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Excellent. My evil plan is working. Maybe I am the Lord of Darkness.
Tyler shrugs at Beverly. “I think I’ll go with the kids.” Both hands go to Krew’s shoulders, and he gives him a little squeeze. I forgot how attractive Tyler is when he’s in dad mode.
Wow, he smells good. I close my eyes and breathe in. It’s some kind of woodsy scent mixed with pure manliness. The name of his cologne is probably something like Let Me Cradle You in My Arms and Show You All the Ways I’m a Man.
Good looks come and go, but being a dependable dad is something that is attractive forever.
“I just thought you should know about my hot man ban.”
“Sounds like she was just like your mom. A person who was fiercely loved who died too soon.”
I hope talking fast diverts his attention away from Tyler and me and the very illegal hand-holding that just happened. Hand-holding? I wouldn’t call it that. It was a hand cover. So innocent—something an eighty-year-old would offer the cashier at the grocery store while saying “bless your heart.”
“Are you jealous?” His voice is low so only I can hear. “It kind of seems like you’re jealous.”
Tyler bends over and we both tilt our heads, following his movement. Jen sighs. “Jobs come and go, but love is forever.” “This moment would really be complete if we had drinks we could slowly stir while watching him.” “See!” Jen pops up. “I knew you were attracted to him.”
downplay. He’s sensitive, a good communicator
A new thought pops into my head. What if I knew Tyler wouldn’t break my heart? Would he be worth losing my job? The logical part of my brain immediately says no. But a bigger part of my heart screams yes.
His lips quirk into a smile. “Are you trying to get me to kiss you again?” One second in Tyler’s arms has my stomach swirling—I could mix brownie batter in there if I needed to.
Is he keeping track of how often we see each other, like I am? I mean, it’s not like I have a calendar with tally marks on it for every time that he walks past my classroom window. That would be weird. And a little obsessive. So…forget I mentioned it.
She’s the Titanic slowly heading toward an iceberg, and the iceberg is me. If we collide, the damage will be done. Her career will sink along with her hopes and dreams.
She must have bat-like hearing.
Oh, this is better than I thought. I get to see a peek inside Meg's world. It’s like a date, but not. It’s the perfect situation.
I open up my Styrofoam container, and the smell of steak quesadillas drifts up to my nose. “What did you get?” I lean over as Tyler opens up his box. There's a half-eaten baked potato and a half-eaten steak. I gasp. “Somebody ate yours!” “What?” He looks down. “No, they didn't. It looks fine to me.” He moves the box so I can’t see it.
“Are you laughing because you're freaked out or because you think I'm the smartest man ever?”
“When it comes to parenting, I don’t always get what I need, and if I do, I immediately feel guilty. Like I’m not doing enough.”
I play it cool. I play it cool in the most manipulating way possible.
It's cute, picturing him doing laundry. It's actually more than cute. It's the sexiest thing I can even imagine. I'm seeing Tyler in a whole new way. Most women like men who race motorcycles and pump serious amounts of weights, but not me. I like good, old-fashioned dads. And seeing this dad in his domain might just push me over the edge.
I look around and notice one of my signs hanging above a bookshelf—the one that says “Family. A little bit of crazy, a little bit of loud, and a whole lot of love.” I turn to Tyler. “Where did you get this?”
One bowl. All hands will be in that one bowl. I hope Meg’s not a germaphobe, but I’m a man trying desperately to break down the physical barrier between myself and a beautiful woman. One popcorn bowl is currently my best friend.
She’s perfect. “Dad, move your hand. I can’t get any popcorn.” Leave it to Krew to ruin the moment. Meg laughs as she scoops up a handful.
We’ve touched a bra strap, people. Stay calm. “Dad, I’m thirsty.” “Of course you are.” It’s as if an alarm went off in his little brain that I had entered bra strap territory. “I’ll get him a drink,” Meg says. She stands and heads toward the kitchen before I can even protest. I look down at Krew, rubbing the top of his hair. “You don’t make things easy for your dad, do you, buddy?” He laughs and snuggles into my side. It’s a good thing I love him.
My, oh, my. I’m here to confirm that Lord of Darkness is the correct nickname for Tyler Dixon.
This is my first refrigerator kiss. Everyone should try it. There’s something so romantic about the soft, glowing light spilling over you and the coolness of the air.
I lean against the banister, studying her. She’s sitting on the couch, watching the end of The Sandlot. She’s completely stolen my heart. I’ll never be the same again.
What is it with us and kitchens? We cannot be trusted in this room.
I’m a man that’s been trapped in a desert, and Meg’s the water I crave.
“You’re right. I don’t need you. I see that now. But Meg, I want you. You’re the person I want to be with. The person I want to turn to when I've just won the championship. When the entire team runs to the pitcher or to the kid who just hit the home run, I want to run to you. You make everything better. You make the losses bearable and the wins complete.”
“I don’t look at your mother like she’s my competition. I look at her like she’s my friend. She loves the same people I love, and therefore, I love her.”
I’m in Dirty Dancing. Tyler is Patrick Swayze. This is his “Nobody puts Baby in the corner” moment, and as I watch it play out in real life, it's not as romantic as the movie makes it seem. It's stressful.
It’s as if there’s a timer on a bomb, clicking down each second. I have to say what I need to say before we all blow up. That’s the level of intensity I’m feeling right now—James Bond intensity.
“I know now that the only thing that matters is that we’re together. I love you.” I shrug. “And love is enough. Or can be, if you’re willing to put in the work to overcome your weaknesses.”
It’s bittersweet, but the sweetness outweighs the bitterness, and that’s because of Tyler.
I pick up the drink in front of me and take a sip. “Is this party almost over?” “We can leave whenever you want,” Tyler nudges me. “In fact, let’s leave right now. I’m ready to get our honeymoon started.” Matt laughs. “Easy, buddy. You guys haven’t even cut the cake yet.”
“Leave her alone,” Matt chimes in. “If Brooke is stupid enough to fall for her best friend and not tell him, then she deserves to feel a little jealous right now.”
Tyler Dixon is the happy ending that I’ve been dreaming of, but the coolest part is that it’s not the end. It’s the beginning.
