Lizzie watched me stare at her. “Why do you keep staring at me like that?”
I grabbed a few fries and put them in my mouth. My answer was a shrug.
Lizzie rolled her eyes and kept drinking her root beer. “Ugh, I hate it when you look at me like that.”
“Like what?” I countered.
“Like you love me and crap.”
“I do love you and crap,” I countered, trying not to laugh.
Derek was silent beside me, his elbows on the table with his tray empty because he’d eaten everything.
Lizzie rolled her eyes again then reached across the table and grabbed some of my fries.
I swatted her hand away. “Uh, do you mind?”
“I’m starving,” Lizzie countered.
“You just ate an entire number two by yourself,” I countered.
“Well, I play soccer and I’m growing and my brain is working hard all the time now,” Lizzie argued.
Derek chuckled. “I wish using your brain burned calories.”
“It doesn’t?” Lizzie asked in surprise.
Derek shook his head.
“Man…” Lizzie made a face and put the fries back.
“Don’t touch food and then put it back,” I snapped.
“You want me to eat your fries or not?” she snapped back.
Derek chuckled slightly at our interaction.
I wasn’t hungry anyway, so I just gave her the tray of fries.
Lizzie smiled before she ate. “So, you do love me after all.”
We finished eating then Derek drove us to my apartment in his black Range Rover. Lizzie sat in the back seat and constantly talked about how nice it was, which was embarrassing, but I couldn’t get her to shut up.
Derek parked the car and walked with us inside and to the apartment.
It was unbelievable that the three of us were together, walking to the apartment door for the first time. It was a relief that I didn’t have to hide my relationship from my daughter anymore, that the three of us could be together at the same time and it not be uncomfortable.
I unlocked the door, and Lizzie went ahead wearing her backpack. “Bye, Derek.” She waved to him before she walked in and threw her backpack on the table even though I’d told her a million times not to do that. But I was too happy to yell at her right now. “Thank you for the ride.”
“Of course. I’m glad that I get to take both of you home now.” His arm moved around my waist, and he pulled me in for a kiss that was quicker than usual, probably because he knew Lizzie was aware of how long we’d been in the hallway. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight.” I watched him walk away like always, appreciating every moment I had with that man. I walked inside and grabbed Lizzie’s backpack and placed it in the chair. She was already in her bedroom, so I walked down the hall and looked at her lying on her bed. I leaned against the doorframe with my arms folded over my chest.
Her legs were crossed, and she had Derek’s book in her hands. She continued to read as if I weren’t there.
“Lizzie, let’s talk about this.”
She lowered the book and looked at me. “What’s there to talk about, Mom?”
I moved to the edge of the bed and took a seat. “You’re really okay with this?”
She set the book on the nightstand and sat up. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Well, I’ve never had a man around before.”
“Why is that?” she asked. “I’m only twelve, and I’m already boy crazy. You must be super crazy.”
I chuckled. “I …wanted to wait until you were out of the house first.”
“Why?”
“I just wanted it to be us. The only relationship that matters to me is the one we have. When you don’t need me anymore, then I can pursue that.”
“Then why are you and Derek together?” she asked.
This was the deepest conversation we’d ever had about boys and relationships. She rarely told me about the boys she liked, and we hadn’t had the birds and bees talk. She seemed too young to me, but that was quickly changing…whether I wanted it to or not. “Derek is…different.” I would make every exception in the world to be with him.
“Different?” she asked.
“Yeah. He’s not like other men. He’s really special, Lizzie. I just couldn’t risk losing him. He’s the one, you know.”
She nodded like she understood. “You love him.”
“Very much.” I couldn’t hide it from her, so I just told her.
“Yeah, he told me he loved you very much too.”
My eyes softened when I pictured him telling her that. “It means a lot to me that you’re okay with this. I know it’s hard to imagine someone else coming into our lives and potentially being a part of our family.”
She shrugged. “I really like him, Mom.”
That was music to my years. “I know you do.”
“He told me he’s not trying to be my stepdad. He said we can be friends.”
I nodded. “Friends is good.”