Page 17 of One Baby Daddy
Hayden:Do you know where Roundtop Picnic area is?
Adalyn:I can look it up.
Hayden:Meet me at the Sunset Pavilion in half an hour.
Adalyn:Do I need to bring anything?
Hayden:Just your pretty self. I have everything else covered.
Adalyn:See you in thirty then.
Hopping from the couch, I pocket my phone and head to the bathroom.She said yes.A guy’s got to make sure he looks good . . . As much as I was lying to myself that I only want totalkto her, I get the sense that she needs this type of downtime. And I want that . . . with her. She’s witty and sarcastic, but I’m thinking also very real.That’s what’s been missing for me at times.The lack of filter. I want real conversation . . . like Calder and Rachel have.
* * *
Ipull into an almost empty parking lot besides one vehicle. When I look into the driver’s side, I spot Adalyn, fingers curling around her ponytail, staring off into the distance. The movement from my end draws her attention and when she recognizes me, a soft smile plays at her lips. I nod toward the grass in front of us and start to get out of my car while she does the same.
I pull out a box, a bag of drinks and utensils, and a blanket.
“Do you need help?” Adalyn asks, walking to my open trunk.
“I think I got it, can you shut the trunk for me?”
“Of course.” She goes to grab the hatch when I stop her and nod at the button on the side.
“Just press the button.”
She eyes it and sticks her pinky in the air. “Oh fancy.”
Laughing, I say, “It’s about the only fancy thing I have in my life, so don’t go thinking I’m a snob or anything.”
Eyeing me, she says, “Nice watch.”
Okay, I might have a fancy watch too, but I didn’t buy it.
“It’s from my team. They gave it to me for my birthday because the one I was wearing was apparently so abhorrent for everyone to look at, especially during press conferences. Makes me think, maybe I should start wearing shitty-looking suits and shoes to score some new apparel as well.”
She taps her head. “You would be missing out on an opportunity if you didn’t.”
We head toward the grass and Adalyn takes the blanket from under my arm to lay it out over the little field of green. The sun begins to set and the temperature starts to drop, so thankfully I prepared for the occasion. Jogging back to my Porsche, I open the door behind the driver’s seat and grab two sweatshirts and another blanket.
I’ve lived in New York for most of my life, so I know what it’s like in June when the sun sets around eight thirty. It gets chilly, and I don’t want to have to cut our night short because the temperature drops. We have at least an hour before total darkness, and even then there are little streetlights surrounding the area.
“Here.” I hand her one of my Philadelphia Brawlers sweatshirts. “I don’t want you to get cold.”
Hesitantly she takes the sweatshirt. “Thank you, that was sweet to think of me.”
“Didn’t think it would be cool to wear a sweatshirt while you’re over there freezing.” I lift the hoodie over my head and situate it around my waist before sitting next to her and draping the spare blanket over both our legs. Thankfully it’s a smaller blanket so I have to scoot closer to her.
“Mmm, your sweatshirt smells good.”
Okay, maybe I sprayed a little cologne on it before I left the cottage, but we can keep that between us.
“I hope you like cake.” I bring the box to our laps and flip it open, revealing an entire sheet cake. Chocolate and vanilla marble cake with buttercream fudge frosting. Goddamn, my mouth is watering. I haven’t had anything like this in a really long time. My nutritionist doesn’t allow it for obvious reasons.
“Oh my God. Does that say . . . Hayden is hot?” Adalyn looks closer at the cake.
Pulling out forks, I hand her one. “They asked if I wanted anything written on it, so I figuredwhy not?”
