Kacey also wasn’t quite as good at accepting that she couldn’t make things happen as she thought they should.
“While I was making grilled cheese, he came out and asked if I’d mind overseeing Levi’s meal so he could keep working.”
“He didn’t eat?”
“He ate. But outside, studying drawings and walking around the space he’s framed off.”
“He needed to get the cement poured today so it would have time to cure.” He’d told her so. “He was probably just running behind.”
“Or maybe he didn’t want to eat alone with Levi and me. Maybe he ate outside because you weren’t here.”
Maybe. But if that was so, it was probably because Kacey was giving him no encouragement whatsoever.
And even if it wasn’t, she couldn’t really believe it wasn’t.
Besides, at the moment they had a much bigger issue on their hands. Jem believed in his ex-wife. Lacey didn’t. And Levi’s future rested in the middle of the dispute.
After Kacey went to bed, Lacey took her phone into her craft room, sat at her sewing machine and started working on a quilt she was making for one of the shelters that housed kids on a temporary basis. After a minute she stopped, put her Bluetooth earbud in place and called Jem.
He picked up on the second ring.
“I’m sorry to bother you. I know you’ve already given up your entire weekend for me, but this is important.” She’d spent a good twenty minutes practicing that and was pleased overall with the delivery.
“What’s up?”
He didn’t sound bothered. But he probably would be as soon as she told him the reason for the call.
“I’m not interrupting anything, am I?”
“Nope. My bottle of beer, the fish and I are happy to have you join us.”
“You’re sitting outside?”
“Yep. It’s a nice night.”
She hadn’t been out, but had an overwhelming sense of wanting to be in that backyard with him at that moment.
“Is Levi with you?” They couldn’t have the conversation she needed to have if the boy was sitting right there.
“Are you kidding? He was worn-out. He’s been asleep for more than an hour. And before you wonder, Miss Social Worker, I have a nursery monitor right here on the table beside me.”
“Believe it or not, I wasn’t concerned.” She told him the truth. She’d seen the nursery monitor in Levi’s room and had noticed receivers around the house, too. Those were some of the types of things she was trained to see.
“Well, then, I apologize.”
“For what?”
“Accusing you of...”
“What, being on guard and working even when I’m not at work? You don’t have to apologize for that. It’s true.” He wasn’t going to take this well. She just knew it. She wished she didn’t have to make him upset with her.
She liked him. And wasn’t impartial. Which was why she was no longer on his case.
“I wanted to ask you something,” she started, lowering her voice in hopes of softening the impact of the coming inquisition.
“Yes, I’ll have dinner with you, all alone, any night you choose.”
Her stomach jumped. Making room for the liquid heat flooding her lower belly. “What?”