Page 82 of Colt

A minute later, Lainey and Dean are back at the table, heads bent together as they whisper and sketch in Lainey’s notebook with colored pencils. I’m more than a little curious about what they’re working on.

The LEGO set has been placed carefully to the side. Her buying it and bringing it over was an unexpectedly thoughtful gesture. And while I know she’d like to improve our working relationship, I somehow don’t think this gift has anything to do with that. She’s having too much fun building things. Dancing. Showering my son with attention.

Aw, hell. Lainey is just being plain old kind, isn’t she? For no other reason other than she’s a good person. One who apparently has a big heart.

No ulterior motive. Although I almost wish she had one—the motive, of course, being sex with me.

My hands shake a little as I strain the gravy and make quick work of thickening it with a flour slurry and a lot of butter.

Tasting it, I hum. That’s good.

Not gonna lie, my stomach does a happy little somersault at the idea of showing off for Lainey.

“You good with gravy? Vegetables?” I ask.

“I’m good with anything. Food just might be my favorite thing.”

Funny, but I like to eat too. She gonna finally let me taste her? I got no idea how a hookup would happen tonight. I gotta get Dean to bed, and even then, he doesn’t go down right away. I can’t leave him to go to her place.

And then there’s the fact that I haven’t had another woman in my bed—at my house—since Abby.

But it’s weird and kinda wonderful to pile not two but three plates with food. I made enough to feed an army. When I turn around, a plate in each of my hands, I startle.

Lainey’s standing there, arms outstretched. “Old habits die hard.”

“I told you to sit.”

“I will after you let me help you. Many hands make light work.” She smirks. “Another fun saying about hands: Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.”

“What does idle mean?” Dean asks.

“Maybe I want yours idle, then.” I nod at the table. “Sit.”

“On it.” She plucks the plates out of my hands.

I let out a bark of laughter. “You’re bad.”

“I thought you said I was annoyingly perfect?”

“Maybe being your kind of bad is part of that.”

Lainey tilts her pretty head. “I like that idea.”

I like you.

I mean, I still hate her for taking Dad’s money for a useless reason. You can’t be enemies with benefits and not hate each other. But there’s a side to Lainey that I…really don’t mind.

Lainey sets the plates on the table, then comes back for napkins and silverware while explaining what “idle” means to Dean.

“This smells so, so good, Colton,” she says as she finally sits down at the table.

I sit too. “Thanks. Took me a while to perfect the recipe. Secret is red wine vinegar. And yeah, lots and lots of actual red wine.”

Same arrangement as before, with Dean sandwiched between us. I can tell he loves it by the way he smiles shyly at his plate.

“This is a really fun night.” His voice is quiet.

My chest twists. Do I worry Dean is lonely? All the time. But I also work my ass off to make sure he has everything he needs.