"AJ, I need to tell you something," Madi began, unsure of where exactly she should start.

"What's wrong?  Are you okay?  You have a husband or something?" he half joked, hoping that she didn't.

"No, no, it's not that.  I don't have a husband.  It's about Kaiden."

"Your...brother?" AJ asked, though he knew that he wasn't her brother.

"No.  Kaiden's my son."

"Okay," he said, sitting in silence for a minute, "I guess I kinda figured that."

"I've been trying to figure out all night how to tell you.  Guys run the second that they find out I have a kid.  I wanted to have a normal date for a while and it was just so amazing being here with you," Madi started rambling.

"It's ok beautiful.  I'm not going to run away screaming.  Like I said, kids are cool.  We can work it all out if we need to.  What happened?  If I'm not getting too personal, that is."

Madi sat for a minute, trying to figure out how to tell the story, "He was my high school sweetheart.  We kept dating for a little while after we graduated, but it just wasn't meant to be.  A few weeks after we broke up I found out I was pregnant with Kaiden.  I was so excited...but I was scared to tell him, too.  I had finally gotten the courage up to tell him.  I asked him if we could go out for dinner the next Tuesday so we could talk.  I called him on Friday afternoon to ask him.  He went out with a bunch of friends that night...I found out the next morning.  One of the guys he was with called me," Madi had to stop because the tears threatening to spill from her eyes were clogging her throat.  AJ reached a hand out to cover hers in a comforting gesture.

"How did it happen?"

Madi let out a growl of frustration.  It was aimed at herself, at the way she was acting.  Wiping her eyes, no doubt ruining her eye make-up, but not caring much about that at this point, she kept going.

"A drunk driver hit his car.  He was killed instantly.  Our friend was beat up pretty bad, but he's still here."

"I'm so sorry Madi."

"It was four years ago.  I miss him all the time," Madi kept going, seeing the look on AJ's face, "No, not because I'm still in love with him.  I fell out of love with him a long time ago.  It never would've worked between us.  I fell out of love with him before we broke up.  It's just hard though, you know?  He's Kaiden's dad, and he never knew.  His name was Montana, that's where Kaid's middle name comes from."

"So it's just been you and Kaiden then?"

"Yeah...well, and my parents.  They've been so great.  I feel like I'm mooching off of them at this point, but we're working on getting out of there.  He's my little man, I would do anything for him."

"You seem like an amazing mom.  It was just me and my mom most of the time when I was growing up, too.  I'd love to get to know him...if you'd let me."

"I think he'd enjoy that," Madi smiled.  She reached her hands out to his and held them for a few minutes, "Thank you AJ.  You're the first guy in a long time that I feel comfortable with...that I feel safe with."

"I want you to feel that way.  I like being with you."

Catching a glimpse of the time, Madi didn't want to leave, but she knew she had to get back to her son, "I hate to do this, I'm enjoying myself so much, but I..."

"Yeah, I should take you back home," AJ said, helping Madi up and leading her to the garage and car.

They sat in a comfortable silence on the way back to Madi's house.  He walked her to the door when they got there, trying to figure out if he was going to kiss her good night.  He knew he wanted to, he just wasn't sure.  He felt like he was back in high school!

"Can I call you tomorrow?" He finally asked her.

"I'd like that," she smiled.  She didn't want to go inside, but instead stand out here on the front porch with AJ for the rest of her life.  Then she remembered the zoo the following day, "Hey, if you really want to get to know Kaiden...come with us tomorrow.  We're going to the zoo.  I think he'd like it if you came.  That is, if you want to?"

"Wow, I haven't been to the zoo in...wow, years.  It sounds like a blast!  I'd love to come!" he finally decided to ask her, despite the cheesiness, "Can I kiss you goodnight?"

Madi nodded, biting her lip in a way that AJ found completely irresistible.  He leaned in and pressed his lips softly to hers.  His hands moved, of their on volition, up her arms and to her neck, his fingers lightly entwining in the hair at the nape of her neck.  His large hands cupped her face in a possessive yet gentle way.  Madi follow suit and her hands found their way around his body, her fingers clenching his shirt tightly in her hands, pulling him closer to her.

When they broke the kiss Madi stood still for a moment, letting out a small, contended sigh, and then a whimper at the loss.  Finally she opened her eyes to see him standing over her, that AJ grin on his face, his hands now on her shoulders.  Damn Madi was happy those hands were there.  She was afraid if his hands hadn't been there, she'd have fallen right over.

AJ waited until she unlocked the door and went in before returning to his car for the drive home that he really didn't want to make.