walked out of the house. He recognized that rusted death trap as the same one Chris had driven to talk to him.
“I’d rather not. That car looks about a hundred years old. I drove my truck. There will be enough room for all three of us,” James replied and Lily looked like she was about to argue when she simply shrugged.