Carlton smiled. “Actually, I’m not. I owe that man a thank-you. He helped my wife when she needed it.” He took out some bills and placed them on the table. “Thanks for your help, Cee Cee.”
Latonya couldn’t believe it when Carlton came waltzing up to their table.
“Hello, Latonya, Jeff,” he offered calmly.
“Hi, Carlton,” Latonya responded.
“Hello,” Jeff added, a slightly startled look crossing his face.
Carlton took a deep breath. If Latonya didn’t know any better, she would have thought that he was nervous. But surely Carlton wouldn’t have been nervous.
“So, I saw you two having lunch and I wanted to come over and personally thank you, Jeff, for all that you did to help Latonya when she needed it.” The sincerity in Carlton’s voice caused Latonya’s eyes to widen.
Momentarily shocked, Jeff responded, “No problem, man. I was glad to help. That’s what friends are for.”
Carlton nodded. “Well, I’m just glad that she had someone in her corner during her time of need. I’d like to repay—”
Jeff cut him off. “Like I just told Latonya, you can put it in a trust fund for little Har…Carl and Terrence.”
Carlton shook his head as he considered it and smiled. “We’ll do that. Thanks, again.” He turned to Latonya. “I’ll see you later at home. Enjoy the rest of your lunch.” He paused. “I love your new hairstyle.”
As her husband walked off, Latonya looked around for traces of the pea pod. Surely body snatchers had invaded him. Because there was no way he had just walked up to their table and thanked Jeff Weatherby for helping her!
She could barely finish the rest of her lunch as she pondered the implications of Carlton’s changes.
Chapter 22
Latonya spent the next few weeks hanging out with both her sons and making up for lost time being a mother to little Carl. They played hide-and-seek. They built things with blocks. They ran around outside and got really dirty. And she loved it all.
Pamela had pretty much decided that until Latonya felt securely bonded with both her children again, she would need to get some more crossword puzzles to fill in her time. Latonya didn’t have the heart to tell her that she might as well get a lifetime supply. She intended to spend as much time with her sons as possible.
Carlton pretty much kept his distance and let the three of them bond and connect. Both Harrington men seemed to be giving her the space and time she needed to be with her boys. She’d caught the elder Harrington watching her with her sons on several occasions.
She shrugged away the elder Harrington’s unusual behavior. However, she’d started to feel a little apprehensive about Carlton’s absence. The first couple of weeks, while she still fumed at him, she welcomed his distance, cherished it, even. As time passed by, her temper ebbed and she found herself wanting his company, wanting him to play hide-and-seek with her and the boys.
He needed to make up for as much time with Terrence as she needed to make up for with little Carl. She didn’t like the fact that he probably stayed away simply to give her space.
No sooner than she began to contemplate his absence, however, her grace period ended. While she read the boys a story one afternoon, Carlton walked in looking strikingly handsome and behaving in a manner that made him almost endearing.
“Daddy!” Barely containing his excitement at seeing his father, Terrence leaped from the sofa and jumped right into Carlton’s arms.
Picking up the child and hugging him close, Carlton kissed his small cheeks. “Hello, son.”
“Hey, Daddy, come read a story with us. Mommy can finish hers and then you can read us one.” Little Carl didn’t leave her side, but the high timbre of his voice exhibited his happiness at seeing his dad.
“Okay.” Carlton walked over to the sofa and sat down right beside Latonya, holding Terrence on his lap.
So near their bodies touched, Latonya took a deep breath before continuing The Little Engine that Could. Each time she read the words with Carlton sitting so close, she thought, I think I can. I think I can. Stop my intense reactions to this man.
The smile on his face, the way he held on to their son, and the way he responded to the reading with as much glee as the kids, all made her heart flutter. And his nearness, the way his muscular thigh and arm pressed against her own, the smell of his woodsy cologne, and the way his arm brushed against her chest when he pointed out one of the illustrations to the boys, made her so sexually aware of him, she found herself stuttering at different points just to get the words out.
Not fairing much better when it came time for him to read The Ugly Duckling, she could barely follow the story. His deep, rumbling voice had her just as captivated as the kids. However, she was captivated for all the wrong reasons.
When he finally finished reading, she had to pull her gaze away lest he catch her drooling over him. That wouldn’t be good at all. She could not fall for him again. Even though she had decided not to leave and to remain under the same roof, she told herself that they were together for the kids and that was all. Also, she would never be able to really trust him after what he’d done.
“Can we have snacks now, Mommy?” Little Carl put on his most angelic face.
Blinking away her momentary daydream, she responded, “I don’t want you to spoil your appetites before you have dinner.”
“It won’t spoil our appetite. We promise.” Already the little negotiator, little Carl pleaded their case.
“Okay. Walk, don’t run, into the kitchen and ask Miss Jillian if she will give you and your brother a little bit of fruit to hold you over until dinner.” She patted her son’s head and smiled.
“I want cookies.” Terrence had an aversion to both fruits and vegetables and joined in the negotiations with his own desires.
Turning to her youngest, Latonya smiled. “Well, you will have fruit or you will have nothing and wait until dinner.”
Not willing to forgo a snack, little Carl climbed down from the sofa and waited for his brother. “Come on, Terry. Let’s go get a snack.”
Reluctant, Terrence climbed down from his father’s lap and followed his brother.
Once the boys were out of the room, Latonya made a move to get up from the sofa, but Carlton placed his hand on her thigh. She turned to face him.
“I enjoyed that,” he murmured.
“Me, too. You know, I feel like I have been hogging the boys all to myself. And…well…if you’d like to spend time with them—you know, father-son time with them—I’m fine with that.” Her voice fluttered.
He really needs to remove his hand from my thigh, pronto. “You should be getting to know Terrence. Even though it is clear that he’s already smitten with you. He’s all, Daddy! Mommy, who?”
