Leaving me standing there blinking.
And his dad standing there blinking too.
“Did he say he’s coming with me?” I asked, in almost a daze from pure surprise.
The older man shook his head in disbelief. “I didn’t see that coming,” he muttered more to himself than to me from the way he was still staring after the door. “I told him he couldn’t hang out with his friends since he’s still grounded, but if he wanted to be around an adult it was okay.”
Oh wow. I got it now.
“Damn, he got you,” I laughed.
That had his attention turning toward me, still looking like he’d gotten scammed.
I snorted. “I can tell him no after all if you want me to. I swear I thought you said he didn’t like doing outdoor things, that’s why I asked.” I’d feel terrible retracting the invitation, but I would if it really bothered him. “Unless you want to come too. You know, so he’s not totally getting away with it. I don’t mind either way, but I don’t want you to feel weird with me hanging out with your son. I’m not a creeper or anything, I swear.”
Mr. Rhodes’s gaze slid toward his front door again and stayed there like he was thinking very deeply about how the hell he was going to get out of the loophole he’d unknowingly given someone who was supposed to be grounded.
Or maybe he was wondering how to tell me that he was absolutely not okay with me taking his child for a hike. I wouldn’t blame him.
“It might be torture for him hanging out with me for a couple hours,” I told him. “I promise I’m not going to do anything to him. I’d invite Jackie, but I know she and Clara are going shopping in Farmington. I wouldn’t mind the company.” I paused. “But it’s up to you. I promise I’m only attracted to grown men. He reminds me of my nephews.”
Those gray eyes moved in my direction, his expression still thoughtful.
The kid burst through the front door, with a stainless-steel bottle looped through one finger and what looked like two granola bars in his other hand.
“You don’t care if he goes?” was the quiet question that came at me.
“Not at all,” I confirmed. “If you’re okay with it.”
“You’re only going for a hike?”
“Yes.”
I saw him hesitate before letting out another one of his deep breaths. Then he murmured, “I need a minute,” just as Amos stopped in front of me and said, “I’m ready.”
Was… was Mr. Rhodes coming too?
He disappeared into the house even faster than his son had, his movements and strides long and fluid considering how muscular he was.
I needed to stop thinking about his muscles. Like yesterday. I knew better already, didn’t I? Subtle, I was not.
“Where’s he going?” Amos asked, watching his dad too.
“I don’t know. He said to give him a minute. He might be coming too…？”
The kid let out a frustrated sigh that made me side-eye him.
“Change your mind?”
He seemed to think about it for a second before shaking his head. “No. As long as I get out of the house, I don’t care.”
“Thank you for making me feel so special,” I joked.
The teenager looked at me, his quiet voice back, “Sorry.”
“It’s okay. I’m just messing with you,” I told him with a grin.
“He said I couldn’t go out with my friends so…”
“You’re hanging out with chopped liver?” I could only imagine the kind of relationship he had with his dad if he wasn’t used to being picked on. “I’m messing with you, Amos. I promise.” I even nudged him with my elbow quickly.
He didn’t nudge me back, but he did give me a little shrug before asking quietly and hesitantly, “Is it okay? If I go with you?”
“One hundred percent okay. I like the company,” I told him. “Honestly. You’re pretty much making my day. I’ve been pretty lonely lately. I’m not used to doing so many things by myself anymore.” The truth was, I’d been surrounded by people almost twenty-four seven for the last chunk of my life. The only alone time I ever really got for just myself was… when I’d go to the bathroom.
The boy seemed to shuffle in place. “You miss your family?”
“Yeah, but I had another family. My… ex-husband’s family, and we were always together. This is the longest I’ve ever gone by myself. So really, you’re doing me a favor coming. Thank you. And you’ll help me stay awake.” I thought about it. “Is it safe for you to do physical activity already?”