Laura flushed and snapped at her husband, who laughed it off. Then Julie stood up for Laura and invited Ann’s opinion on the subject.
“I can’t say much. I’m just a guest.”
“Oh, poo on that,” Laura said.
Josh looked delighted. “Ha! Poo!”
Dan and Jack groaned, and Ann choked on a laugh.
“You know me, Ann. I’m the same woman I was when you and Jack were dating in high school.”
The brief silence could have turned awkward, but Jack covered smoothly. “In that case, you probably don’t want Ann defending you, Ma.”
“Nonsense. I’m not one to spread rumors.”
“From what I remember, you were everyone’s favorite parent,” Ann said with a smile. “Whenever we had a party, the class wanted you to chaperone.”
“See?” Laura preened.
Ann continued, “And wasn’t it Dan who got caught passing notes and being chatty in school?”
“Ah ha! I knew it.” Julie gloated. “Youwerea troublemaker back then.”
Dan redirected the blame. “Me? No way. Try Jack.”
Instead of engaging, Jack subtly turned the conversation to Dan and Julie’s new addition. Ann loved how excited Josh seemed at the prospect of a brother or sister.
An odd longing struck her. Perhaps being around such a happy home made a difference, but since seeing Jack again, old wants returned with stinging clarity. She’d always figured they’d marry and have two kids, a boy and a girl. Now she was in a position to financially support children, with a home and a job she loved, and she felt…incomplete.
Jack wanted to date her, but they had a lot of unfinished business. She was nearly thirty, not getting any younger, and had no prospects on the horizon for a husband. Even if Jack wanted to date her, she feared he’d bolt at thoughts of diapers and playdates.
His arm crept around her shoulders, and she tensed. He hadn’t been very touchy in front of his family, so she’d taken her cues from him. Granted, she was still deciding how to go about dealing with him—as a boyfriend or just friends with benefits—but he’d been standoffish since she’d arrived. Now a visible hug?
His parents saw but ignored the gesture as Laura harangued her husband. Dan raised a brow and Julie grinned, but otherwise no one said a word. Josh seemed too focused on avoiding his broccoli to care about what his uncle did with his teacher.
Then Jack leaned closer and whispered, “How about we bolt after dessert? My mother only has so much patience before she’ll start trying to size you up for a wedding dress.”
She’d been sipping her wine when he spoke and choked when it went down wrong. Wedding dress?
She could see him trying not to laugh as he patted her back.
“Jack, don’t break the girl’s spine. Give her some water,” Laura suggested.
“Yes, Ma.”
Laura slid Josh’s plate closer to him and pointed at his broccoli. “And you, eat.”
“Grandma’s bossy,” the boy muttered.
Julie sighed. “No, she’s a mom. This is what happens when you have boys. You sound bossy because they don’t listen. Now eat your trees.”
He forked one and ate it, making the most god-awful faces. Even Ann felt bad for him as she sipped her water.
Jack leaned close to her and said in a low voice, “Five bucks says he spits it out in his napkin and hides it under the table.”
She watched the boy do just that and nearly choked again on laughter.
The meal wrapped up, dessert and coffee followed, and Ann left with Jack, thanking everyone for a lovely time.
