“Please. I wouldn’t even call that a date. It was dinner under duress.”
Nick’s eyebrows shot up as his tongue grazed his bottom lip. My breaths were shaky as my eyes traced its path.
“What makes a date a date? A goodnight kiss?”
“Um, maybe,” I stammered as Nick inched closer. “I’m obviously the wrong person to ask.” I giggled until he took my face in his hands.
“Well,” he whispered against my lips, “I wouldn’t want you to disappoint her.”
Nick’s lips brushed against mine. Feather-light pecks at first, but lingering each time he made contact. His arms pulled me closer as he took my bottom lip in both of his. They were soft and full in contrast to the rough bristles of stubble around his mouth. My heart drummed in my chest as my hands drifted up his shoulders and my arms wrapped around his neck. I took in a quick breath as his tongue flicked the seam of my lips. Something inside me said ‘screw it,’ and I grabbed the back of his head to deepen the kiss. My tongue tangled with his as he moaned into my mouth. Nick pulled back and pressed kisses to my top and bottom lip and then rested his forehead against mine, chasing his breath the same way I was.
“Hopefully, that’s the best bad date you’ll ever have.” His lips found my forehead before he backed away. “Goodnight, Ella-Jane.”
My feet remained glued to my stoop as my gaze trailed Nick. I ran my hand over my swollen lips and shut my eyes. Even with all the turbulent thoughts in my head about what to do next—about how much I felt all at once after years of nothing—I had to concede.
It was the greatest bad date ever.
“WHY DO THEYcall it a ‘sprinkle’?”
I chuckled at Jack’s furrowed brow in my rearview mirror as I parked my car in front of Evan and Paige’s house.
“It’s a little baby shower, so they call it a sprinkle,” I answered as Jack hopped out of the backseat.
“So, will Uncle Evan have the hose on?”
“No.” I giggled at my son. “At showers, people give the baby presents. At sprinkles, they do the same thing, only it’s smaller.”
“Oh.” Jack nodded, either satisfied with my explanation or having lost interest.
“Hey, guys!” Paige waddled over to Jack and me and tackled us with a hug as we stepped through her back gate.
“Is that the baby, Aunt Paige?” Jack poked Paige’s round belly as he crinkled his nose.
Paige squatted down in front of Jack. “It sure is! Well, the baby and the Chicken Parmesan I can’t seem to stay away from. He likes to kick if you want to feel.” Paige laid Jack’s hand over her stomach, but he jerked it away, his mouth twisted with disgust.
“No! That’s weird.”
She laughed as she ruffled his dirty blond hair. “Lucy’s been asking for you.” Paige pointed over her shoulder. Her five-year-old daughter and twin was scribbling on the pad of paper she took everywhere as she sat on one of the lawn chairs.
Jack made a beeline for his cousin and didn’t look back.
“You look great,” I told Paige as I gave her a hug. Pregnancy agreed with her. She had the proverbial glow in addition to being everyday gorgeous. Her green eyelet dress accentuated her emerald eyes and rosy cheeks. You’d never know how sick she was only a few years ago.
“Thanks!” She rubbed her belly and beamed at me. “I feel great if a little smothered thanks to my worrywart husband.”
I put my arm around her as we strolled into the yard. “He’s worried. Understandably. And ‘he’? I thought you weren’t finding out?”
Paige shrugged. “Wishful thinking. I’d love a boy. I’d totally spoil the shit out of him. A healthy baby above all, of course, but I’d love a mini Evan I could fawn all over. Little boys are the best. But, of course, you know that.”
I fell into a seat among all the “Baby Sprinkle” decorations and nodded. “Yes, they are. I guess you always want what you don’t have. I’d love a little girl. I’d buy every frilly dress I could get my hands on.” I let out a deep sigh. My son was a blessing, but the little pang of wanting more was an annoying little fucker.
“She could still be in your future.” Paige squeezed my hand as she plopped into a chair across from me.
“If you’re trying to talk me back into that damn dating app, don’t waste your breath.” I narrowed my eyes at her. “And don’t think I forgave you for being an accomplice the other night.”
I hadn’t decided what to do about Nick and didn’t want to tell anyone about our pseudo-date. Our kiss played on a continuous loop 24/7 in my head, but I hadn’t seen him since. A knot was already growing in my stomach for Scouts this week. Ugh, why did I let it happen?
I knew exactly why. I wanted it to.
