“You work too hard. Your dad never meant for this to be your life.”
“What are you talking about? We love the business, and we want it to succeed.” Dad always said no one worked as hard as a business owner.
“I know, but he wanted you to have a life. Especially you. I always thought you’d be the first one to get married and give me grandbabies.”
My jaw tightened. “You know why that didn’t work out.”
“But that doesn’t mean you give up. The right woman is out there for you.”
“I’m busy. My life is full.” It was when I thought about work and my family. They took up every nook and cranny of my life. My brothers would stop by, and my parents loved having us over for family dinners, and the responsibilities only increased with the addition of Maggie and then Alice. We were a big, tight family, and I loved it.
Mom patted my cheek. “I want more for you.”
“Don’t worry about me.” Guilt unfurled in my chest. I hated disappointing my mother.
“That’s what mothers do.” Mom turned and headed down the steps. I followed her, not wanting her to get hurt if someone left a tool or box of supplies in the way.
When she reached the door to the owner’s suite, she knocked. Before I could leave, Delaney appeared. “Hi,” she said shyly.
Natalie kept her daughter away from the renovations and my team, so I didn’t know her at all.
“Hello, dear. I’m this one’s mother. You can call me Miranda.”
Natalie appeared behind her, and I almost swallowed my tongue. She wore some black, slinky halter top over jeans that looked like they’d been painted on her and stilettos. She looked sexy as fuck.
“Come on in,” Natalie said, and when she turned, it revealed a bare expanse of tan skin.
I couldn’t seem to stop myself from following them into the space, mainly because I couldn’t look away from the bare skin on display.
The space had been transformed with framed photographs, soft-looking throws, and blush-colored pillows. It was homey. The perfect space for a single mother and her daughter.
“I was just telling Mac he worked too hard,” Mom said to Natalie.
Natalie’s cheeks flushed pink. “You don’t need to babysit for me. I’m sure you have other things to do on a Friday night.”
Now I felt like a loser. “I’ll call Sam or Tyler.”
Mom frowned. “I doubt Sam is leaving Maggie or Alice for a guys’ night, and Tyler’s probably out already. He has a million friends.”
Everything she said was true, but she didn’t have to point out that I didn’t have a lot of options. “I can call a friend.”
Unfortunately, most of my friends were married with kids or had one on the way. Friends had definitely fallen away over the last five years, as they moved away or started their own families. And I always thought I’d be in the same position.
“Humph,” Mom said.
“You can hang out with us. I got out a few games,” Delaney said, her eyes hopeful.
How could I say no to that?
“I’m sure you have other things to do,” Natalie said, and suddenly I wanted to stay. Especially if it bothered her.
Mom smiled. “That’s a great idea. You two play a game while I get started on the cookies.”
“You’re making cookies?” I asked hopefully.
“Yes, that’s what good babysitters do.” Mom patted my cheek again before I dropped her plastic bags of supplies onto the kitchen counter.
I wondered if Mom had manipulated me into being in Natalie’s space, and now it was too late to escape.
“You’re sticking around?” Natalie asked, her expression dubious.
“I have work to do,” I said, but when Delaney’s expression fell, I added, “but I have time for a game.”
“Really?” Delaney asked hopefully.
There was no way I could disappoint this little girl. I decided to tease her. “You’ll have to help me with the tile because I’ll be behind.”
“You’ll do no such thing. You leave that girl alone,” Mom chided from across the room.
Natalie moved into my space and lowered her voice. “You don’t have to.”
“I know.” Looking down, I saw the tops of the globes of her breasts, and it made me remember what her nipples looked like the other night. I wanted another glimpse. I wanted to touch her hip and slide my hand under the slinky top to see if the skin underneath was as soft as it looked.
Natalie’s phone buzzed, and I saw Kylie’s name flash across the screen when she lifted it. “I have to get going.”
“Don’t worry. We have everything covered here, and if we have any problems, we’ll call,” Mom said cheerfully.
Natalie tucked her phone into her back pocket, drawing my attention to her perfect ass. I wanted to cup it while I lifted her in my arms. How would her long legs feel around my waist when I rocked in her heat?
“Bedtime is eight thirty. No exceptions,” Natalie said to Delaney.
I tipped my head back to stare at the ceiling. Even her stern mom voice was hot.
“Yeah, yeah,” Delaney said.
I returned my attention to their exchange in time to see Natalie hug and kiss Delaney. I was drawn to the bare skin of her back again. That’s when I realized there was zero chance she was wearing a bra.
Were her nipples hard under that shirt? My fingers itched to touch her. I was having inappropriate thoughts in front of Natalie’s daughter and my mother. I was clearly not cut out for family life. This was why I was still single. It had nothing to do with shutting myself out of the possibilities over the last few years.
“Are you going to be okay?” Natalie asked Mom, but her gaze was on me.
Mom waved her off. “We’ve got it handled. You don’t have to worry about a thing.”
“Where are you heading?” I asked Natalie, my heart suddenly in my throat, wondering who’d approach her in that outfit.
“Kylie said there’s a club at the resort now,” Natalie said hesitantly, as if clubbing wasn’t her scene.
“You’re going to a club?” I asked, unable to disguise my surprise.
“Well, yeah,” Natalie said, her hand on her hip. She’d done the same thing the night she’d been soaked and in nothing but that ivory lingerie.
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
“Of course, it’s a good idea,” Mom said as she bustled past us and opened the door to the private entrance of the suite. “Now go. We’re fine here.”
Natalie gathered her purse and keys.
“I’ll walk you out.” Before Natalie could protest, I touched her elbow and guided her through the door. I couldn’t be sure, but I thought Mom chuckled.
“You don’t need to do this,” Natalie said.
When she stumbled over the pavers on those thin spikes, I said, “I think I do.”
Her lips pressed into a thin line. “You don’t have to stay and play a game with Delaney. She’s a big girl.”
“I said I would. I don’t make promises I don’t keep.” That was something I never backed down from, especially since I’d been let down so many times by women.