As soon as Lila had her little arms around my neck, they immensely helped to calm my nerves. She laid her head on my shoulder and whined. “Daddy, it hurts.”

I stroked over her hair and kissed her cheek.

“I know, sweetie, I know. I'm going to do everything I can to make it better when we get home, okay?”

I hated that she was in so much pain. I slowly began to alternate between patting and rubbing her back, something that often helped to calm her down as a baby.

Suddenly, I heard a small belch followed by a tiny giggle. I couldn't help but laugh myself. “Lila Liz!”

She snuggled against me closer. “'Cuse me.”

Soon Leslie came into her kitchen with Lila's play satchel. I smiled. “Thanks Les.”

She ran her hand over Lila's hair. “It's no problem. I hope she feels better.”

“Thanks. Me too,” I said, turning my head to kiss against her little head. “What do you tell Miss Leslie for letting you come and play with Aggie today?”

She moved her head so that her face wasn't against my neck and turned to look at Leslie. “Thank you.”

The corners of Leslie's mouth came quirked into a smile. “You're welcome, honey. You get better so you can some back and play, okay?”

“Okay”, said the little head on my shoulder.

Leslie slipped the satchel onto my free arm and we were out the door.

Once we were on the sidewalk, I tried out my best impression of Super Dad while I tried to hail a cab. As they came and went, I had to pop my hip in order shift a very sleepy child back up the side of my body. Just when I thought my left side was going to go numb from the increasing weight as she began to doze off, a driver took pity and pulled up to the curb.

My body was grateful to be sitting down again and more than happy to distribute the weight of my now peacefully snoozing baby girl. As we drove away from Leslie's, I held Lila close and began to wonder how I would get my phone back. What was I going to do? I couldn't tell Andy I had lost it at lunch. He'd ask who I was with and would want me to retrace my steps throughout my day with him. I couldn't lie…not well enough for him to believe me anyway.

Just breathe. You can do this.

The closer we got to our building, the quicker I tried to come up with a plan. For a minute and a half, I allowed myself to be falsely religious and prayed that Andy wouldn't be home. Please tell me he didn't pick our son up early. Please let him still be at work.

When we got inside, I immediately carried Lila up to her bedroom and began to take a look around the house. Not in his office. Not in the living room. Not in the bedroom, the bathroom, the kitchen, or anywhere else that I could see. Thinking on my feet, I rushed to my own office and opened my laptop, promptly pulling up the app I had been smart enough to download in case I lost my phone. I typed out a message and wasted no time pressing send.

Across town, Blaine sat on his couch, leaning back against the pillows with his eyes closed as he relived the moments we had shared before I left. No sooner than I had made it to the curb he had found my phone, but by the time he got to the street, it was too late. A chime rang out and he opened his eyes, peering over at the electronic device on the pillow beside him. He picked it up, wondering if he really should.

As he held it in his hand, a frantic message flashed across the screen.

“My unlock code is 0315. I need you to call me as soon as possible. The number is under “Home”.”

Following instructions, he unlocked the phone and carefully searched through the address book for the right contact and clicked “call”.

It only rang twice before I picked it up. “Oh thank god.”

He chuckled softly. “I'm happy to hear from you too.”

I shook my head and rolled my eyes, heart dancing a bit in my chest.

“I'm sorry that I left my phone at your place. I thought I stuck it in my pocket when I got dressed.”

I noticed my voice was a bit loud and moved around, checking the living room to make sure Andy hadn't miraculously come in undetected and lowered my volume a bit.

“Can I come by tomorrow and pick it up?”

“I could---never mind.”

“What? You could what?”

He sighed softly. “I could bring it to you, if you wanted.”

“T-today?”

“Yeah.”

“Right now? To my house?”

“If you want me to…”

I wanted to see him. There was no questioning that. I just had to ask myself if it was worth the risk. While I thought it over, I started pacing through the house.

He hummed in a way that sounded contently and began again.

“I hated that you had to rush off. It would be nice to give you a proper kiss before we had to say goodnight. I wouldn't have to stay long. I know you have---obligations.”

I bit my lip and toyed with the ink pen I found on the island in the kitchen while I mulled It over. Glancing down at it in my hand, I heard myself saying, “Do you have a pen?”

Fondly he replied, “I can get one.”

I nodded before stupidly realizing he couldn't see me.

“Grab one. I'll give you the address. Can you be here before 5?”

