To Hate Adam Connor

“I would, buddy, but I have no idea what you want to ask her.”

“But I just told you, Daddy. On our way over here, remember?”

“Aiden, I told you—”

“Please, Daddy. Pleeeaaase.”

My lips twitched as he repeatedly nodded and widened his bright green eyes.

Without meeting Lucy’s eyes again, I said, “He was wondering if you hated him for getting you in trouble.”

She looked at me with eyes full of hatred, which was admittedly a look I wasn’t used to getting. It only accentuated those unique bluish-gray eyes of hers, eyes I had no place even noticing.

She shook her head as if she was disappointed in me. “Is that what you told him?”

Just as I was trying to figure out what the hell she meant, she handed the wooden spoon to her clearly amused friend and started sashaying toward us.

“Be nice, Lucy,” Jason murmured as he casually leaned against the wall and watched us.

Instead of answering him, she gave me a pointed look that pretty much said, Do you mind? and without waiting for an answer, lowered herself to sit cross-legged in front of me.

“Hi,” she said to Aiden again.

“So? Do you hate me?” he asked, his arm tightening around my leg as he waited for his answer.

“Nope.”

“Not even a little?”

“Not even a little. In fact, I’m very happy to see you again.”

Happy with the answers he was getting, Aiden let go of my leg and stood in front of Lucy. “You are?”

“Yes. I was worried about you after I left, so it’s good to see you here, standing strong.”

Charmed by her, Aiden threw his arms around her neck and awkwardly hugged her. “I don’t hate you either. I promise. Not like my dad does.”

That earned me another look.

Oh, the joys of having a very honest five-year-old.

“That’s okay,” she reassured him with a pat on his back. “I promise I don’t hate you like I hate your dad either.”

As if I cared. I rolled my neck to get rid of the sudden stiffness.

“Am I your friend now?” Aiden asked as he looked at her with a serious expression. “Jason just agreed to be my friend, so maybe if you are my friend too you can come and visit me with him?”

“Come on, Aiden. That’s enough,” I said, putting my hand on his shoulder.

Looking up at me, he asked, “Is it your turn now, Daddy?”

Goddamn it!

He was looking at me with such expectant eyes that I couldn’t deny him anything, not even an apology to the person I had pretty much loathed since the first moment I’d laid eyes on her.

When Aiden looked up at me, Lucy’s gaze flicked upward too. I met her eyes. I met her eyes and…couldn’t think of anything to say.

“Daddy, you promised we would do this together.”

I hadn’t made any promises about anything, but since we were already knee-deep in this…I took a deep breath and exhaled as Lucy got up from the floor and took a few steps back.

“Aiden told me what he did and what happened after,” I started in a rough voice. Hearing how scared he’d gotten when he’d lost his arm float and started swallowing water had been particularly difficult for me. “I don’t like what you did. I don’t like any of it.” Narrowing her eyes at me, she lifted her chin ever so slightly and crossed her arms against her chest, pushing her boobs higher.

Look away, Adam.

“Other than the fact that what you did probably saved my son’s life. For that and only that, I’m thankful.”

Suddenly her eyes softened, and she dropped her arms. She looked over her shoulder and sighed. “You’re right,” she admitted. “Even though I didn’t mean any harm, it was wrong of me to get up there and watch you. That being said, I’m glad I was there at the right time.”

At least she was honest enough to accept the fact that what she had done was wrong. I relaxed a little and nodded. “Thank you.” I looked down at Aiden’s smiling face. “Are you ready to go?”

“One more minute? Please?”

Curious as to why he needed another minute, I said okay, and he ran toward Jason, stopping only inches away as he tilted his head back. He whispered something I couldn’t make out, and Jason laughed.

“Yes, I know her. Would you like me to introduce you two?” Jason asked as he ruffled his hair.

Briefly glancing at Jason’s wife, Aiden nodded. Jason chuckled, and they walked toward his smiling wife.

“Looks like you have a fan,” he said to his wife.

“Hello, Aiden,” she said and leaned down to Aiden’s eye level. “I’m Olive.”

Aiden’s eyes widened and a surprised giggle escaped his lips.

“Olive? Like an olive?”

“Yup, just like an olive.”

Another giggle and I relaxed further, exhaling a deep breath. I was happy to see him having fun, but we’d have to leave soon so I could make it to set early to go over some last minute changes in the script.

Lucy looked at me over her shoulder with a smile on her lips, but when our eyes met, her gaze turned into a cold stare. So much for our truce. Since I wasn’t planning on seeing her again, I was completely fine with it.

“Would you like to have coffee?” she asked. “They have this complicated espresso machine; I’m sure you have something similar, so you’ll enjoy that.”

Now what the hell was that supposed to mean? I tilted my head to the side and studied her for a short beat. What exactly did she see when she was looking at me with those unwavering eyes? She didn’t look like a star-struck woman, that was for sure. She didn’t act like all the other women did when they had me this close. No, not this one. She met my gaze head-on, not even blinking under my hard stare. So then what the hell had she been doing watching me over the wall?

“No,” I replied curtly and watched as Jason leaned down so Aiden could whisper in his ear this time.

“Ah, little man, are you trying to steal her from me?” he asked, acting all wounded when Aiden was done with whatever he was saying to him.

Aiden shook his head and gave Olive another coy look.

Fuck me, but he was crushing on the man’s wife.

Jason lifted him up and sat him on the kitchen counter. “Tell her yourself. I’m sure she’ll love hearing that.”

“She will? You sure?” Aiden asked in a low whisper.

“Believe me, girls love hearing that.”

Aiden nodded and made his deep thinking face, considering what he’d just learned. I couldn’t help but smile as I watched him soak up all the attention he was getting.

“What? Tell me already,” Olive said, getting closer to them with an unsure smile on her face.

“You’re very pretty,” Aiden said, and I groaned.

“Aiden…”

“Isn’t she so pretty, Daddy?”

“Of course she is, buddy, but it’s time for us to leave now. I’m sure your new friends are busy.”

Ignoring me, he kept his eyes on Olive. “Would you like my daddy to sign a picture for you?” He glanced back at Jason. “Girls love that too.”

Lucy burst out laughing with Olive. Thrilled, Aiden started giggling too. Jason’s eyes were on his wife, and he was smiling at her.

I shook my head. Fool.

“Looks like you’re raising quite the player,” Lucy said when her laughter died down and the Thorns’ were busy talking to Aiden.