Only if it’s Zane.
“Let’s talk about your man now.” Mabel opened her car door and slid into the driver’s seat.
Ruby grinned lazily as she got in the car. “My man is quite the man.” She shook her head. “This is it for me, Mabel. He isit.”
Mabel willed herself not to say anything about what Weston was planning. But it was still a long week away, and she couldn’t very well be expected to keep the secret any longer than that. These juicy tidbits of information were already burning a hole in her pocket.
Mabel squealed a little, and she squeezed Ruby’s arm. “You deserve this, Ruby. You really do.”
Ruby’s eyes shone. “So do you.”
Chapter 17
Be cool. This is good. You got this.
But don’t mess this up!
The nerves coming up for Zane were ridiculous. He’d texted Mabel, both after she’d left his house with her hair and lips a sexy mess and he’d texted her the next day. He’d dropped the shirt off for Ruby to give to her, and then they’d texted some more over the next three days. Things were good. Exactly how he’d hoped they would be, and he couldn’t wait to see her.
So why was he feeling anxious? Because in all their back and forth the past few days, they hadn’t addressed the kissing, and the last time that happened, the lack of communication was pretty much the entire problem.
Still, when he and his nephew, Styles, pulled up in his truck in the rain to pick up Mabel and knocked on her door, a sense of calm flooded him. She’d given him no indication that things would be like the last time, when their personalities both changed so much they barely recognized each other. She’d seemed okay. She’d seemed good.
Onelook at her when she opened her door and his calm stirred up into more. He was allowing himself to fall so fast that he wasn’t sure which way was up or down.
“You look good in that shirt,” he said.And the jeans that fit you perfectly.
“I about died when I saw it. You remembered how I wanted to get one of these so badly at Garth’s concert. That was”—she glanced down at it—“beyond kind.” She paused. “Did you just buy this? Or…”
“I—” He raked a hand through his hair. “I got it for you the night of the concert, but I couldn’t ever seem to find the right time to give it to you.”
She grinned, her brows coming together in disbelief.
Zane bent down to his three-year-old nephew. “Hey, Styles,” he said. “This is Mabel.”
“Maybe Mabel?” Styles glanced up at Zane and giggled. “Maybe,” he said and pointed to her.
“Styles!” She pressed out her fist to give him knuckles, and Styles cocked his head to one side.
“Knuckles? Can I have a hug?” He held his hands out.
Mabel chuckled and looked at Zane, shaking her head. “How can I resist that?”
Styles closed his eyes and adjusted his glasses before slowly pushing out his palm. “Don’t ‘esist the force.” His voice was a dramatic whisper.
Atta boy, Styles.Zane was frequently proud of this kid. “Lorelei’s done a good job teaching him what really matters in life. LikeStar Wars.”
“And asking women for hugs?”
Styles grinned. “Maybe, I can open the Food ‘N’ Friends door with the force.”
“Every time,” Zane added.
Mabel’s giggle bubbled out of her. “Well, that’s impressive, Styles. I guess that does deserve a hug. But your uncle comes first, okay?”
Zane wrapped his arms around her, feeling at home again now that she was in his arms. She was warm and soft and smelled like lavender. “Hi.”
“Hi.” Her voice was muffled against his chest.