Within 20 minutes, he was on my doorstep. I wasn't ready, but by the time he had rang the doorbell, I had managed to find some sort of composure.

He beamed affectionately once I opened the door. “Hi.”

His smile was still just as captivating as it was in our high school years and had been making my heart beat faster all day.

“Hi,” I said, opening the door wider. “Come on in.”

He hesitated. “Are---you sure that's a good idea? I mean, is—you know?”

I shook my head. “He's not home.”

I heard it. We both did. It wasn't something we wanted to acknowledge, but it was there. He dipped his head in agreement.

“If you're sure…”

I smiled, still tense but trying to relax. “I am…and you're crazy if you think I'm going to ask you to come all this way and not invite you inside.”

He stepped closer and made his way past me. “If you insist.”

I lead him to the kitchen or what I thought was a safe, non-sexual hub in the house, even though I had fond memories of us heating up dishes and each other.

I gestured to one of the stools at the island and he took a seat. “Would you like anything to drink? Water? Tea?”

“Tea, yeah. Tea would be great, if you're sure you don't mind.”

I lifted the kettle from its usual spot and moved it to the sink to fill it with water. “In the mood for any particular kind?”

He played with his hands. “Nope. Whatever you have will be fine.”

I grinned. “That's a loaded response. You obviously underestimate my selection of tea.”

His countenance instantly mimicked mine. “Become a connoisseur of sorts, have you?”

“You could say I have a plethora of sorts stocked up for a rainy day.” I couldn't help myself. I winked and carried the kettle to the stove before switching on the burner.

Blaine sighed happily in his seat. “You're adorable.”

I gazed back at him over my shoulder. “What makes you say that?”

He shrugged and tried to find the right thing to say.

“I---you---you're just---everything. You just are.”

Leaving the kettle to do its work, I walked around the island and stood beside him.

“You're not too bad yourself for an old man.”

He chuckled softly and placed his hand on my waist. It only took a moment for me to see the look in his eyes before I bent down and kissed him, sighing contently. He hummed jovially as we pulled away and looked at me like a lovesick puppy. After a minute or two, his head returned from their extended vacation in the clouds.

“I almost forgot,” he said as he reached into his pocket. “the very reason I'm here…your phone.” He removed the device and handed it to me.

“I hope you don't mind, but while it was unlocked I took the liberty of adding my number in there as well as a few mundane details in the note area to keep you interested.”

I gave him a quick kiss as I took the phone from his hand. “I'm glad you did. Thank you…for bringing this back to me and for coming over.”

Before I could say much more, the whistling of the tea kettle made its presence known, making me practically jump halfway into Blaine's lap. His hand soothed over my back. “It's okay…it's just the water coming to a boil.”

I nodded quickly and moved away to walk around the island, moving the kettle off of the heat before it could scream any louder and possibly wake Lila upstairs.

Opening the cabinets, I grabbed two mugs and reached for the packets of tea. “Earl Gray? Chamomile? Black? Green? Peppermint? Any kind of preference?”

“I trust your selection.”

“Earl Gray Hot it is.”

Four sugars (two apiece) and a little milk later, we were in business, chatting casually about this and that. In fact, we were so lost in conversation that I didn't hear the pitter-patter of little feet.

Dazed and still drunk with sleep, tiny little Lila stumbled into the kitchen. “Daddy…I'm awake now and I feel better. Can I help you make dinner? Ooh! Tea!”

She ran up to me and hugged my legs before stepping back and taking note of the stranger in the kitchen.

“I know you,” she said quietly.

“You do?”

She nodded insistently. “You're Daddy's friend from Starbucks.”

He smiled. “I am.”

“Did you come to visit?” she asked, walking around to his side of the island.

“I did. Is that okay?”

She smiled. “Uh huh. I like to visit myself. I visited my friend Aggie today. We had a tea party, but I had to come home because I got sick.”

He frowned. “Oh that's terrible. I'm sorry to hear that.”

“It's okay!” she replied cheerfully as she struggled to get up on the stool beside him. “I'm all better now.”

I was amazed by their interaction, so completely natural.

He snickered briefly. “May I be of some assistance to you?”

With her little body halfway on the chair, one foot dangling down, she huffed. “Yes please. I think I need it.”

Carefully putting his hands on her waist, Blaine helped her onto the stool.

She sighed, happy to have conquered the tall chair, even if she did have a little help.

“I'm Lila,” she said extending her hand daintily.

