Stud Muffin (Donner Bakery #2) - Jiffy Kate Page 0,28
I know she probably feels bad she’s the one who ended up pregnant, but it’s not her fault. None of us know how life will go.
A year ago, if someone would’ve asked me where I’d be today, I’d have said right where Anna is. But I’m not. I’m sitting here on the flip side—divorced and not with child.
“Hey, baby girl,” my mama coos, leaning down for a hug. “It’s so good to see you here today. I was just telling your daddy how pretty you look.” As she gushes, I zone out a bit—nodding my head and smiling. When she gets going, there’s no stopping her. I just hope she doesn’t say anything too embarrassing. Cole loves to use things she says against me at later dates.
As my mama starts visiting with the Tanners, my eyes drift to a pair of long legs in faded blue jeans. I look a little further up and see a taut chest squeezed into a gray T-shirt and a familiar head of blond hair.
What is he doing here?
I mean, it’s a church gathering and the pastor always makes it clear everyone is welcome, but damn him. The run-in at the bakery the other day was enough to fluster me to no end. Seeing him face-to-face filled in the missing pieces from my drunken memory and I was mortified when I thought about him driving me home and putting me to bed, and also a little smitten. No one had ever done anything like that for me, besides Cole, and that was only once, right after my first night in jail.
But being attracted to someone is completely out of the question right now. There is no way I’m going to be the woman who jumps right into someone else’s bed. I’ve seen that time and time again—women who think they can’t be alone or that they need a man to feel complete. That’s not me. Sure, one of these days, after I work on me and making myself happy, I’ll consider the possibilities, but not right now. And not with someone like Cage. He’s… well, he’s big and strong and kind of scary beautiful. He’s the polar opposite of Asher and I have no idea why I’m attracted to him, which must mean it’s a fluke.
I’m still trying to rebound from the shock of Asher’s betrayal and suddenly being divorced. That’s it. It has to be. There’s no other logical explanation. Just like my irrational behavior, my emotions are following suit.
He’s laughing at something Mrs. Tanner is telling him, and I see her hand reach out and rest on his strong forearm. With his short sleeves, all the muscles and tendons are on full display. I love a good strong forearm. I don’t think I realized that about myself until right this very moment. The visual causes my mouth to go dry and I swallow hard, trying to ignore the pull I feel toward him.
Oh. My. God. Tempest June Cassidy, get ahold of yourself.
Yeah, I just first, middle, and last named myself, because I really need to get my shit together. I also need to stop cursing in my head at a church picnic. I know, God, You’re still listening.
“Lemonade?” Anna asks, as if she could read my mind and knows I need to take it down a notch.
Dear Lord, please don’t let her be able to read my mind. She really would go into early labor.
I nod and accept the glass she’s offering, tilting it back and draining half of it before I come up for air.
She cocks one of her perfectly groomed eyebrows at me. “Thirsty?”
“Yeah,” I say on an exhale. “I think it was all that chicken I ate. I’m sure it’s loaded with sodium… makes you thirsty.” I try to smile, but it feels more like a grimace and I can feel her interrogating stare.
“Uh huh,” she says, as she eyeballs me and then looks back over to where Cage and Mrs. Tanner were standing just a few moments ago. I’m not disappointed when I see he’s no longer there.
Maybe he’s gone.
Maybe he just came for some food and left.
“Uh, I’m gonna go bid on one of the pies over at the silent auction,” I tell Cole and Anna as I stand up quickly. “I’ll be right back!”
“Oh, Tempest,” Anna calls. “Be a dear and put my name down on your mama’s Mississippi mud pie!”
“Anna, you know you’re not supposed to eat all that sugar!” Cole admonishes.