“Promise they’ll be the best you’ve ever had. Beryl’s the magic behind them. We mostly stuck to decorating,” I say.
“Lovethe color choice.”
Arms folded on top of the counter, Jonas beams at her. “I picked it.”
“I can’t wait to try one.” She grabs a cupcake from the box and carefully peels back the wrapper. “You guys better have one, too.”
Jonas eagerly reaches in. Beryl let him try one back at the ranch, and every second since has been a lesson in self-control.
Taking a large bite, Whit tosses her head back with a moan. It’s clearly exaggerated to hype up her kid, but my dick doesn’t get the memo. Then her tongue pokes out to lick away a dab of orange frosting, and I have to set my cupcake down so I can grip the counter for stability before I pass out.
It should be a crime to have lips so plump and soft-looking—so deserving of worship—and not have somebody kissing them every chance they get. Ideally that somebody being me.
I look over at the little boy happily eating cupcakes with his mom, and my own mother’s unsolicited guidance rings in my ears.
Take it slow. All I want is for you to be happy. Don’t do anything to add to the instability.Find someone to marry and give me grandbabies to spoil.
Talk about conflicting advice.
Jonas loves me. Surely he would be thrilled about me dating his mom. I just have to tell him the truth.
Jonas, I like your mom and would love your blessing to ask her out. Maybe kiss her, too.
“Why are you staring at me?” Jonas pulls a face. “It’s already weird enough you look like discount Riley Green withthat”—he holds his finger across his upper lip to mimic a mustache—“and now you’re staring like you’re about to sing me a love song.”
Whit coughs, choking a bit on a piece of cake.
“Mybrotheris discount Riley Green. I’m going for discountBurt Reynolds.” I shoot a glance at Whit. “I have it on good authority that women love him.”
Jonas narrows his eyes. “I don’t know who that is.”
“Hrm. I definitely see the Riley Green resemblance, between the mustache and cut-off shirts and general cowboy-ness.” Whit taps a thoughtful finger against the side of her jaw. “Not a bad comparison. Riley’s hot.”
Jonas, I’m going to kiss your mom whether you approve or not. Sorry, buddy.
“Jonas,” Whit says as she licks her thumb clean of frosting. “Go grab all your stuff for your sleepover with Grandma and Grandpa tonight.”
He stares at the box. “Can I—”
“Yes, you can take a cupcake for the walk over there.” She shakes her head with a smile, watching him bound up to his bedroom.
“Thank you,” she whispers to me once Jonas is out of earshot. “I know this was all your idea.”
With mock confusion, I reply, “Nah, this was all little man. He wanted to make sure you had a good day.”
“It’s definitely shaping up to be pretty great.” She shifts her weight from one foot to another, and her hip knocks against mine. Neither of us makes a move to separate, and I’m tempted to slide a hand around her waist to pull her even closer. Feel the heat of her body against mine.
“I hear we’re going out for drinks tonight?”
“Somehow Blair and Denny talked me into it. I don’t get out much…gives people more ammunition.”
“More ammunition?”
“Yeah, I don’t know if you’ve been a victim of the Wells Canyon gossip mill, but it’s not fun.”
“What’s there to say about a grown woman celebrating her birthday?”
“Easy for you to say. You don’t have moms on the playground making snarkyteen momjabs at the age of twen—EwI’m thirty today.” Her index finger reaches to buff out the finest of lines between her eyebrows, like it’s something that’s been bugging her since long before this conversation.
