Her hands landed on my shoulders. “I’ll always be here when you ask, Nathan. I’m sorry if I made you feel like I wouldn’t.” She heaved out a watery breath. “You’ve created a lovely life here, and you deserve every bit of this happiness. I admire the man you’ve become.”
“Thank you, Mom,” I said, hugging her tight to me. “You’re part of that lovely life, you know? You’re welcome anytime.”
She stepped back to look me in the eyes. “I love you, son.”
“I love you too, Mom.”
Across the deck, Brenna held up a plate, looking in our direction. “Leah! Do you want cake?”
I nodded toward her. “Go ahead. I’ve got some people to catch up with.”
Brenna laughed, tossing her head back, at something my mom said as she approached. The two of them crowded together, staring at Molly, who’d run off with her friends to eat cake. This trip couldn’t have gone better, though I wasn’t the one with doubts. Brenna thought my mom would hold a grudge becauseshe was Kathy Quinn’s daughter. But like I’d told her, she had nothing to worry about.
“So when are you going to make that woman your wife?” Leo clapped a hand on my shoulder.
Wife.I loved the sound of it.
I tried to shake off the emotions stirring in me. “We just moved in together a few months ago.”
Leo adjusted his backward baseball cap, lifting it once before repositioning it over his shaggy blond hair. Women went crazy for it, like everything else about him.
“You’re practically married already, Sharpe. Don’t you want it all official and in writing?”
I shook off his hand and rolled my eyes. “It’s already official. I don’t need a piece of paper to tie us together.”
He nudged me. “But you fuckingwantit. I know you, man. You haven’t thought about it?”
Of course,I’d thought about it, but I wasn’t about to let Leo spread that news around the entire party. He wouldn’t do it on purpose, but get a few drinks in him, conversation flowing, and he couldn’t help himself.
“Oh, it won’t be long,” Deandra said from the top step of the patio behind Leo. “If it were up to him, it would’ve happened years ago.”
Leo scanned Deandra, from the strappy sandals wrapped around her tanned calves to the short blue-patterned thin-strapped dress until he reached her face. She wore dark eyeshadow and dark red lipstick, even at this casual party. Since she’d reentered my life, I hadn’t seen her without that armor once.
“Andwhoare you?” Leo drawled.
She crossed her arms over her chest, which emphasized her cleavage and drew Leo’s attention. She snapped her fingers. “I’m up here.”
“Leo, this is Deandra,” I jumped in before she verbally ripped him to shreds. “We went to high school together. Leo’s my friend from the league.”
“His catcher,” Leo clarified. “I play for the Nashville Blitz.”
“Good for you.” Deandra turned her attention to me. “I’ve gotta head out.”
“Where are you going?” Leo asked, undeterred by her lack of interest.
She would’ve made out with him on a couch in high school, but she’d raised her standards since then.
Deandra squared herself to Leo. “If you must know, I have a date.”
“You should blow him off.” Leo gave her a roguish grin, the one that usually made women agree to whatever he wanted. “Go out with me.”
Deandra smoothed her dress. “He’s a successful, handsome lawyer, and he’s taking me to one of the best restaurants downtown. I think I’ll pass.”
Leo took a step toward her. “Bet he won’t give you what you need.”
“Yeah, what’s that?”
He tipped her chin with one hand. “Being bent over—”
