Zero Forks - Cat Johnson Page 0,54

turned out, Stewie wanted plain old french fries. No surprise. I ordered him chicken fingers to eat with the fries so the kid didn’t turn into a potato before his mother got back.

The waitress was nice, even if she did look a bit too interested in who I was and why I was there with Boone. But she delivered our food with a smile and restrained herself from flirting with him in front of me.

For that I was grateful. I was too raw from what I’d let happen between us to be faced with a girl who was not quite but close enough to being half my age throwing herself at Boone.

But damn, how many of the girls in here had he dated? Worse, how many would he go on to be with after me?

“Hey, my brother’s here.” Boone’s announcement knocked me out of my dark thoughts.

“Cash?” I asked, glancing around.

“No, my older brother. Stone. You haven’t met him yet but I’m sure I’ve talked about him. In fact, he’s dating Harper. You met her and Red at Bethany’s bakery.”

I nodded. He was throwing a lot of names at me, but I remembered that day at the bakery. How could I forget it since it was the source of my bee’s knees campaign?

Boone stood and waved his brother over. “Stone!”

As Stone made his way across the bar toward our table, I had to think they should bottle and sell the water over there at Morgan Farm since it had obviously produced three prime male specimen.

“Hey.” Stone lifted his chin to Boone then turned to me. “Hi. I’m Stone.”

“I’m Sarah and this is Stewie.”

Stone’s gaze dropped to my nephew. “Stewie, I know. We’re old friends by now. Right, kid?”

Stewie nodded. “Stone lets me drive.”

I lifted my brow. “Does he?”

“He sits in my lap and holds the wheel while I drive the tractor out to dump a load on the manure pile,” Stone explained.

“It’s one of Stewie’s favorite things to do,” Boone added.

I let out a burst of a laugh. Tractors and manure. It sounded as if not having a father in his life hadn’t made Stewie any less of a boy.

Though he had a male role model in his life now, didn’t he? More than one, since Boone took him to the farm every day to work with his brothers.

I’d been wrong to ever doubt Boone’s capabilities with the boy.

“Auntie, I have to go.” Stewie was wiggling so much in his chair I didn’t have to ask where he had to go. I assumed it was the bathroom.

“Potty?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“I’ll take him.” Boone started to stand.

I held up my hand. “No. Stay and visit with your brother. I've got him.”

Stewie and I made our way to the ladies’ room and into a stall. I’d been a bit trepidatious about what the bathroom situation would be like at this bar, but it was surprisingly nice inside. And very clean, so another one of my stereotypes and assumptions got shot down.

I helped Stewie out of his little jeans. It had been a challenge the first day, but I’d eventually figured out how to help a little boy go number one in a big person’s toilet.

Now I was a pro.

As we worked as a team to keep the pee in the toilet and not on Stewie, me or the floor, I heard the door open and close and voices as what sounded like two women came in.

“Can you believe he’s here with her?”

I froze, my heart pounding as I immediately assumed they were talking about me.

“I know, right? She’s old as hell. And she’s got a kid.”

“It’s probably just a pity date.”

I was ready to swing Stewie out of the way and vomit up the crispy chicken salad I’d been enjoying—until now.

“Done,” Stewie said. When I didn’t move, he said, “Auntie. Done!”

“Oh, yeah. Sorry, bud.” My hands were shaking as I bumbled fastening his jeans.

Finally, I got them buttoned up and unlocked the stall door.

There they stood. Two of the girls I’d noticed before out in the dining room.

One made an oh with her mouth, while the other said, “Oops.”

Neither looked all that sorry at being caught. On the contrary. They looked more amused.

“Come on, Stewie.”

“Wash my hands.” Stewie turned toward the sink.

I’d trained the kid well. Too well.

“I have wipes in my bag. We’ll clean your hands at the table.” I couldn’t be in there another moment. I pulled him toward the door.

I heard them giggling and walked faster, practically dragging Stewie behind