He smiled and took her tiny hand in his. “It's nice to meet you, Lila. I'm Blaine.” Lifting it to his lips, he pecked it with the tiniest little kiss.

Watching their every move during this encounter, I saw her little cheeks flush and she grinned before speaking again.

“Et il est très agréable de vous rencontrer, Monsieur Blaine.”

“You speak beautiful French,” he replied, pleasantly surprised.

“Merci beaucoup! My daddy teaches me,” she admitted proudly.

He took a moment to gaze over at me. “Well, he's a very good teacher.”

“I think so too. He's good at lots of things.” As she sat on her stool, she began to swing her legs. “Daddy? Can I have some tea too? Just a little? Please?”

I looked at her, teasingly. “I don't know…are you sure you're old enough to have tea?”

She squeaked in playful protest. “I've had it before! Lots of times! Please? Just a little?”

Blaine grinned wider. “Just the tiniest little bit! Oh please, Daddy, can't she have some tea?”

Lila giggled. “You're silly, Mr. Blaine.”

I glared at him, trying to seem a tad miffed, but I'm not sure it worked. “Yes, he is, isn't he, honey? Too bad he has to go home soon.”

He glanced at me apologetically before leaning away from the countertop and glancing at his watch. “Your daddy's right…I probably should go.”

My little darling brought out her best pout, the one she only normally uses for extra bedtime stories, and touched Blaine's hand.

“Do you really hafta go?”

He looked at her fondly. “I'm afraid I do,” he said, rising from his stool.

“But you'll come back, won't you?”

Never before had I seen Lila become so attached so quickly, not even to Monsieur Le Pooh. Suddenly, I felt a pang of sadness in my heart.

“Yes, you will come back, won't you, Mr. Blaine?” I asked tenderly.

He stared back with love in his eyes. “As often as you'll have me.”

Lila clapped and rejoiced. “YAY! Soon! Soon!”

I grabbed a cookie from the small jar on the counter, placed it on a napkin and passed it toward my daughter before getting her a small glass of milk. “Daddy's going to walk Mr. Blaine to the door. Will you be okay for a few minutes by yourself?”

She nodded already nibbling on her cookie.

“Bye Lila,” he uttered softly.

“Bye Mr. Blaine,” Lila replied with a mouthful of cookie.

As we made it to the front door, I threw my arms around him. “You're wonderful, you know that?”

He wrapped his arms around my waist and held me tight. “Hardly when compared to you…have lunch with me again tomorrow?”

I sighed against his neck. I really couldn't. I had other plans. “I'm supposed to meet up with someone from work—-“

His smile fell. “I understand.”

“—but there's no reason why I can't reschedule for Monday. Work is work. I should keep that separate from my free time anyway.”

He rubbed his nose gently against mine.

“Where are you taking me this time, mister?”

He grinned. “It's another surprise.”

The corner of my mouth quirked up in interest. “Well, just so you know…I know that there aren't any restaurants around here called “Bed” so I'll be expecting some place good.”

“Damn…and all the while I thought I could convince you it was a quaint little French bistro.”

I chuckled against his neck. “Nope…no chance, bub.”

He held me close and breathed me in. “I'm just happy that I get to be with you again.”

I whispered hotly against his ear. “And getting to make love with me? What about that?”

He inhaled sharply and let out a shaky breath. “I'll dream of you every night until you're by my side.”

“You'll dream of me beside you? Not under or on top of you?”

He smiled. “I'm a gentleman. I don't have sleep sex in the first dream.”

“How good of you to make me wait.”

Tenderly he caressed my cheek. “I've waited 18 years to hold you again. I'd wait the rest of my life if I had to.”

He leaned forward and I closed my eyes as I felt his lips on mine. The kiss was deep and passionate and far too short, but it was enough to leave me weak in the knees.

As soon as my mouth could form words, I helped him to the door. “Promise you'll call…text…either. Just…keep in touch.”

He nodded. “I could never stay away before and I don't think I ever could again even if I tried.”

Out the door and down the stairs he went, stopping only once he reached the sidewalk to turn back and look at me. “Until tomorrow…”

“Until tomorrow…”

As I watched him walk away, I felt like my heart was ready to sprout wings and fly right out of my chest. I had missed him so much and finally had him back. After 18 years of being without him, he was really back in my life. Nothing could have ruined this moment. Nothing…not the sound of the traffic, not the sirens in the distance, not the sound of a car pulling up at the curb with its door heavily slamming shut.

Not even...

Andy.

“Hi honey…I'm home.”