Standing there for a moment, I take a deep breath, inhaling the worn leather smell of him, letting it wrap around me.
“Are you ready?” He asks softly, pushing a strand of loose hair behind my ear.
“Ready.”
I take a step forward just as he pulls back on my hand. “Wait. I have to grab something.”
Dropping my hand, he walks over to the driver’s side and opens the rear door. When he pulls out a long plastic bag from the back, my brows furrow. “What’s that?”
“It’s a surprise.” Jacob reaches out his hand to me, his eyes gleaming with mischief. Interlocking his fingers with mine again, he lifts my hand up to his mouth and presses his lips against the back, never taking his gaze from mine.
Butterflies gently flap their wings and shoot tiny shivers through the rest of my body.
“Have I told you how stunning you look tonight?”
“Maybe. But feel free to tell me as many times as you’d like.” Pulling open the door, we walk inside Morretti’s and head to the backroom that’s used for special events. Looking around I see Duncan and his wife, Ava, are already here in the back with Duncan’s brother, David, Scarlett’s dad, and his wife, Cat.
Steven and Scarlett are in between off to the side in an animated conversation when Steven notices me. Leaning over to Scarlett, he whispers something before heading over to Jacob and me.
Scarlett turns and waves before moving to join her dad and stepmom.
“Hey, Mom.” Steven steps up, kissing my cheek, before reaching out his hand to clasp Jacob’s. “Coach.”
“I’ll be right back,” Jacob excuses himself and walks over to Duncan, lifting the bag in his hand. Duncan leads him over to the table for auction items, and it’s then that I see what Jacob brought with him.
“He didn’t!” Steven’s eyes are wide and his mouth is agape as he watches Jacob pull out a signed hockey stick. “How much do you think that will go for?”
“Anywhere from four to twenty-five thousand.” Shock makes my voice husky, and I watch as Duncan says something to him, pulling a full-body laugh from Jacob. A silly grin tugs the corners of my mouth.
“I hate it when she’s right!”
“When who’s right?” I ask, just as Jacob turns toward me, but before he makes his way back, John rests his hand on Jacob’s shoulder and tips his head, then throws his thumb over his shoulder.
My eyebrows pull together, and I pull my bottom lip between my teeth, watching them.
“Scarlett,” my son responds.
“What was she right about?” I ask without looking away from the two men that I care dearly about. When John catches my eye and winks at me, the breath I was holding releases.
“This matchmaking thing.”
“Matchmaking, what?” My head veers toward Steven, eyes narrowed.
“Scarlett says she’s a matchmaker, and I’m constantly telling her she’s crazy, but she’s not. She really does know people.”
Pressing my lips together to keep a laugh in. Steven’s expression is confused, frustrated, and full of awe. I wonder if my son knows how he feels about his ‘best friend’.
“She told me the day Jacob got here that there was something between the two of you. I laughed at her, but she was right.”
“Hmmm…”
“Wyatt and Miles are here!” Steven points at the entrance. Just before he heads over to them, I grab his arm.
“Steven?” He turns back to me with his brows furrowed, and I swallow against the lump that just lodged itself in my throat. “How do you feel about Jacob and me?”
A bright smile spreads across his face. “I like him, Mom. And Dad would too,” he says softly before kissing my cheek and heading over to his brothers, who have both made a beeline for Jacob.
“I hope this goes better than it did the other night,” I grumble, watching John and my three sons surround him. Jacob looks over at me, his eyes wide, and gives me a shaky smile. And unless I’m mistaken, there may just be a tiny bit of fear reflected in them. I lift my hand and wave my fingers at him, a grin on my face. “Or he might just have to get used to this for a while.”
