gave him another shy glance. “You’re not the only one who paid attention.”
“Mom, I’m thirsty.” Danny spoke around the chunk of hot dog in his mouth.
Sierra turned to Mason again. “You get that I’m a package deal, right?”
“Rug rats and all. Got it. They’re great boys. I like having them here. I like you here.”
She cocked a hip and leaned heavily on one side. “How come we never got together in high school?”
“Because I was a dumbshit back then.”
“You swore.” Oliver appeared at his side out of nowhere.
Mason frowned. “Sorry, buddy, just telling your mom the truth.”
“Are there any grapes?”
“In the cooler.” Sierra took Oliver’s hand and led him over to it, pulling out the covered bowl filled with green and red grapes. “Do you want a slider to go with that?”
“Yes, please. No slaw.”
“I know.” Sierra pulled the cover off the grapes and handed the whole thing to Oliver. “Go sit at the coffee table. I’ll bring you your sandwich.”
Oliver went back to the living room, sat on the floor, set the grapes on the table, and ate while watching some car insurance commercial.
“Are you sure you don’t mind them eating in there?”
“It’s no big deal. If they spill something, I can have the carpet cleaned.” He went to the freezer, pulled out the ice container, and dumped the ice into the metal bucket filled with sodas.
“You sure you want to give them soda? They’ll be hopped up on sugar for a couple of hours.”
“Relax, Sierra. I don’t care if they make a mess, jump on the furniture, and just be rowdy boys. I used to be one, you know.”
She sighed. “I just want this to go well.”
“It is. It will.” He stopped in front of her with the bucket under his arm. “Are you talking about today, or us?”
He loved that she always met his gaze when she had something serious to say. “I don’t want to mess this up. You’ve been so nice, getting me the job, and asking us over here.”
“Stop. I didn’t do those things so you’d say yes to a date, or to manipulate you into saying yes.”
She put her hand on his chest like touching him was so easy now.
He loved it.
“That’s not what I meant at all. I’m grateful for the help you’ve offered, but that isn’t why I’m here.” She raked her fingers through her hair again. “I appreciate what you’ve done and I’m so glad we’ve reconnected.”
“Me, too.” He saved her from trying to explain herself further when he got that this meant something to her. He mattered. “Let’s eat before the boys start chewing on the furniture.”
She smiled and went to make up the sliders where she had everything set out next to the stovetop.
He took the drinks into the living room and set the bucket on the coffee table.
“No way. Root beer in bottles. Cool.” Danny pulled one out and stared at the cap.
Mason took it, twisted off the top, and handed it back.
Oliver held up a bottle to him. “Me.”
Mason uncapped his and handed it back. Both boys took deep sips, burped, then fell into a fit of giggles. Mason took a big swig of his own bottle and burped long and loud just to make them laugh.
Sierra stared at him from the kitchen island, smiling, and shaking her head, but enjoying it all the same.
* * *
The rest of the evening went smoothly. The boys ate too much and ended up on either side of Mason and Sierra on the sofa where their legs touched the whole time but he resisted the urge to hold her hand or hook his arm around her shoulders and pull her into his side because he didn’t want the boys to see how close they were getting before Sierra was ready to talk to them about her moving on. The boys loved their father, missed him, and may not be ready for a new guy in their mom’s life.
He got that and kept a respectful distance for their sakes.
The game ended with their team winning. Danny jumped up and fist-pumped the air. Oliver was half asleep watching the tablet next to Sierra.
They worked together to clear the food and put everything away. Mason loved that she rummaged through his kitchen looking for plastic containers and appreciated that she stored the leftovers in his fridge for him to eat later in the week. He hoped to spend more time with her and the boys and not eat all his dinners alone