my brother already completed. He was so damn smart.” Her voice breaks, and I squeeze her tighter. After swallowing a few times, she manages to whisper, “Jennings, the man I see now? The man my brother knew? Kara, he’s different.” She turns to face me fully. “Maybe it wouldn’t have worked back then, but maybe this is your time.”
“How do I know?” I place an emphasis on the last word.
She leans forward until our foreheads are touching. “You don’t. Not until you try. Don’t you teach this to your students?”
“I don’t teach this,” I moan.
“No, but you teach trial and error. Do you give up on your theory?”
“Hypothesis, and no. Not until all options are exhausted.” And like that, it clicks inside me. I’ve been judging Jennings by the results of us from before, not us now. I squeeze Maris. “I think I finally get it.”
“Good. Now send your text and go shower before your son comes up. You’re making me all hot and bothered, and there’s no one I want to jump other than my battery-operated blue friend.”
I’m clutching my dresser to hold myself up from the laughter as Maris saunters out of the room chanting, “Buzz, buzz.”
But, I still manage to reach in my pocket for my phone to text Jennings.
The minute Kevin and I walk into PINZ later that night to meet Jennings, my nerves kick in. Jennings waves a hand to indicate where he’s already reserved a lane. And every step we take closer toward him shows me the wicked smile on his face isn’t about the game we’re about to play, but the one we already started.
I shouldn’t have worried. The second we’re in earshot, Kevin bombards Jennings with the three most critical items necessary for a successful bowling experience. “Can I get soda, candy, and chips?”
“I, uh…” Frantically Jennings’s cool facade drops, and he’s back on the hot seat of parenthood once again. “Whatever your mom says, Kevin. We’re going to grab some dinner after this. I wasn’t sure if you wanted—”
“Can we get Subway again? Can we, Mom? Please? I’m seriously craving their Ultimate after being up half the night with Maris.”
I shrug. “Works for me. What does your father think?”
Jennings appears gobsmacked that he’s about to endure some of America’s notorious fast food as part of a “date with his family,” which is how I phrased it in my text to him earlier. But he recovers quickly, I’ll give him that. “Whatever you want,” he starts.
Kevin goes to pump a fist in the air.
“Within reason,” Jennings concludes.
Kevin’s face falls. “Now you sound like Mom. Are you sure you two aren’t colluding against me?”
“Yes, because your father and I spend all our spare time talking about ways to torture you. Now, why don’t you get your shoes while I chat with your father a bit,” I remark drolly.
“Kevin, there’s a card on file already for the lane.”
“Got it!” We both watch as our son sprints off. I can smell the scent of Jennings’s cologne as he comes closer. “So, would it be completely inappropriate for me to kiss you right now?” he asks casually.
“Yes!” I screech, drawing the attention of the bowlers in nearby lanes.
“I thought it might be. Would a hug be out of line?”
I open my mouth to protest because I don’t know how Kevin will react, but Jennings slides an arm around my waist and tugs me toward him gently. My hands end up on his shoulders when my face hits his chest. “Iwasgoingtosaywait.” My words come out all mushed against the flannel he’s wearing.
Jennings just barks out a laugh. “Relax, Kara.”
I manage to pull my face away enough to glare up at him. “Relax? I was relaxed.”
He flicks a finger down my nose. “No, you’re worried. I just haven’t figured out if that’s because your plot to keep this on a friendly basis isn’t going to work out quite the way you were thinking or because I’m willing to respect that boundary.” His brow raises before he tacks on, “To a point.”
I sputter, “You are so damn full of yourself. Is this something they teach you as a pilot?”
He shrugs, as if Arrogance 101 is actually a course. “What they actually taught me was not to panic or something bad could happen.”
“What else did they teach you, Jennings?” Kevin’s voice pipes up behind me.
I groan out loud. “Just kill me now. Please?”
Jennings chuckles but doesn’t say anything. His eyes aren’t on me but over my shoulder. He also doesn’t