14. Adam

Chapter 14

Adam

My time with Riley passed by way too fast.

On the one hand, it seemed like we had just met five minutes ago and needed so much more time before we said goodbye. And on the other hand, it felt like we’d been close to each other from the second we met and there was something real here. Saying goodbye just didn’t feel like an option.

My flight was leaving at five, so after Riley’s last meeting ended at eleven, we only had a few hours left together before I had to go to the airport.

We still hadn’t had any real discussion about what happened after we went home, but we couldn’t put it off any longer. Our time together was coming to an end, and we needed to be smart about how we used what little time we had left.

I checked my bags with the valet near the taxi stand outside my hotel and grabbed some coffee. Then I waited for Riley’s meeting to end. There was a bench outside his meeting room, and time seemed to creep forward as I sat there.

When he walked out, his eyes instantly sought me out, and once he found me, a huge smile of relief and happiness covered his face as he jogged toward me. “You’re still here.”

I wrapped my arms around him and lifted him up onto his tiptoes as I buried my face in his neck. “Of course I’m still here. I wanna spend every second I can with you before I have to leave.”

“I don’t wanna talk about that.” He slumped in my arms, so I lowered him to his feet and took a step back, using my fingers to tilt his head up until he was looking at me.

“I don’t wanna talk about it either, but we have to. If we don’t, then our goodbye this afternoon will be goodbye forever. Is that what you want?”

His eyes began to well up as he shook his head. “No, Daddy. Please don’t make it forever.”

“Then we have to talk, sweet boy. What do you want for lunch?”

“Mac-and-cheese balls.” He said it almost like a challenge, as if I might not agree.

“Sounds good to me.” I took his hand, and we began to walk through the casino. “I can make that happen.”

There was a restaurant at the other end of the shopping center attached to the casino that was famous for its mac & cheese balls. Riley and I had talked about them once before, and I knew he was excited to try them.

We were both quiet until we ordered our lunch and sat down at a table, waiting for our number to be called.

Riley looked up at me with a quivering lower lip. “It’s not forever, right?”

I reached across the table and took his hand. “I hope not. I guess we finally have to talk about what things will look like when we both go home.” I raised an eyebrow and gave him a questioning look. “Where is home for you?”

Riley sighed and crossed his arms over his chest, doing his best mini tantrum without making a scene. “Tacoma.”

I couldn’t hold back my smile. “Tacoma, Washington?”

“Yes.” He cocked his head, showing off some of his sass. “Let me guess. You’re from Orlando? Charlotte? Washington DC? Australia?”

I chuckled and held out my hand for him. He hesitated for a few moments before finally reaching for me again and letting me hold it. “Seattle.”

His entire demeanor changed and his pout disappeared. “Seattle, Washington? Like, the Seattle Washington that’s near Tacoma, Washington?”

“Yes, baby. We’re less than an hour apart.”

Riley giggled, and I could see so much of his concern rolling right off him. “How did we not talk about this sooner?”

“I guess we were both trying to make each moment last, but now we know it should be easy to make things last a long time.”

Our number was called right then, so I kissed the back of his hand and then released it to go grab our tray of food from the counter. When I got back, Riley was doodling on his napkin with a big smile on his face.

“I guess you really are excited for your mac-and-cheese balls.” I placed his plate and bottle of apple juice in front of him.

He shook his head and pushed his doodle across the table to where I was sitting. “Nope. I just drew a map. So you could find me when you get home.”

I dropped into my chair and took a look at his drawing. Two stick figures with a squiggly line in between and a heart drawn in the center of the line. “This is very nice. What’s the heart for?”

He dragged his lip between his teeth and watched me for several seconds before responding. “That’s my heart. It’s for you. You own it now. And I want you to know exactly where to find it.” He put his hands over his chest. “It’s right here. Anytime you want it, you gotta come and get it.”

I couldn’t resist getting up and rounding the table to give him a kiss and hold him in my arms for just a moment. “I’m honored. I will always cherish this gift you’ve given me, and I promise to protect your heart with my life.”

He smiled and nodded. “I know you will, Daddy. That’s why I pick you to be my Daddy forever. Do you pick me to be your boy?”

My throat was tight, and tears blurred my vision as I nodded too. “I do, sweet boy. Forever.”