Even though Nick promised he was content with staying in the friend zone, we weren’t anywhere near it. All I had to do was say “goodnight.” He took my face in his hands, pressed his talented lips to mine, and all reason flew out the window. Maybe I didn’t have to address this at all. Maybe Nick kissed a lot of women.
No, he wasn’t like that. He was a great guy with a huge heart, in addition to very kissable lips. That’s what made this even more horrendous. I liked him. How did a woman like a guy these days? I had no frigging clue. Maybe I’d be sick next Scouts meeting and send Jack with Bianca, buy myself some time to figure out what to do about—
“Nick! So glad you could make it.” Paige rose from her seat and strode over to the back gate. Evan led Nick into the yard, and he met Paige halfway to give her a hello kiss on the cheek. I’d forgotten about that extra little complication.Shit.
“Hey, Ellie.” Evan came over to me and kissed my cheek.
“How’s it going, Papa?” I smirked at Evan, willing my eyes not to land on Nick, even though the feeling of his presence was making me squirm.
Evan laughed and motioned to Nick behind him. “I forgot you knew Nick. I hear he took my place as the coolest guy in the world with my godson.” He slapped him on the shoulder and Nick chuckled in response.
“I don’t know about that. I’m just an awesome guy who knows cool things.” Nick’s mouth tipped in a sexy smirk. “I’m nothing special.” His smile faded as he turned to me. “Hey, Ellie.” Nick’s voice softened as our eyes locked. I gave him a tense smile and nodded a hello as my sweaty hands wrung in my lap. Why was he so damn gorgeous? My eyes fell on the tattoos peeking out of his T-shirt, but I clenched them shut before turning away.Jesus H.I was a thirty-something-year-old ball of hormones in this man’s presence; no better than the mothers who slobbered over him at school. Butterflies took flight in my stomach when our eyes met again.Butterflies?I never expected to give a guy a second glance after my husband died, but the only way I could stop staring at Nick was to force myself. So much for a relaxing day with family.
I was pulled out of my panicked thoughts by Paige’s huff. “Mom is here with her boyfriend.”
My eyes grew saucer-wide as my jaw dropped. “Aunt Tess has a boyfriend?”
Paige rolled her eyes and nodded. “Ohh, yeah.”
“C’mon, Daisy. Frank is a good guy, and her phone calls to the house have been cut in half. It’s win-win.” Evan draped his arm around his wife’s shoulder and pulled her closer.
“My mother never dated. It’s . . . weird, okay?” Paige grimaced as her mother approached.
“Hi, Ellie! Good to see you, sweetie.” I stood from my seat to greet Tess. Jack loved busting her chops when he was alive. He called her General Tess since she ruled with an iron fist and never minced words. I’d always loved that about her. Plus, she was the only one who truly knew the crippling grief and solitude of being a grieving widow and single parent of a young child. Tess had been my lifeline many times, even if Jack said he didn’t want me to end up perpetually alone like she was. But, that was no longer the case as I looked to the gentleman next to her. He was casual in black pants and a blue button-down shirt, and attractive for a man in his fifties. His salt and pepper hair was still more pepper, and a sincere smile spread on his lips as he greeted me.
“This is Frank. Frank, this is my niece, Ellie.”
“Very nice to meet you!” Frank took my hand in both of his. Evan introduced Nick before Tess and Frank found seats together on the deck.
“Aunt Tess has a boyfriend. Wow.” I did my best not to gape at Tess and Frank.
Okay, universe. Point made. You can shut up now.
Paige nodded. “Yeah. Wow.”
“You got lucky for such a warm day in October. Is this everyone? How many people do you usually invite to a sprinkle?”
Paige turned back to me and laughed. “This is it, really. Uncle John and Aunt Marie are coming later.”
Something felt very wrong having both Nick and Jack’s parents in the same place. But, why? Jack was dead. I wasn’t cheating on him. Messing around with the dating app didn’t feel that way, but kissing another man, feeling his body pressed up against mine and wanting more of it all, that seemed like forbidden territory. The flutters that washed over me when I was with Nick freaked me out, and the stirrings he awakened confused the shit out of me. I had no clue what to do other than run in the opposite direction.
For the next hour, I scurried around the yard, throwing out the garbage and giving out drinks. I did all I could to make sure I was as far from Nick as possible, even though I felt his eyes on me the entire time.
“Why don’t you sit down? You’re making me jumpy with all this nervous energy.” Paige giggled as she came up behind me.
“Sorry, I can’t seem to sit still. Need anything else?”
“Well, since you volunteered, would you mind bringing out more water? I have some bottles in the storage room by the kitchen. I’ll go take the covers off the food before my husband yells at me for being upright.” She cocked her head at me, and I giggled.
“Sure, I’ll bring in a handful.”
I glanced at Jack and Lucy happily playing on the wooden floor and dashed into the house. I went into the storage room and tried to judge how many bottles I could hold before they slipped out of my grasp.
“So, are you going to ignore me all day?” Nick’s voice behind me made me jump and drop the three bottles I had already stacked in my hands.
I clutched my chest. “Give a person some warning next time.”
He shrugged and slipped his hands into his jean pockets. “If you saw me approach, you’d run. I had to be stealthy.”
