Forever and ever 2. The adventure starts now.

Part 178.

Y/N's pov~

"Come on, man! The water isn't that cold!"
"It's alright."
"Please, Daddy!" But no one stood a chance of convincing Tom to get into the water.
"Maybe another time, Parks." A pout spread across the boys' faces, playing in the lake, as I listened from a distance. The wood of the dock beneath me feeling like a natural heater, warming my thighs and calves as I read my freshly started book. Twenty-three pages had dragged on quite a bit, but in my defense, it was hard to concentrate when Tom was less than ten meters away from me, chatting with Harrison on the shore, his gaze on everyone but his best friend with whom he conversed. Wearing black jeans, even in summer, and white tennis socks. Simple sneakers on his feet and a white tank top so tight, one could see every muscle he ever trained, complementing his figure more than my white dress did.

It was a warm morning that started well and promised to end even better, as Harry and Ciara suggested making marshmallows in the evening, something Parker was already looking forward to. But until then, he had to be patient, and Paddy was a great distraction.
"And jump!" Paddy had lifted my son onto the dock, now waiting for Parker to jump into his arms, which he did bravely and gracefully. Their laughter filled the entire universe with sweet warmth.

"Do you want to go again?"
"Yeah!" Parker giggled while I smiled at the interaction, forgetting the book in my hands. Even the baby in my stomach seemed to join in on the fun, as I rubbed a smooth hand over my belly. It wasn't an illicit train of thought when I occasionally imagined how Tom might feel experiencing the baby's kicks. During Parker's pregnancy, he was always the first to kiss my belly in the morning and the last to tell Parker a goodnight story. He couldn't do that now, and I knew it weighed on him. It was last night in bed when this dawned on me, and so far, I didn't know how to deal with it. As much as I longed for Tom's touch, the thought of his hands on my body scared me. I didn't believe I could shake off the memories so quickly. Not when we were alone at least.
Glancing over at my ex-husband, I caught him staring at me. At my belly beneath my white dress. Grinning. His smile reaching both ears.

A flutter in my stomach drew my attention back, which I hoped came from my daughter tickling me. But the flutter felt different. Tom managed to penetrate through me with just one smile, and I tried my best to suppress any feelings coming up.

"Y/N!" called Ciara from the beginning of the dock, holding a basket in her hand. "Would you like to go for a walk with us?" Right beside her was Josephine, waiting for me with a wide grin. I didn't need to be asked twice; as long as Tom kept an eye on Parker, I was in.
And so, I spent the afternoon picking flowers, strolling by the water, and letting Jo braid my hair during our short break. Ciara took the opportunity to decorate my braids with flowers, and the sun kissed my skin, even in the shade of the trees.

~

Tom's pov~

"I made you a smoothie," I mentioned, although it was actually Sam who prepared it. Whatever his secret ingredient was, it worked, as for the first time, I opted for a drink that wasn't rum or whiskey.
Y/N offered a faint smile as she accepted the glass from my hand, a daisy adorning her hair, her skin dotted with the tiniest freckles. She must have been thirsty after the long walk they took. Almost three hours had passed since I had last seen her by the water.

"Thank you," she said kindly, acknowledging my gesture.
Summoning the courage to approach her was primarily thanks to Harry. He was also the one who hinted that I should ask Y/N out on a date, but I wasn't sure if now was the right time. Sam was busy distributing more glasses of his red berry smoothie around the house, and Harrison was already chopping vegetables for dinner. Meanwhile, Harry was off collecting firewood, and Ciara had gone for a dip in the water after her walk with Jo. That brought me back to Y/N, who was just heading into the house when I caught her in the garden.
I could tell she didn't have a topic she wanted to discuss with me, but letting her walk away wasn't an option either.