I plant another seed and hum. “And the other dog?”
“That’s Rugger.”
“They’re cute. Good with kids, too.”
“They’ve been around my family since they were pups. They love babies.” He smiles. “And ducks, and goats, and horses, apparently.”
I glance over at Loretta, who is inspecting one of the dog’s ears like she’s playing doctor, and my heart warms.
Jonah adjusts his kneepad further down the garden bed to reach fresh territory. “But the team is definitely more serious. I play Division 1, but we’re trying to level up to the Premiership League. That’s like, the level between where we are currently and profesh.”
“What do you have to do to qualify for the next level?”
“Score a lot of points. Act like we want it.”
“And do you want it?” I ask, and cover another seed.
“Honestly, I don’t really care what level I play at. But my brothers and teammates really want it, so I’m gonna do everything I can to get us there.”
That’s... a little surprising. Jonah always seemed like the kind of person who thought little outside of his own bubble, if at all.
“We just made an offer on a building we’re turning into a training facility. I’m really excited about it. And we’re gonna work with community organizers to see what we can offer to the neighborhood folks.”
“Like what?”
“Like, I don’t know. Cleaning up their yards or streets for free, or letting people use the facility for events. Something like that. We haven’t figured it out yet.”
“That’s very generous of your team.”
He shrugs, and even under that bit of a sunburn, a blush creeps to the surface. “So, um,” he starts, “what all have you planted?”
“Mostly vegetables and flowers that will bloom in late summer.”
“What are we planting now?”
“Beets.”
“I’ve never had a beet.”
A smile grows fat and lazy across my face. “You’ll have to try one when they’re harvested.”
My pulse picks up when his big blue eyes find mine, and I’m suddenly frozen. He looks so good, so fuckable on his knees, waiting for me.
“Promise?” he asks quietly, and there’s nothing sinister or bratty about what he says. In fact, it feels filled with meaning—about our history and the future.
There can’t be a future between us, though. We’re in different parts of our lives. He’s young and carefree and has his whole life to screw up. I’m a thirty-eight-year-oldmother of two with baggage so heavy and dark no one would ever touch it. I certainly don’t.
And I don’t want to lead him on. “I make no promises,” I say.
He side-eyes me, and the corner of his mouth turns up. “Alright, keep your secrets.”
A comfortable silence settles between us before I ask, “You never told me what the dress code is for this wedding. I need to buy a dress.” I don’t reveal that no matter what the dress code is, I’d have to buy a new one because none of my dresses fit anymore. My weight has fluctuated in the last year, and I’m rediscovering my body in this unfamiliar size.
“I don’t know,” he offers. “Just wear what you’d normally wear to a wedding.”
My eyes find the back of my skull. “Jonah, I’ve been to weddings in a forest wearing hiking boots. I need to prepare properly. Do you have a wedding invitation you can show me?”
“Oh, yeah.” He sets down the spade and pulls his phone from beneath his compression shorts. “We cordially invite you... blah blah blah... black tie.”
