“Did you have fun?” she asked.
“The best! Time! Ever!” Krew cheered. “Harley will never believe it.” Harley was Krew’s best friend and the son of Mylee, Emily’s best friend and next-door neighbor.
Caleb walked their direction, holding on to his shorty lacrosse stick. It was funny how in Krew’s hands, that same stick looked huge, but compared to Caleb’s tall, strong frame, it looked like a toothpick in a giant’s hands. Her ex was a hulking, muscular man, a defensive end for the Broncos. She should be used to viewing well-built muscles, but Caleb’s long, lean, succulent build was more impressive than Jeff’s. She may or may not have licked her lips.
“Did you tell Mr. Jewel thank you?” Emily asked.
Krew looked up at her in disgust. “What do you think?” he sassed.
Emily gave him a sharp look and a raised finger.
Krew sighed. “Yes, Mama, you taught me how to use my manners.”
“Well, use them with me, then.”
“Please forgive me for giving you cheek, Mama.” He gave her a brief hug.
Caleb was smiling at the interaction.
“Thank you kindly, sir,” Emily said to Caleb, her voice much too breathy. She thought she’d held her own pretty well, considering she was in the presence of a superstar, but it was getting to her. “That was unbelievably sweet of you.”
“My pleasure,” Caleb teased. “I’m just asweetguy. Can I walk you home?”
She tilted her head. Was he just being gentlemanly, or did he want to know so he could find her again? He was Caleb Jewel, so she knew she could trust him, but playing the demure damsel wasn’t her style. Her mama claimed she was born with piss and vinegar on her tongue.
“Well now,” she drawled out like a Southern belle. She loved her heritage and made sure to use Southern expressions often to keep it real in her and Krew’s minds, living out here amongst Westerners like they were. “We don’t allow handsome strangers to walk us home.” Flipping her hair over her shoulder, she took Krew by the hand and said, “Come along. We’ll see Mr. Jewel at his next lacrosse game.” As his season had recently finished, it would be May before his next game. Seven long months. She hoped he’d protest.
Krew reluctantly let her lead him down the sidewalk, craning his neck to look at Caleb over his shoulder.
“Not soon enough,” Caleb said from behind them.
Emily spun around and put her free hand on her hip. “Not soon enough for you?”
He sauntered closer, a meaningful look in his eyes. My, oh my, those eyes were as blue as they’d been on that poster, definitely not touched up like she’d thought. They were magnetic. “Not soon enough foryou. I’d hate to deprive you of more time with your idol.”
She lifted her own eyebrows. No way was he getting the truth out of her on that one. “Krew’s idol, not mine.”
“You sure?” His eyes got downright mischievous. “Krew told me you like to blow kisses at my poster.”
“Oh!” Emily’s mouth dropped open and her face filled with heat. “That’s it. Krew Gehring, you are scrubbing the toilets after school tomorrow.”
Krew looked up at her, so cute in his confusion as to what he’d done wrong. “Why, Mama? Youdoblow kisses at his poster.”
Emily felt like the worst mom ever, chastising her son because of her humiliation. Once they were safely back home, she’d take away the punishment and hopefully not confuse him with her mixed signals.
Caleb’s chuckle was warm, delicious, and filled her up from the outside in. Yet he was chuckling because he was laughing at how she blew kisses at his poster. Humiliation complete.
Emily tilted her chin. “My son must’ve misread my signals. Let me demonstrate exactly what I was doing when I saw your poster.”
Caleb raised his eyebrows, and his eyes widened with a challenge.
She ushered Krew ahead a few paces. “Look that way now, honey child.” She put the steel in her tone to let him know that this was not the time to challenge her.
“Okay, Mama.” Krew pushed out a heavy sigh and stared determinedly toward the fence surrounding their neighborhood.
Emily had no problem sassing anyone, but she wondered if her next move was pushing it, even for her. Yet she couldn’t back down, not while Caleb was giving her that bold look.
“So what do you do when you see my poster?” he asked, his eyes twinkling with humor and anticipation. He seemed to appreciate flirting with her as much as she did with him.