Chapter Two
Emily should’ve been ashamed of herself for all the effort she made to gussie up for walking to the park the next night. Last night, she’d been in a long-sleeved T-shirt and yoga pants with no makeup and her hair pulled tightly back. Tonight, she was wearing a pale pink tank top that flattered her dark coloring, a white jacket, and her best jeans—Forever Karlie jeans in a dark wash with just the right amount of rips to show off some smooth skin. She did her makeup in an understated way so it wouldn’t be obvious she was a try-hard tonight. She pulled her black, curly hair into a low ponytail. It showed off her neck and shoulders better but still looked casual. It also kept the focus on her face yet softened her features.
“Are you ready, Mama?” Krew had been chomping at the bit since he got home from school at three-thirty.
She understood his excitement. Caleb Jewel. Ooh. She wanted to squeal and do a cheerleader jump in the air. She’d blown many kisses at his poster today, while Krew was at school and couldn’t see her. “Yes, child, let’s do this.” She smiled brightly at him.
Krew whooped and did a sort-of cheerleader jump in the air. Clinging to his lacrosse stick and a ball, he rushed in front of her and out the front door. It was a beautiful late fall evening, and Emily let the soft, dying sunlight kiss her face. She said a silent prayer of gratitude. She and Krew were happy and—for the most part—safe from Jeff. Her parents were healthy, and her siblings were faithful and currently on the right side of the law. She was satisfied with work aplenty, and she had much more money than she needed between her recent success with her career and the twenty grand a month from Jeff. Best of all, she was going to meet Caleb Jewel at the park with her boy. Yes, life was good, and the Lord above should be praised.
“And I practiced since I got home from school, and Caleb is going to be super jacked that I listened. My shot is stinging the top shelf, Mama,” Krew prattled on. Emily listened, but her thoughts raced ahead to one fine-looking lacrosse superstar. Caleb Jewel. Mm-hmm.
“Where are you going, all hot and ready for some action?” Mylee hollered from her front porch. Their neighborhood was spacious with large lots, but Emily’s and Mylee’s front porches were close enough that they could call to each other.
Emily glared at her friend and called back, “I am walking to the park, Miss Busybody, to spend some time with my son.”
Mylee cackled and danced off her porch to meet them on the sidewalk. “Gig’s up, sassy pants. Harley told me that Krew told him that you met Caleb Jewel at the park and you’re meeting him again.” She smacked Emily on the rear. “My, oh my, you are lookinggood,my friend.”
Emily froze, unsure how to respond to her best friend. They talked several times a day, and yes Emily had omitted mentioning Caleb Jewel. “It’s, um … just for Krew.”
Mylee’s blue gaze said she knew that Emily was lying.
“Where’s Harley?” Krew interrupted. “Can he come with us?”
“Sorry, love.” Mylee bent down and gave Krew a quick hug. “Harley’s with his daddy; they got given passes to watch a Broncos practice.”
“Oh.” Krew’s face fell. He wasn’t into football—maybe it was his way of rebelling against his father—but he knew his own daddy played for the Broncos. They got tickets and went to some games, but it was sad how few privileges Krew actually got with a dad on the team, especially as Jeff often raged about how Krew should be into football, a “real man’s sport.” Harley, on the other hand, went to Broncos practice and games all the time, as his dad, Vance, was a mortgage broker who got free tickets to everything. There was also the small matter of Vance being a loving husband and father who wanted his child around and enjoyed him, no matter what sport Harley chose to be obsessed with. Vance was a good guy, and quite often, he included Krew in their adventures while Mylee and Emily had some girl time.
“He would’ve taken you,” Mylee explained, “but I told him you’d rather be with Caleb Jewel. Harley begged to stay and meet Caleb Jewel also, but Vance thought maybe the three of you wanted some …” She dropped her voice dramatically, tossing her spiky blond hair. “… alone time.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” Emily rushed to say. “It’s only for Krew. I wasn’t trying to leave you or Harley out.”
“Girl!” Mylee snapped her fingers in her face. “I’m not mad at you. If I could get Caleb Jewel alone, I’d do it in a second.”
Emily shook her head. Mylee was completely in love with Vance, but she also loved to tease. “I’m not getting him alone. It’s for Krew.”
“Uh-huh. And I wear my two-hundred-dollar designer jeans to go to the grocery store because the meat guy is …smokinghot.”
“You’re a hot mess, that’s what you are,” Emily shot back, relieved that her friend wasn’t upset that she’d kept a secret. “We’ll take our leave now.”
“Talk him into walking you home so I can drool from my front porch,” Mylee begged as Emily ushered Krew toward the walkway to the park.
Emily thought of how Caleb had offered to walk them home last night. She’d been mighty tempted, but she had four more months until she could date. When she’d made that promise, she’d been relieved to not go through lawyers and the court runaround again, and she’d also been certain she wouldn’t want to look at a man for ten years. She’d fallen in love with Jeff in college and thought they were going to live happily ever after. He’d gradually gotten more unstable and volatile throughout their marriage. The only thing he wasn’t erratic about was his obsession with football. Six years of trying to keep the peace and not knowing how he’d react from moment to moment was enough to cure her of wanting to date. Yet who could’ve predicted thattheCaleb Jewel would show up at her park?
She was getting ahead of herself. He wasn’t begging her for a date, yet he had asked to walk her home and for her phone number. She waved a hand to Mylee and called, “Watch Netflix; it’ll be much more exciting.”
“Nope. I’m curling up on this porch swing with a bag of Swedish Fish and a Jennifer Youngblood novel and waiting for my show.Don’tlet me down.”
Emily ignored her friend and kept walking, smiling to herself. She wished she could give Mylee a show, but that wasn’t happening. Maybe in six more months.
They broke through the tree-lined path—the fall colors were gorgeous this year—and entered the beautiful park. Walking down the sidewalk toward the field where they’d met Caleb last night, Emily found her stomach fluttering and her palms sweaty. Krew bounced slightly by her side, cradling the ball in his stick. The ball slid out and went rolling; he ran for it, scooping it up and then taking off toward the field.
Emily watched her son and saw the target he was focused on. “Caleb,” she breathed out.
When she’d seen Caleb last night, he’d looked great in a nicely fitted T-shirt and joggers. Tonight, it appeared that he’d taken some extra care as well. His golden-brown hair was styled away from his face. He was wearing a pale blue Henley that could have been designed for his muscular upper body, showcasing bicep muscles that had her mouth going dry, and dark gray chino pants that moved fluidly with his leg muscles. My, oh my.
He greeted Krew with a fist bump and ruffled the little man’s curly hair. Jeff had stick-straight blond hair, Emily’s own daddy was a redhead, and her mama was as dark as a finely brewed cup of delectable coffee. Krew had gotten a nice mix of everyone with his caramel skin and his sleek, dark-brown curls. Emily’s own curls were a little too rambunctious at times.
Caleb glanced over Krew’s head and met her gaze. His mouth fell open slightly as his eyes traveled over her, so slowly that there was no question he was taking her all in, and so warmly that there was no question he approved of what he saw.