Jase Kelly. But he seemed like a nice guy when I met him, so I guess as long as he’s nice to you…” She shrugged.
“He is.” I couldn’t help smiling. “He’s a really nice guy.”
“Cool. So do I get to hang out with you guys one of these days?”
I was admittedly a little apprehensive about that, given my history of dating people who’d bolt and break her heart as well as mine, but I kept that to myself. “I’m sure we can figure something out.”
“Awesome.” She tsked. “I can’t believe I can’t tell any of my friends. But Mom knows?”
“Yep.”
“So Nick probably knows too, right?”
“He better not,” I said. “I asked your mom to keep it a secret, just like I’m asking you to.”
“Well, when he does find out…” She giggled as she cut off another piece of chicken. “He’s gonna be so jealous.”
I laughed, picking up my own fork again. “Pretty sure he’s straight, isn’t he?”
Dallas shrugged. “Bet he’d go gay for Jase Kelly.”
I snorted and rolled my eyes. “Really?”
“What?” She popped the chicken into her mouth. “It’s true.”
“I’m telling him you said that.”
“Go ahead,” she said unrepentantly. “Mom’ll probably back me up too.”
Sighing dramatically, I shook my head. “I don’t know how he deals with the two of you ganging up on him like that.”
“Probably by drooling over Jase Kelly.”
“Dallas.”
“What?”
I tried to give her a kind of stern look, but her don’t act like I’m wrong expression made me laugh. This child was definitely her mother’s daughter. “Anyway. I didn’t screw up your focus for the night, did I? You can still do your homework after we’re done eating?”
“Will you write my teacher a note saying you—”
“Not a prayer, kid.”
She laughed. “Nah. I think I’ll be good.”
“That’s what I thought.”
We both chuckled, and we continued eating. When we’d finished, we both got up to take our dishes to the sink. On Fridays and Saturdays, it was her job to clean the kitchen after dinner, but the rest of the week, she was usually so slammed with schoolwork that I took care of the dishes. So, she was off the hook tonight, and she headed back toward her bedroom to resume doing homework.
“Let me know when you’re ready for me to check your assignments,” I called after her.
“Okay.” She stopped in the kitchen doorway and turned around. “And thanks for telling me. About Jase.”
“Don’t mention it. Thanks for keeping it between us.”
She nodded, then continued down the hall, and I released a breath as I leaned against a cabinet. Okay. There. It was out. Dallas knew. There was still no telling how long Jase and I could keep it from the press, but at least I’d beaten them to punch and told my kid.
I looked up at my phone, which was still and silent on the counter, and my heart fluttered as I smiled.
Time to call Jase back.
Chapter 23
Jase
I was finally back in town and could see Devin again. I was exhausted, and I could feel today’s flight and the last few games in my bones, but I wasn’t turning down sex with him for anything. I’d been counting down the days, the hours, and now the minutes until I was here, and on the way into the elevator, I was so excited I could barely breathe.
Before the elevator had fully stopped on Devin’s floor, I could hear shouting on the outside. When the doors opened, the angry voices were clearer and louder.
I balked, but cautiously stepped out, alarm raising the hair on my neck. Then I realized one of the voices belonged to Devin, and though the alarm intensified, I walked faster.
I rounded the corner to find him in the hall, gesturing wildly and arguing with a woman who was standing in the doorway of what I assumed was her apartment.
“You can’t tell me what to do in my own home!” the woman shouted in his face.
Devin made an exasperated sound. “I’m not trying to dictate what you do in your own home, but what you do affects my kid.” He gestured sharply at his apartment across the hall. “What is she supposed to do? Just…not breathe because you want to burn incense?”
“It relaxes me,” she snapped.
“And it gives her migraines! You can relax without incense. She cannot relax or even function while you’re burning it. What is so hard to understand?”
“You’ve already got peanut butter banned from the entire building. Now you want—”
“Because I’d just as soon not go into anaphylactic shock!” Devin threw up her hands.