“I’m far more concerned about you finding someone who makes you happy than you giving me another grandbaby.” She pats my cheeks and sticks out her bottom lip. “It’s getting harder to be alone when he’s gone, isn’t it?”
Fuck. I clear my throat. “It’s not getting easier, that’s for sure.”
She studies me for a moment, her blue eyes dancing back and forth between mine. “Don’t settle, honey. Don’t make the mistake of thinking the clock is running out and settling for someone who isn’t everything you want.”
I’ve been telling myself that same thing for years now, but at some point, I have to face reality. The woman I want doesn’t want me.
An hour later, Jett and I slide into the only booth left in The Creek, Cole Creek’s only bar and grill and the best place in town to get a fish fry, a pizza, and a cold beer.
Country music thrums through the sound system and a half dozen TVs mounted behind the bar and around the open-concept room play a muted hodgepodge of the news, sports, and the weather. The pool tables and dart boards are empty because it’s early, but in a couple of hours, they’ll be crowded with locals and weekenders and anyone else looking to kick back and have a good time.
“You feeling pizza tonight, little man? Or is it a chicken nugget kind of night?” I pluck a menu from between the napkins and the condiments, and flip through it like I didn’t memorize the thing years ago.
“Chicken nuggets, please. With ranch.”
“Shocking choice, buddy. You’re going to turn into a chicken nugget one of these days, I swear.” He giggles across the table, scanning the room with big eyes. I’ve only brought him here a handful of times, since it’s not the most kid-friendly environment, but tonight seemed like a good night to change things up.
“Well, hello there, cutie pie.” The waitress comes to the table with a bright smile for Jett. She’s a local high school student, if I recall correctly. “How are you tonight?”
“You’re pretty,” he tells her, his big eyes full of stars, and I bite back a laugh.
“Jett, that’s not how you say hello to a lady. Try again, buddy.”
“I like your hair.”
Holy shit, this kid. “I’m sorry. He doesn’t get out much.”
She laughs. “No problem. Technically, I did flirt with him first, so...” She shrugs. “What can I get you two to drink?”
“A Coke for me and a root beer for him. And we’re ready to order our food, too, if you’re set.” She nods, takes the order, and then heads back to the bar, where Dalton Kaminski and his brother Marcus both raise their mugs of beer my way. I flick my hand in a wave and then notice the company they keep.
Mikayla smiles as our eyes meet across the room and I find myself grinning, too. Before I know it, she’s headed our way. Curiously, she’s looking more Sunday appropriate on a Friday night than she did last week in church, in a pair of snug jeans and an off-the-shoulder pink top.
“Hey, guys,” she says, light eyes darting from me to Jett and back again. “No dinner with the family tonight?”
“Nah, Ma wanted the night off, so Dad took her to that new place over in Copper Crossing. You here with Dalton and Marcus?”
She rubs her shimmery pink lips together and nods. “Just for a drink before I head home for the day.”
“Have you eaten yet?” I ask, surprising myself, and from her wide eyes, her, as well.
“No, not yet.”
We’ve been texting on and off for almost two weeks, trying to pin down a night to get together, but either she’s busy with a town meeting or work, or I have Jett. I’ve yet to introduce Jett to anyone I’ve dated—mostly because it’s not something I do very often—but again, tonight feels like a night to do things a little differently.
“Do you want to join us?” I ask. “I mean, if the guys don’t mind us stealing you away.”
She nods. “I’d love that. Let me grab my purse and let them know. I’ll be right back.” She turns on her heel and hurries away, and I glance to Jett, hoping like hell he doesn’t have more questions than I have answers to when this is said and done.
“Buddy, why don’t you come over and sit by me? That nice lady is going to have dinner with us.” I pat the spot next to me and he comes over without hesitation. “Can you do me another favor and remember your manners?”
He nods his little chin, then, “Is that your girlfriend, Daddy?”
“Ah, no, little man. Just a friend. How do you know about girlfriends?”
“Uncle Jinx told me.”
Of course, he did. “Don’t listen to your uncle Jinx about girls, buddy. He has no idea what he’s talking about.”
The waitress comes back with our drinks and I have her wait until Mikayla returns and adds her food order to ours, as well. When she heads back to the kitchen, Mikayla slides into the booth.
“So, you must be Jett.” She extends her hand across the table. “I’m Mikayla, a friend of your dad’s.”
He shakes her hand and then sips his root beer, randomly blurting out, “You have black hair, but my mama’s is yellow.”
Really, Jett? You gotta bring up your mom now? Like, literally five seconds into this? I scrub a hand over my face and groan, but Mikayla laughs softly.
“You mean blonde?” She presses her lips into a smile. “You know, I think I remember your mom. She’s very pretty.”
“She’s a princess.”
When Jinx was handing out love lessons, I wonder if he mentioned cockblocking, because it sure as hell feels like that’s what my little man is doing.
“So, do you go to school yet?”
“Pretty soon I’ll be in preschool.”
“Oh, wow. A preschooler! That’s awesome. Are you excited?”
He nods. “Yeah. I can write my name. Wanna see?”
“I would love to see!” Mikayla tugs a couple of napkins from the holder and procures a pen from her purse, and before I know it, Jett’s telling her about Js and fishing hooks and the hundred fish he caught a couple of weekends ago.
It’s a relief and cute as hell, but also terrifying. I’ve spent the past few years worrying about how I’d ever introduce someone to Jett if the time ever came, never thinking it’d be this easy. Not that this is anything more than dinner, because Mikayla and I haven’t even gone on an actual date, just the two of us, yet.
But if this is any indication of how things might go, if and when the time comes, it’s a good sign.
And maybe the perpetually fucked-up timing of my life has finally sorted itself out.
Chapter 14
JESSE
“Has anyone seen the blow-up tabletop pools for food? I need to clean them up for tomorrow.” Ma sticks her head out the patio door onto the back deck where Dad, Jinx and I are trying to convince Jett that chickens are just little dinosaurs left over from the prehistoric days.
“No, hon, I haven’t seen them in a long time. Heck, when was the last time we even used them?” Dad calls back to her. “Justin’s college grad party?”