“Oh, sissy,” Kate murmured, wrapping her other arm around her sister and hugging her tightly. “Have you told him that?”
“Yes.” She paused, sniffed. “No. I mean, maybe not in those exact words?”
Since Dave had always made it clear that he thought Ann had hung the moon, Kate thought there might be more going on here than her sister could comprehend, especially given that Ann had spent the last months of her pregnancy on bed rest, had a difficult recovery after a challenging birth, and a colicky baby.
That was enough to throw anyone for a loop and most definitely enough to knock a couple off track.
“Why don’t I watch Lacy next week, and you two can go out to dinner and really sit and talk it out?” she asked. “You both have been virtual zombies since Little Miss was born, and with him just going back to work, maybe he’s having trouble adjusting?”
“What if she cries?”
Kate snorted. “She’s a baby. She’s going to cry.”
“What if she’s hungry?”
“I know you’ve been pumping and getting her used to a bottle once a day.” She squeezed her sister’s shoulder. “Let’s plan the time around that.”
“What if—?”
“You need to talk to him,” she interrupted, starting to understand the problem. “And you need time and space to not be distracted to do so, and”—another squeeze—“you need to remember that I’ve been babysitting your ass since I was ten and you were three.”
“I remember,” Ann said dryly. “That’s why I’m terrified of leaving my baby with you.”
She made a face. “Hey!”
Ann smiled and the mischievous smirk along with the dry rejoinder made Kate relax. That was her sister—snark and teasing and an irresistible smile that made you beam at her in return. Not the exhausted female she’d been in her parents’ kitchen.
And if Dave didn’t get his shit together at this dinner, then Kate knew she’d take matters into her own hands.
If he thought her mom was pushy . . . well then he’d better watch out.
No one hurt her baby sister.
“Thanks, Katie,” Ann said. “Can you watch her on Tuesday?”
She nodded, rested her head on Ann’s shoulder. “Of course.”
“You know,” Ann murmured after they’d sat in silence for a few more minutes. “I almost understand why you didn’t tell us about Jaime.”
Oh, she did, did she?
But Kate shoved down the blip of guilt and asked, “Yeah?”
“Yes,” Ann said. “I know it comes from a place of love, but Mom is a lot.”
“You’re just recognizing that?” Kate teased. “But you’re right. She’s amazing and has always been there for us, but she’s also a whirlwind, and it can sometimes be tough to hold your ground.” She paused. “Is that what you think is happening?”
“I don’t know.” Ann made a face. “Maybe? Okay”—a sigh—“yes. At least, I don’t think it’s helping. I mean, at first, I was so relieved to have her with me every day. But now . . . I think I need a little space. It’s like between the wedding and then setting up our house and then Lacy . . . maybe part of what’s going on with Dave and me is that we haven’t had the space to settle into our own skin, you know?”
“I could see that,” Kate murmured. “You two did move pretty fast with everything and then decided to throw a baby into the mix.”
“Yeah.” A sigh. “Damn.”
“What?”
“I think I just gave myself two people to talk to, huh?” Her nose wrinkled. “I need to have heart-to-hearts with Mom and with Dave.”
“Mom will take it okay,” Kate said. “You know that. She’s good at accepting boundaries once they’re in place.”
Blue eyes on hers. “And Dave?”
“Well, he’s your husband,” Kate said lightly, “and he loves you. I think you two can figure it out.”
“I hope so.”
Quiet fell between them. “You remember when Mom showed up at my dorm with homemade casseroles for the entire floor?”
Ann froze then burst out laughing. “Are you comparing my marriage to your tricky roommate situation?”
“Seemed apropos.” She shrugged.
“I seem to remember that the boy you liked, who lived down the hall, suddenly asked you out after that.”
“Yes, he did.”
They’d actually gone on quite a few dates. They’d seen each for months, long enough for her to feel comfortable with him, for her to fall in love. First love, freshman-in-college love, stupid love. Because she’d given him her virginity then had overheard him with his friends laughing about how bad she was in bed.
See? Assholes?
Her superpower.
Thankfully, she had been comfortable enough with herself to understand that it had been him—and his inability to last more than three thrusts, not to mention his lack in being able to please his partner—more than something she’d done.
So, she’d taken one of those casseroles her mom had left and dumped it in his lap.
And then she’d gone out with one of his roommates, who’d been much better in the sack and who’d taught her that she could have an orgasm during sex, so long as she was with someone who actually paid attention and had the patience to learn what she enjoyed.
So, asshole had met learning experience.
Thus, the path of her life had been laid.
Ha.
“Come on,” she said, pushing to her feet and folding the blanket. “I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.”
She wasn’t really. Not after the pastry and salad Jaime had bought her.
But she needed to do something that wasn’t sitting on the back steps thinking about one of her asshole exes and then wondering if and when Jaime would become one of them.
Because as much as she liked him, felt a draw, enjoyed how sweet he was being, she also knew that at some point, the other shoe would fall.
And she didn’t want to think about that.
Tucking the blanket under one arm, she extended her other toward her sister, giving her a hand up.
“What if it’s because I haven’t lost the baby weight? My body isn’t the same and—”
A blip of fury flew through Kate.
“Then I’m cutting off his balls and feeding them to him,” she growled. “You had a baby two months ago, sissy. If that’s his problem, then I will cheerfully make him a eunuch and—”
“It’s not.”
Kate glanced up, saw that Dave was standing on the porch. She’d missed him opening the back door, missed him stepping out, but what she didn’t miss was the fatigue and dark circles beneath his eyes.
And the concern in the pale brown depths.
Concern that made the fury slip away. Especially when he walked over to Ann and took her into his arms with barely a look at Kate.
As it should be.
“What the hell are you thinking, baby? I love you,” he said, tone fierce. “Just the way you are. You’re the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on.”
“I don’t know what I’m thinking,” Ann said. “I just feel so alone and . . .”