“His ex-wife...” I blinked, choked around the words. “I don’t know if he’s over her.”
Just the thought gutted me.
A hollow, vacant space that radiated pain. He said he hated her. But there was so much pain around it, it made me itch.
“That bitch didn’t deserve either of them.” Nearly every word that came from Nikki’s mouth was light, filled with a tease and the easy way she looked at life. Not this. It was hard. A little bit bitter.
I hated the idea of crossing a line. Invading his privacy by asking for details he hadn’t offered.
But there was an ugly part of me that was shrouded in doubt. Turned out, old insecurities were hard to ditch. “What was she like?” I’d barely managed the choppy question when my attention caught on a big white truck that passed us, did a U-Turn, and pulled to a rumbling stop at the curb beside us.
“Holy shit,” Nikki mouthed, laughing under her breath. “Is that actually Rex Gunner? Looks like you’re not the only one who’s done for.”
My heart surged to my throat when both passenger side windows glided down. Rex slanted me an almost shy smile that was every kind of sexy from the driver’s seat, that expression alone seeping into my spirit and finding a home.
From the backseat, Frankie waved frantically. Milo on her lap, yipping as he tried to paw his way out the window to get to me.
“We’s goin’ on a picnic, Rynna! You wants to come?” Frankie shouted.
Rex had offered to keep an eye on Milo for me when I was getting ready to leave this morning, claiming Frankie would love to see him when he picked her up this morning from her grandma’s.
Wasn’t that a sign? It had to be. I soared on it.
“It was all Frankie’s idea,” Rex said, voice gruff. The sound raked my skin and brought up chills. “She wants to spend the day at the lake, and we thought maybe you and Milo might want to join us.”
“We gots all the food, Rynna, but we ain’t gots no Pepper Pies. Is that okay?”
Oh my heart. That little girl was undoing me. Just as quickly as her dad. Affection thrummed, fluttery and thick and somehow light.
“That’s just fine, Sweet Pea,” I told her.
“Hey there, Rex,” Nikki sang, grinning as she rocked back in her chair. Leave it to Nikki to put him in the hot seat. “Tell Ollie hi for me.”
An exasperated, “Nikki,” was the only response she got.
His gaze shifted to Lillith for the flash of a second, his chin lifting in a subdued hello, discomfort ridging the lines of his expression.
But still, there was something significant about him sitting there, all rough and burly in his huge truck.
Something sweet in his offer.
Because this?
This was an offering.
“I would love to go.” I glanced back at Lillith and Nikki. “You don’t mind me cutting this a little short, do you?”
Nikki waved me off. “Get out of here. The lake sounds way more fun. Besides, Lily Pad over there is getting antsy to get back to Brody. It’s totally fine. You know, just leave me here all by myself. I don’t mind. Not at all.”
Lillith laughed. “So dramatic.”
Nikki’s eyes widened. “And how else would I get any attention around here? Seems everyone has all their attention trained somewhere else.” Her widened eyes slid back to me, all a meaningful tease.
I dropped the peck of a kiss to her cheek. “Thank you. Next time we get together, I’ll make you dinner. How’s that sound? I need all the practice I can get if I’m going to make the restaurant a success.”
Her eyes rolled back in her head. “Girl, don’t tease me. Tomorrow? I’ll be at your house at seven.”
I chuckled. “It’s a date.” I shifted my gaze to Lillith. “Are you in?”
