Page 39 of Hogging the Hunk
“Ellie’s dubbed her Princess Cutie Pie Snorty McTruffle. Usually, she goes by Truffle.”
“Truffle?”
“One thing pigs are superb at is snouting out truffles. You know, the underground fungus?”
“Oh, right. Maren told me that once.” I grinned, imagining a sweet little squealing pig living its best life with Milo and Ellie. “Tell Ellie she did a good job. That pig’s name is one of a kind.”
“Will do.”
“Where is she, by the way? Ellie?” I snapped when I figured it out. “Wait… let me guess. Out with friends because she’s too cool to hang out with her old man?”
“Nah.”
“Stayed at home to snuggle with Truffle and watch a movie?”
“Nope. She’s visiting her grandparents for the weekend. Be back Sunday evening.”
“And you didn’t go with her to see your parents?”
Milo dropped his gaze, and his big hand found the back of his neck. “Not my parents. Lexi’s.”
“Who’s Lexi?”
“Ellie’s mom.”
“Oh.”
Oh?
That single syllable confirmed how dense I was. Of course Ellie had two sets of grandparents. I had made an assumption, and it was the wrong one. Another round of awkwardness made me reconsider going to hide in my room. Milo didn’t deserve to have his wounds picked at by me, especially over a sensitive subject like an ex who I knew nothing about.
“Sorry,” I stuttered, adjusting the blankets over me so I could hide as much as possible, even though I was burning up. “That was stupid of me to assume.”
Milo chuckled, and the soft sound soothed my concerns. “There was nothing outlandish about what you asked. I think it’s important that Ellie maintain a relationship with both sets of her grandparents, even if…”
His words trailed off, initiating a scratch of curiosity that was worse than a cluster of poison ivy blisters on the ankles. I would bear that itch with unwavering control before I asked Milo for more details. I wouldn’t reduce him to being a trained dog, made to do tricks simply because I wanted him to.
Backpedaling again, I rerouted our conversation, wanting to retreat to where things were superficial. The less I knew, the better. Ellie had made it clear the precariously thin ice I walked on. Milo and I couldn’t be anything more than professionals. Superficial associates. Friends, at best, and even then, that was dangerous territory. Everyone knew friends too often turned into something more. Just look at Maren and Parker. They’d been childhood friends and after an unexpected reunion, they couldn’t help but fall in love. Maren had even tried to deflect Parker.
Didn’t work.
“I never returned your towel,” I blurted.
“I was just going to suggest you come for a visit at my house and meet Truffle for yourself. You could drop off the towel then.”
“Do you think that’s a good idea?”
Going over when Ellie wasn’t there and going over when Ellie was there were both unwise propositions. Maybe Milo and I could meet in a public place, in broad daylight so I wouldn’t do something stupid. What that might be, I couldn’t guess, but ever since he’d carried me down the rocky trail to the car and listened to me blubber about my misfortunes with Greg, I had a powerful urge to be close to him. Physically and emotionally. I appreciated the feeling of being safe, and Milo had delivered on both accounts.
“Why would it be a bad idea?”
“I don’t know.” I twirled the ends of my hair around my finger. “You’re busy.”
“I have a flexible schedule, remember? Most days, I’m home in time to make dinner.”
Rushing to say something before he got the bright idea to invite me to eat with Ellie and him, I said, “That’s great. I bet Ellie appreciates a home-cooked meal.”
“Not as often as you’d think.”