After You (Because of You 2)

He squeezes my side, but he might as well squeeze my heart. The casual gesture sends me back six years to the last time he squeezed my side that way. Unknowing of my fall through a wormhole in time, Derek leans in and murmurs, “You liked me just fine a few hours ago.”

“Temporary insanity,” I tell him.

“Uh huh.”

“I was probably still drunk,” I add.

“Likely story.”

“Also, it meant nothing.”

“So you’ve said.”

Cassidy slides into a booth and pats the seat beside her. “Come on, Nikki, sit by me.”

My eyes widen and I look at her. “Really?”

She nods her head, grabbing two crayons from a cup Ryan put on the table for her and holding one out for me. “You know how to play tic-tac-toe?”

“She’s very friendly,” I comment to Derek. Then lower, so only he can hear my disapproval, I mutter, “She must be used to you bringing a bunch of different girls around.”

I expect a typical Derek response, a smirk that will make me want to punch him and all of those faceless bimbos, but instead he shakes his head, not even smiling. “Nah, I don’t bring girls around Cassie.”

Hiking up an eyebrow, I point out, “You have most certainly brought me around her.”

“Well, you’re not some girl. You’re Nikki.” Now he winks at me, an infuriating little smile playing around his lips as he slides into his side of the booth.

Chapter Ten

When Derek pulls into my driveway, I feel nothing but dread. Normally the sight of my house fills me with much different feelings—contentment, belonging, accomplishment. I’ve built so much for myself, entirely by myself. I’ve always been so proud of that, but looking at my house now, all I can think about is how quiet it will be. My mind’s eye shows me Derek and Cassidy on the floor of his living room, coloring me a picture. His house has so much more life than mine.

I’ve enjoyed having Cassidy with us all day, even if her presence has been an effective shield for Derek. I can’t say so many things I want to say to him because she’s there. I can’t ask questions I want to ask. He tricked me into having a good day with them, a nice lunch, and a pleasant three hour car ride afterward. He and Cassidy are clearly partners in crime. I have actually never thought of Derek as a single father, but having grown up with one myself, I can’t help marking the clear differences. If today is any indication, Derek is a lot better at it.

I still want to ask questions, but I remind myself I don’t care. Also, Cassidy is in the back seat. She is currently engrossed in a game on her Kindle, but she’s still back there.

“Well, thank you for the ride home,” I say.

Derek nods. “Of course. I always offer take-home service after a kidnapping.”

Cracking a smile, I tell him, “That’s very considerate of you.”

“I’m a full-service captor. Tell all your friends.”

“I’ll leave you a five star review on FindACreep.com,” I assure him.

“Much appreciated.”

I nod, glancing at the door. This feels bizarrely like the end of a date—just a date I never agreed to go on, with his daughter in the back seat. I have no idea how to get out of this. Do I hug him? Do I just get out? He never got to tell me what he wanted to tell me, unless he told me last night when I was too drunk to remember. Will I ever see him again? Is this goodbye? I guess it’s a much more pleasant goodbye than our last one.

“Well, it was… weird seeing you again,” I tell him, placing my hand on the lever, preparing to let myself out of his truck. “Let’s do this again in another six years.”

“That seems like a long time,” he says as I slide out.

“Not nearly long enough,” I assure him.

“Wait,” he says. “Can I at least get your number?”

I smile, shaking my head no and slamming the door shut.