A Second Chance in the Show Me State - Jessie Gussman Page 0,35

probably more people than usual will be there.”

He lifted the skillet lid, and Emerson handed him a plate. He took it from her, thinking about who might be there and who might not and whether he should go and not really paying attention. Until his fingers brushed hers.

Honestly, the feeling of a small explosion happening between them pulled his attention back fast. He half expected to see lightning flashing or some other kind of electrical explosion.

It was so bad he took a step back. There was no way to cover that, to pretend he actually meant to move away from the stove. After all, he was getting ready to scoop the hamburgers out of the skillet.

It took him a minute to realize Emerson had stepped back too, still holding the plate with the tips of her fingers.

He didn’t know where her eyes were, but he was staring at the plate like it was some kind of radioactive moon rock. Half shock, half puzzled contemplation that such a thing would be party to such a huge reaction with just his fingers.

Of course, it had nothing to do with the plate, which was just the media that had gotten her hand touching his. Or maybe it was his touching hers.

She’d probably argue with him about it; he really didn’t know whose fault it was. Just knew he hadn’t been expecting it.

Standing beside her felt natural and right, and exciting in a way when faced with that attraction. But touching her, that was a completely different story.

Holy smokes.

It definitely shot the situation to a new level.

One he had not been expecting.

He stepped back to the stove, not knowing what else to do except to pretend nothing had happened.

Pulling the plate away from her hand, surprised they hadn’t dropped it, he put the burgers on it, not even really paying attention.

“Don’t you, Mom?” Dallas’s voice came to him, although he wasn’t sure exactly what he’d been asking. Or maybe it was Houston that had asked something.

“I do...do what?” Emerson stuttered. He wasn’t sure he’d ever heard her stutter before. But he had to smile just a little, because apparently she hadn’t heard the question, either.

“I don’t know what you think is so funny,” she muttered under her breath.

She didn’t sound antagonistic, like she had before, and he felt free to mutter back, “I didn’t hear the question either and cannot help you out.”

“I think it was something about the meeting tonight, but I’m not sure,” she muttered back.

“Oh yeah.” He’d heard that subconsciously and remembered. “I think they said something about you wanting to go anyway.”

While they had been talking, the boys had been chatting between themselves.

Emerson turned and said in her regular tone, “It’s really sweet of you boys to want me to get familiar with Cowboy Crossing. But since I’m your mother,” she emphasized that word, “I think it would probably be best if I just skip the single dads meeting.”

He set the skillet on the cold back burner and turned to carry the plate of hamburger patties to the table.

“Well handled,” he said, leaning down to her ear and saying it low enough the boys couldn’t hear.

It was probably his imagination, but he thought he saw her shiver. Definitely, the pulse in her neck shuddered.

Maybe the voice in his head had a point.

He’d keep that in mind.

He cleared his throat and set the hamburgers down on the table. “We’re going to my parents’ house tomorrow night.” He actually hadn’t said anything about that to Emerson, since he’d gotten the text while in the combine and forgotten to say anything, so he turned and looked straight at her. “If that’s okay with you, Emmy.”

He hadn’t meant to use her nickname. The one that he’d used when they were younger. The one that only he was allowed to use. She had insisted, from the time she was about two, that everyone use her full name. She wouldn’t answer to any nicknames.

He was the only one that had an exclusion.

He wasn’t sure if he still had that or not, but the word was out.

Maybe she hadn’t noticed, or maybe that was what was making her fingers tremble as she arranged lettuce beside the tomato slices.

“That’s fine. Did your mother tell you what I should bring?”

“I’m sorry. Now that you mention it, she did mention something about macaroni salad or macaroni and cheese.” Depending on how hot it was.

She didn’t seem upset, and there was no flash of anger in her eyes, so he said,