“Sorry, I didn’t know you sent her a message.” I bite my lip as he opens the door to let the dogs in, and they both come over to greet me.
“It’s not a big deal,” he mumbles as I squat down to give both the pups some love and attempt to hide the look on my face, because it is a big deal that he reached out to her.
“Maybe she can come over for dinner this week.” I peek up at him as he walks across the room toward me.
“Maybe.” He helps me up, then his hands wrap around my sides, and he ducks his face closer to mine so that we’re eye-to-eye.
“It’s sweet that you want my family and me to have the relationship yours and you do, baby, but you need to know that will likely never happen.”
“But it might.” I rest my hands against his chest.
“Don’t get your hopes up.”
“My hopes are always up.” I lean up on my tiptoes to kiss him, then whisper against his lips, “I need to get to school. Friday is prom, and I volunteered to help Toya and the seniors get things ready this week so I’ll be a little later than normal.”
“All right, I’ll figure out dinner for us tonight.”
“Thanks.” I kiss him while saying a silent prayer that he doesn’t attempt to make dinner himself, because Lord, the man cannot cook. I thought he was exaggerating, but he most definitely was not. So far I’ve had to eat toast that was burnt and eggs that were so overcooked it felt like I was chewing rubber, both which I consumed with a smile on my face because it was sweet he cooked for me.
“All right, get out of here before I lock you in the bedroom for the rest of the day.” He pats my bottom, and I laugh before letting him go. Taking my cup with me, I walk around the island and get a travel mug down, then dump my coffee inside before I grab my lunch out of the fridge. As I’m putting on my jacket, the theme song from Jaws begins to play from his phone on the island, and I watch him let out a sigh.
“I can walk myself out while you talk to her.”
“I’ll call her back.” He grabs my bags as the phone goes quiet, then a second later, it begins to ring again. “Come on.” He places his hand against my lower back and urges me out the door and down the walkway to my car.
After I’m loaded in behind the wheel, he drops a kiss to my lips, then slams the door, and I watch him stand back. Knowing he’ll wait for me to leave before he’ll go back into the house, I put my car in reverse, then back down the driveway. When I reach the end, I blow him a kiss, and he smiles, and the sight of it loosens the tightness in my chest, making it easier to get on with my day.
“THAT’S GOING TObe beautiful,” I tell a group of four senior girls who are adding gold rope, lights, and hanging flowers to a huge arch that will go above the photo area where students will stop to take pictures after they get checked in to the dance Friday.
“Thanks, Ms. Mayson.” Mark’s girlfriend Jenna smiles at me.
“Here you go, girl,” I hear Toya say as she comes up to my side, and I lean into her while accepting the iced coffee she hands me.
“I love you.”
“I’d believe you if I ever saw you outside of school anymore,” she says quietly, and guilt fills the pit of my stomach.
“I’m sorry. Things have just been so crazy.”
“I remember what it’s like when it’s all new and exciting, and you’re too busy falling in love to think about anything or anyone else.” She bumps her shoulder into mine. “But I do miss my best friend, and I would like to meet this guy who’s taking up all your time.”
“What about dinner tonight?” I offer. “We could all go to Miller’s?”
“That works for me, and I know Tony will be good with whatever.”
“Perfect.” I reach into my back pocket for my cell. “I’ll just call Aiden to let him know so he doesn’t pick something up on his way home.” I step away and dial his number as she goes to help some kids who are designing the floral arrangements that will go in the middle of the tables.
“Hey, doll, what’s up?” he answers after the second ring, and I can’t help the smile that curves my lips.
“I just made plans for us to go to dinner at Miller’s tonight with Toya and her husband.”
“I finally get to meet Toya, huh?” he asks, sounding like he’s smiling.
“I wasn’t keeping you from meeting her.” I roll my eyes. “We’ve kind of had a lot going on.”
“You’re not wrong about that,” he mumbles, then adds, “Mom found out about Bridgett and Conner. Like I figured she would, she tried to convince Bridgett to go home to their house and work it out.”
“Seriously?”