take a lick more disappointment. Don’t prove me wrong for havin’ faith in you, Jensen. You hurt her again, I’ll dispose of your body in a way there’ll be nothin’ left to find, but I’ll get very creative before that. You get what I’m sayin’?”
“Loud and clear,” I replied, fighting back the smile straining against my lips. “You’ve got my word.”
She narrowed her eyes and let out a harrumph before declaring, “Damn well better.” She gave me a long look from top to toe, studying me in a way that made me feel like she was seeing something that wasn’t even there, saying, “You should really try meditating. Your chakras are all backed up.” Then, without another word, she moved to the older model Caddy parked behind my bike, started her up, and backed out of the driveway.
I hung with Brantley a little while longer before deciding I’d pushed my luck enough for one day and guided him back inside.
The house was filled with the delicious smells of whatever she was preparing for dinner, and my mouth instantly started to water. That was another thing about her that I missed in a list of millions. She was talented when it came to cooking. She wasn’t into all that fancy shit, she liked good, old-fashioned stick-to-your-ribs comfort food, and it always tasted incredible.
Her head lifted and turned in our direction, her gaze going straight to our boy, and as soon as it did, her lips split in a smile I felt in my chest and dick. Most gorgeous smile I’d ever seen. “Hey kid. You have fun?”
“Yeah, it was the best!”
“I’m glad, baby. Now go get washed up. Dinner’ll be ready soon. I’m making burgers.”
“Yes,” he whisper-yelled, shoving his fist into the air. “Can Daddy stay for dinner? Please, Mommy? Pleeeeeease?”
I could see the panic starting to fill her eyes, rising up like high tide over the sandy shoreline. I’d have given my right hand to sit at that table and have dinner with her and our boy, but it was clear as day that wasn’t what she wanted, so I gave her an out.
Squatting down so I was eye-level with my son, I reached up to rough his hair. “I’d really like that, bud, but I’ve got some work at the office I need to do. But we’ll see each other soon.”
His face fell, all the joy bleeding right out of it. “Oh. Okay.” The dejection in his voice broke my fucking heart.
“Actually,” Shane started, “if your dad’s not busy this weekend, I was thinking he could pick you up one day and maybe teach you to ride your bike without those training wheels.”
I stood to my full height slowly, bewildered eyes locked to her as that small niggling of hope that had formed after Caroline’s little talk began to expand.
“Really?” Brantley’s squeal barely penetrated the fog forming around my brain.
“Yeah, kiddo,” she replied, hitting him with that smile once more before hesitantly turning a questioning gaze to me. “If that’s okay with you?”
“Yeah, absolutely,” I answered quickly, not wanting to give her a chance to change her mind. “How’s Sunday work for you?”
“Sunday’s good.”
“Awesome!” My boy did a little dance that included shaking his butt before lunging in to give my thighs a tight squeeze. “Love you, Dad! See you Sunday!”
“Love you too,” I called out as he took off down the hall to wash up for dinner, leaving Shane and me alone.
When I turned back to her, her attention was fixed on the hallway, and I could see the rapid thrum of the pulse in her neck.
“Thank you,” I said, my voice coming out gruffer than I intended.
“I’m not ready to give him up for overnights,” she blurted, returning those amber eyes to me so I could see the worry in them. “Not yet, at least. But I’m willing to let you see him more.” One corner of her mouth crooked up in the tiniest grin. “Unsupervised.” At the droll lilt in her voice and the teasing glint in her honey gaze, my chest grew tight, making breathing difficult.
“I’ll take whatever you’re willin’ to give,” I told her honestly.
“Okay. Then . . . see you Sunday, I guess.”
“You definitely will.” That was a fucking promise.
Knowing I’d already gotten everything I was going to get from this exchange, I tipped my chin and headed out the door.
I might not have accomplished what I set out to do with this visit, but I still left feeling a million times lighter.
Chapter