This week, work was hectic with the new shipment coming in. I worked closely with Mel to ensure things were as they should be. Scott was busy doing deals with other businesses.

After work, it was a whole different story.  When I turned around, Scott would randomly show up at my door.  I couldn't deny that deep down inside, I looked forward to it.

Kami even started liking him. I think it's because he offered to watch Sponge Bob with her. I tried not to overthink the kiss. It was probably just a heat of the moment kind of thing.

One night, he brought Ben and Jerry's ice cream.  After dinner, Kami washed up, and I scooped ice cream into bowls as he helped.

"You know, you have a little something right there," he said, pointing at my face.

"I do?"

"Yep."

"Where?"  I started feeling around.

"Right here," he said as he placed a hand on my head and pulled me into a kiss. It was rough but sweet, and I couldn't help but kiss him back. He placed his other hand on my face as he kissed me, and I put my hands on his back.

He poured so much into that kiss and made me realize something. I think I was starting to fall for him.

He pulled back and placed his forehead against mine, "That was."

"Amazing," I finished.

"Yeah."

"I want to take you out," he said to me.

"Like a date," I asked, a bit surprised.

"Well, that's what taking you out means," he smiled. I smiled.

"Okay," I said to him.

"We better get this ice cream ready before Kami starts wondering where we ran off to," he said, grabbing a couple of bowls. I think that's what I found the most attractive about Scott. It was how he was with Kami and his daughter.

I felt terrible that he couldn't see her often. From what little he told me about her, I couldn't understand how she could be like that. It wasn't until I realized Georgia was his daughter that I completely understood.

When she dropped Georgia off at school, his ex didn't go by Victoria. She went by the nickname Vicky, and she was something else. She cared more about herself than Georgia. I remember Georgia showed her a picture she drew, and Vicky acted disinterestedly. My heart ached for her.

I told Georgia what a pretty picture it was and how good of a job she did. Her whole face lit up, and she gave me the image. That's when I got an idea.

I turned to my fridge and pulled down a picture. I carried it into the living room with my ice cream bowl. I took a seat on the other side of Kami. She and Scott were eating ice cream and laughing at what Sponge Bob was doing.

"I have something for you," I said to Scott. He looked at me, and I handed him the picture. He took it and looked at it. "Georgia drew it. Vicky couldn't be bothered so I told her it was beautiful and she gave it to me. I had it on my fridge along with Kami's pictures."

He set his bowl down and looked at it. It was a picture of a little girl and a guy in front of a house with a tree and the sun. At the top were Daddy and me.

I watched him wipe his eyes, and he tried to get his composure, "Thank you for this. Victoria won't let Georgia give me anything from school."

"Well, if you want, I can see about collecting her stuff from Tara," I suggested.

"You would do that for me?" He looked at me with a bit of a surprise.

"Of course. Ben and I share Kami's stuff from school. Who better than someone who would appreciate it," I told him.

He leaned over and pulled me to him. He hugged me. I think he needed that hug.

"Mommy! You and Mister Scott are squishing me," Kami yelped.

We pulled back and laughed.

"Sorry, sweetie," Scott told her.

"It's okay. Mommy needs hugs," she shrugged as she took a bite of ice cream.

*******
I put Kami to bed and read her a story. Then I hugged and kissed her. Scott stood at the doorway. I walked out and closed the door.

"How do you and your ex do that?"

"Do what," I asked him.

"Manage to get along for Kami's sake. I can't get Victoria to agree to anything. She makes life so difficult."

"Let's go have coffee, and I will explain it to you," I said. Scott followed me downstairs and into the kitchen. He sat at the counter, and I poured each of them a cup. Then, I took a seat across from him.

"When Ben came to me with a divorce, I was heartbroken. I thought I did something wrong. When he said he wasn't in love with me, I thought I had done something wrong. It wasn't until he finally told me it was because he was gay. It was hard, but we talked, and I realized that sometimes we couldn't control who we fall in love with someone. I also realized that life doesn't have happy endings," I explained.

He listened to me.

"When it came to Kami, I couldn't be the kind of person to ruin his relationship with her even though I was hurt. It wouldn't be fair to her because he is an excellent father. So, I put aside my feelings toward him and decided he deserved to see her as much as he wanted. We also agreed to share equal responsibilities with her."

"So what did you do about how you felt about Ben?"

"I wallowed in self-pity. I locked myself away for a bit and cried a lot. Then, I decided to pull myself together and do what I had to do because I had someone who needed me. I got a job and met Mel. We talked, and she introduced me to the twins with a child around Kami's age. Tara was a teacher, and Kara was an interior designer. They made me realize things happen for a reason. I just felt like a failure," I sighed.

"Why, because your marriage fell apart?"

"Yeah, I mean, what do you do when you do everything right as a wife, and then one day it ends?" I asked him.

"I guess you understand that things happen for a reason. It's funny; I met Kelly when I was having a building built. We became friends, and one day, he told me about this friend of his and his wife he wanted me to meet. I was hesitant because of Victoria, but he kept after me about it. I honestly wasn't sure about a setup," he explained.

I looked at him.

"Then my buddies talked me into going out. Said I was working too much and needed to go out. I hadn't been out in forever, so I was completely nervous. I started drinking a little too much, and before I knew it, I saw this cute brunette on the dance floor. I decided to see if she wanted to dance, and she did. I wasn't expecting that night to happen," he said, and I placed my hands on my face.

"Then I woke up the next day, and she was gone. I didn't even get her name or anything, but I remember something about her. She had the most beautiful smile I had ever seen and an amazing laugh. Then, when I was in the office getting ready to greet the staff, I heard the same laugh, and when I looked there, it was. That smile. Then I knew." He smiled at me.

"I am so sorry about lying to you. I felt so embarrassed. I don't go home with random guys, and finding out you were my new boss was humiliating," I said, trying to hide my face.

"I figured. That's why I didn't push it. Then, I decided to take Kelly up on his offer. I figured maybe, just maybe, this friend he wanted me to meet would help me move on, and lo and behold, his friend turned out to be you," he said, pointing at me.

"Ugh, I know!" I dropped my head onto the counter. He got up and walked around the countertop to me. He gently touched my arm, and I lifted my head to face him.

He wrapped his arms around my waist as I put my hands on his arms, "But maybe there is a reason I was supposed to go out that night. Maybe everything happens for a reason."

I looked at him as he leaned down and kissed me. I wrapped my arms around his neck. His kiss was amazing every single time. He pulled back and whispered, "There is something about you, Lina. I felt it that first night. I have never felt that way about anyone, not my ex."

I looked at him, "I can't deny I don't feel it too because I do. I'm just scared," I whispered.

"Of what?"

"That I will fall, and no one will be there to catch me."

He looked at me and said, "I want to catch you if you let me. What do you say?"

I looked at him. I didn't say anything. Instead, I let my lips talk as I kissed him back. He immediately returned it. I knew I was taking a big chance with Scott, but he made me feel things I never felt before.

Was the question, "Should I take a chance?" I decided to take a chance. What do I have to lose? Right?