“Girl, it was a sign. Don’t you dare tell me it wasn’t.”
I grin and roll my eyes. “It’s a small town.”
“Maybe you’ll finally get to see his place while you’re there. I know you’ve been curious.”
“Yeah, well…” I bring the mug to my mouth, smirking. “I might’ve already seen it.”
“What?” Hannah gasps. “When?”
“Last night.”
“Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, you’ve been single for less than three days!”
“It wasn’t like that!” I laugh again, almost spilling my coffee. “I just needed some butter and the stores were closed. He happened to have some.”
“Wow.” She hums all judgmental like, but I know better. “So, that’s all I get? You have nothing more to share about this apparent butter exchange?”
“It’s a really nice house.” Which, of course, is an understatement. It’s huge, and the perfect mix of modern and country. And it smelled like him. I didn’t want to leave.
“Did you, I don’t know, share any conversation?” she prompts sarcastically.
“He knows I left Lane, if that’s what you’re wondering.”
“And?”
“And I might’ve kissed his cheek.”
Crickets.
“Hello? Hannah?”
“You kissed his cheek?” she asks dryly. “What is this, kindergarten? You’ve birthed his child. We all know you’re capable of more than that.”
“Did you or did you not just point out that I’ve been single for three days?” I push a hand through my hair and adjust in the chair, so my hoodie isn’t stuck beneath my butt. Correction—so Jesse’s hoodie from five summers ago isn’t stuck under my butt. “I’m not even sure what I’m doing yet.”
“I thought we already established that you’re going to tell him how you feel.”
“I know. And I will.” Or at least I think I will. But I can’t just come out with it. I have to be sure it isn’t going to screw things up with us if it turns out he’s not on the same page anymore.
Yes, he’d touched me again like it was the most natural thing in the world, but he also dropped his hands like putting them on me had burned him, too. Whether that was out of remorse or respect, I’m not sure. But I have time to figure it out.
“I think I’m going to stay for a few weeks. It’s going to take that long to find an apartment anyway and, even then, we most likely wouldn’t be able to move in until July.”
Hannah makes a thoughtful sound. “I approve of this plan. You need some time away from Green Bay and Lane. And you can work from up there, too.”
“Yep, I have my laptop and I more or less cleaned out my desk drawers just in case.”
“Just promise me one thing?”
I hesitate. “What?”
“I gave you shit about it only being three days, but don’t get caught up on that. It’s not like you and Jesse just met yesterday. You have history, you know?”
I do. But Jesse and I also have a son to think about, too.
A son whose birthday party I need to get ready for.
JESSE
Put the boom on the excavator and a game involving Matchbox-size loaders and mini M&M’s.
Those are the party games Jinx came up with and I have to admit I’m impressed. He even made a big cardboard excavator and painted it yellow and black. He probably had help from his flavor of the week, but I don’t care. Jett is going to love it and that’s all that matters.
“You did good, you asshole.” I clap my little brother on the back and he rolls his eyes.
“Always gotta get a dig in there, don’t you?”
“It’s literally what I do.” I wink and take a quick peek at the time on my phone. Amelia should be coming with the cake, and our cousins and their kids should be knocking any second now, too.
Dad took Jett for a ride into town and then for a drive in the woods on the premise of looking for newborn fawns, so we could hurry up and decorate. He knows we’re having lunch and cake, but he doesn’t know about the kids and the games. I’m anxious to see his little face light up when he sees everyone who’s come to spend the afternoon with him.
I really wish I would have invited Hayden, but it’s probably too late now.
“Oh, shit, I forgot the sandboxes in my truck.” Jinx pushes away from the patio table and I frown.
“The what?”
“For the M&M game. I made little sandboxes for the kids to dump the candy in.”
I blink at him. “You’re kidding me.”
He lifts a shoulder. “Just a few bowls and some spray paint. Maybe a little spray adhesive and brown sugar to give it some texture and look like legit dirt.” He grins from ear to ear and I almost apologize for doubting his ability to pull this off. I hold back, however, because his ego is big enough.
“You do that and I’ll check on Ma.” She’s been slaving away in the kitchen since church and, when I tried to help earlier, she shooed me away. Doesn’t mean I’m going to stop trying.
“Hey, sweetie,” she greets me when I slide through the patio door. “Can you make sure all of the salads have spoons or tongs, please?”
“Yes, ma’am.” I grab a handful of utensils from the drawer and place them on top of the bowls stuck in the blow-up buffet filled with ice. “Wow, Ma, you’ve outdone yourself. Again. Can I at least pay you for what you spent on groceries to make all of this?” Honestly, I feel like compared to her, Jinx, and Amelia, I’ve done jack shit for this party, except create the guest of honor.
“Don’t be ridiculous. Jett is my only grandchild. I don’t mind doing this for him one bit.”
“I’m starting to feel bad about the work everyone’s done compared to me.” I round the island and press a kiss to the top of her curls. “Thank you.”
She blows a kiss up to me just as the doorbell rings. “That’s probably Becca and Bobbie Jean. Could you let them in?”
“You got it.” I spin on my socks and head to the front of the house, where both of my cousins stand with arms full of kids and gifts. “Holy crap, did you find more rug rats on the side of the road or what?”
Becca shoves her gifts at me and blows her blonde hair out of her face, while blindly grabbing her youngest before he knocks Ma’s potted geranium off the porch. He’s behind her and she never even looked back. Just reached out and snagged his arm like she has eyes in the back of her head.
“Sure feels that way,” she says, “but unfortunately, half of them are coming home with me. Unless you want to invite them over for a sleepover?”
“As much as I’d love that, Jett’s going back with his mom later. Sorry.”
Her shoulders sag, but Bobbie laughs. “And don’t even think about asking me. I have to work the early shift tomorrow and I’m pretty sure it’s your turn to host the next sleepover.”
Becca shoots her younger sister a scowl as they follow me into the house. I unload the gifts by the breakfast nook with Bobbie close behind, doing the same. The kids all run to Ma—their great aunt, given their grandpa is Ma’s older brother—and give her hugs.