What do you mean you don’t think so?
We talked about a lot of stuff, but I don’t think I mentioned that you and I were still talking.
Whatever you do, play ignorant. I don’t want to risk it if Landon’s using her.
I never thought of that.
That’s probably what the snake is counting on.
I’m so sorry. I really don’t think I told her anything.
It’s all good. Just keep me up-to-date if she contacts you again.
Ok.
Thanks for letting me know. How are the kids?
By the time they finished chatting back and forth, Sara had a nice stack of pancakes ready to put in the oven to keep warm. She wished she could shake the feeling that Landon was up to something with her mother, even if the woman didn’t know she was being used. That would be like Landon. He could be charming when he wanted and put on a face of kindness and consideration. Every time he’d apologized for hurting her, he’d been so sincere. She’d wanted to believe him, wanted to trust that he’d changed. How could someone who looked and spoke like that not mean it? And maybe he had at that moment. Until he got angry again. And he always got angry again.
A squeal came from the living room along with a cry of “Ezreal!”
Sara peeked her head around the doorjamb and found all four children wrestling with him on the couch. His hair was matted on one side from sleep, and the blond scruff of a beard made her wonder what he looked like with a full one. It had a bit of red in it.
Ezreal looked up and met her gaze. She smiled to herself, wondering what it would be like to kiss him with facial hair. She wished she’d done it while he was still asleep.
“Breakfast is ready.” Sara pinned her children with a hard stare. “Everyone wash your hands.” She said to Ezreal, “You’d be wise to use my bathroom.”
By the time he returned to the kitchen, she’d set the table and had syrup and jam beside the butter. He rounded up the four kids before she had to go looking for them. They were only a little wet, and she wondered what the bathroom looked like.
“Don’t worry about it,” he said, taking the seat beside hers, “I cleaned up after them.”
“Thank you.” Sara lowered her voice. “Did you talk to Lessa?”
“I did. She won’t say anything until her mother tells her the news.” He glanced at her sheepishly. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep on your couch.”
“Neither did I.”
Ezreal put his hand on her knee, and Sara found herself wondering again what it would be like to kiss his unshaven face. She reached up and touched his cheek.
“What?” he asked, pulling back.
“I was wondering if it feels like sandpaper.”
“Does it?”
“Right now it does, so I wouldn’t dare give you more than a peck.”
Ezreal leaned toward her, so she closed the distance and pressed her lips to his.
“Well?” he asked.
“Someday it might be fun to explore the facial hair thing, but at the moment I definitely prefer you freshly shaved.”
“I can fix that.”
Sara glanced up then and found four pairs of eyes staring at them. Her cheeks flushed, but she didn’t look away.
“Is Ezreal your boyfriend now?” Lessa asked.
