As she drew back, she gripped his shoulders and stared him straight in the eye. “I’m going to say something, and I do not want you to respond with anything but, ‘I’ll think about it.’ Okay?”
He arched an eyebrow. “Not sure I can make that promise.”
“Then my lips are sealed.” She made a show of mashing her lips together, then mimed locking them and throwing away the key.
JP rolled his eyes. “How the hell did you ever win an Oscar?”
“Hey!” She slapped his arm. “Just for that, I’m deciding I heard you promise.” The teasing expression morphed into a serious one. “If a degree in landscape architecture is something you want, I want to pay for it.”
What? His chin hit the floor. Was she out of her mind? “Mick—”
“Nope!” She mashed a finger to his lips. “All you’re allowed to say is, ‘I’ll think about it, Mickie,’” she said, mimicking his voice. Then she smiled the charming smile that won over millions of hearts in her final drama. “JP, I have a stupid amount of money. More than anyone person deserves. You’re my family now. What the hell is the point of having that money if I can’t use it to help my family?” She held one of his hands between hers. “To help the people I love? You guys have given me so much. You’ve given me a life I love and never thought I could have. I wake up happy every single morning, and part of that is because of you.”
Keith felt the same way about her, and it warmed JP’s stony heart to know these two had found each other and were making it work despite initial challenges. She and Keith were perfect, and JP was so fucking happy to have her in his family, not only for his brother’s sake but because she was an incredible human being. His throat thickened with emotion.
Damn, this baby was stealing his edge and making him soft.
“Please let me do this for you. Not because I feel the need to pay you back, but because I can. If I play a part in making it so you wake up happy every morning too, then I want to do that more than anything.”
“Just let her do it, man. She won’t give you a moment’s peace until you agree.”
JP glanced up to see his brother standing behind the couch with hearts practically floating out of his eyes as he watched Mickie. He rubbed a hand over his fluttering stomach. Damn, he better not be turning into some mushy romantic. That shit had to stop.
“I don’t even know what to say. I never expected—shit.”
Mickie squeezed his hand. “I know. And I told you what to say.” She winked. “I’ll try one more tactic, though. If it’s too much to think I’m doing this for you, tell yourself I’m doing it for her. So you can give her the childhood I know you want to.”
No one had ever made him such a selfless and generous offer. His eyes fucking itched, and if he wasn’t careful, he’d start crying and put Kayla’s wails to shame. To honor Mickie’s generosity, he’d do what she asked and give the idea some serious consideration.
“I’m waiting,” she said, cupping a hand around her ear.
He snorted. “I’ll think about it, Mickie.”
“Yay!” She clapped her hands as though he’d agreed to take her to Disney World instead of borrowing tens of thousands of dollars from her.
“Thank you.” He lost the sarcasm and playfulness. Mickie deserved to know how much he appreciated her and the offer.
“Sweetie, you are so, so welcome.” She squeezed his hand one more time, then hopped up and rushed over to play tonsil hockey with Keith.
Wait until he told Hannah. Would she be as shocked by Mickie’s offer as he was? Would she be thrilled to know he couldn’t get her idea of school out of his head.
Wait...
Wait until he told Hannah? Why would he tell Hannah? What the hell was he thinking? They were barely friends, barely even acquaintances. Why the hell would she care what he did with his life. And why did he itch to hop in his car and drive to her rental so he could see the look on her face when he told her?
Was this what happened when someone didn’t get laid for too long? Did they start having insane thoughts about sharing feelings and news with beautiful women they hardly knew?
Gross. That was a disgustingly domestic thought.
His gaze tracked to Kayla as she once again pushed up on all fours. Maybe it wasn’t Mickie’s offer that had him thinking out of character. Perhaps it was the influence of the tiny human who’d turned his life ass over elbows in the blink of an eye. That had to be it. Had to be the reason Hannah had been on his mind so much. Had to be the reason he’d kissed her cheek two days ago instead of taking her sweet lips like he’d have done if she were any other woman. This baby was scrambling his brain the same way she scrambled the rest of his life, and he needed to clamp down and get a hold of himself and his wayward thoughts before he did something insane—like develop feelings for a woman.