“You know you promised you will always give me anything I want, remember?” He had a little smile on his face. “I want you to make Grant my daddy.”
She tucked a loose hair behind her ear. Tasha smiled and said, “Like I told you, but things are not always straightforward with adults.” She said, not wanting to make any commitments to him.
“But you are doing fine without a daddy,” Tasha said, making a funny face at him. “Do you still need one?”
“I need a daddy, Mom,” he looked into her eyes, his face clouded over with a shadow of sadness which she hadn’t seen before. “Everybody has one. I want a daddy that will play games with me like Liam’s daddy does and our neighbor, Mr. Zack, and his kids.”
Tasha took a deep breath.
“Mom, I know you can’t find my daddy again,” he laid his head on her shoulder. “But you can give me another daddy.”
Tasha nodded and wrapped her arms tightly around her son. She had always lied to Tyson that she couldn’t find his dad. She told him they had a fight when she was pregnant with him and he left her in anger. Being the easygoing boy he was, Tyson had believed all she had told him.
“I will give you a daddy someday,” she said, being careful not to lead him on. “Maybe Grant or someone else.” She cupped his face. “Is that okay?”
“Yes, om,” he shrugged. The sadness still lingered on in his eyes though.
“That’s my boy,” she kissed him on the forehead.
“No, I’m not a boy,” he protested.
“Oh sorry, I forgot,” she gave him another kiss on the forehead. “That’s my little man.”
“Yes,” he nodded proudly. “I love you, mommy.”
“I love you too, sunshine.” She told him, warmth creeping into her chest.
“Mom,” he called out softly after several moments of them concentrating on TV. “Can I have some ice cream, please? I want the one Grant got for me. It’s banana peanut flavor.”
“It’s okay,” she stood up and pulled him to his feet too. “You can have any flavor you like. Let’s go get it.”
“I’m happy to have you to myself tonight Tasha,” Grant reached out over the crisp white, cloth-covered table and squeezed her hand. “I hope this won’t be a one-off thing again.” He smiled perceptively into her face.
Tasha blushed, remembering her discussion with Tyson. She said, “It won’t be.”
“Is that a promise?” He cocked his head to one side and stroked the back of her hand gently with a finger. “I like you very much,” their eyes locked for a moment. His heartbeat sped up, and he swallowed hard before he continued. “You and Tyson, and I want both of you to be part of my life forever.”
“Forever?” Tasha looked straight into his eyes.
“Yes, forever,” he looked back into her eyes with sincerity. “I don’t want a fling or to just get my kicks out of a neighbor’s fantasy. I want you for the keeps. I have fallen in love with you Tasha.”
“I promise,” she started talking. “This won’t be a one-off thing.” Her voice was breathy. That was how he knew she was feeling something for him, too.
“I’m glad,” he beamed with relief, unable to keep the excitement out of his voice. “To hear that. This calls for a toast.”
He lifted his glass of mocktail and she did the same.
“Cheers to us,” he clicked his glass cup with hers. “To a new beginning.”
“Yes, to a new beginning.” She sipped from her drink and grinned at him. Tasha was thrilled that she agreed to come out with him tonight. She felt herself relaxed completely in his company.
“You are so beautiful,” he said after a brief lull, their gaze locked from the rims of their glasses.
She blushed and just looked on.
His mind flashed back to the day he first met her. His neighbor was on his neck to come along with him to the neighborhood party that evening. He didn’t have any other choice than to abandon the structural drawing he was doing and follow him.
On getting to the venue of the party, he took a glass of champagne from the tray of a server passing along and walked up to a corner to sit down to think about the drawings he had abandoned to come to the party.
He was thinking of different ways to improve on the drawing more to the taste of the client when he noticed Tasha who was also sitting in a corner, nursing a glass of wine and going through her phone. He couldn’t say exactly how he walked up to her. It was like a magnetic pull. He found her calmness simply beautiful.
She didn’t warm up to him as fast as he expected though, but as the night progressed, she warmed up. And by the time the party ended two hours later, they were chatting like old friends.
“Can I walk you to your house?” He asked her.
She shrugged and said it was okay. And that was beginning their friendship. He didn’t mince words from the beginning. He made it plain to her he liked her and wanted a romantic relationship with her. She wasn’t enthusiastic about that at all.
“We better order,” Tasha’s voice pulled him back momentarily from his reverie.
He smiled, looking at the hovering waiter.
“That’s okay,” he motioned for the waiter to give the menu to Tasha.
Tasha collected the menu with a smile. Grant watched her from the corners of his eyes, admiring her beautiful face as she perused the menu.
She looked up at the waiter after a moment and said, “I’ll have the pan-seared salmon with garlic mashed potatoes, vegetable salad, and a glass of white wine.”
“I will go with the lady,” Grant said, then waited until the waiter left before asking, “what are your plans for the summer? It starts in a week.”
“Summer…summer,” she licked her lips and sang. “Just my usual stuff,” she started. “Tyson and I will go to Sandville. I will stay for a week and come back, leaving him with his grandparents. I may attend a friend’s wedding if I feel up to it.”
“Why not?” he encouraged her. “You should attend your friend’s wedding.”