“What look?” I frown.
“The kind of look that gets us girls in trouble. So are you going out with him or what?”
I think about it and feel a smile spread across my face. “I am tonight.”
“You bitch! You move fast, don’t ya?”
I get off my seat and start to tickle her sides. “Shelby Brooks, if you don’t stop, so help me—” But the fit of laughter interrupts her.
“So, should I call the big man?”
“If you must.” She waves me off. I text Rez and tell the boys they’re going to hang out at Marcy’s for the evening. They use the downstairs bathroom to clean up while Desi and I make our way upstairs. I mean, a bathing suit is pretty standard, but what do I wear on top of that? After much debate, we settle on cut-off whitewash denim shorts and a checked shirt I tie at the waist.
“God, you’re lucky. You pushed out a kid and still look like that.” My friend whistles.
“Well, I do have my love lines.” I trace a finger over the silver scars that line my belly and sides. I can’t help but feel a tinge of sadness when I do. Love lines are what Drew called them. He’d kiss or trace his fingers over them the way I’m doing right now. It is hard not to think about him.
“Oh, those just make you look sexier.” She grins, making me return it, bringing me back to the present. Desi is a beauty queen, but she never misses a chance to compliment her friends, but not in thatby the waykind of way; she looks at a person and truly sees them.
I throw my arms around her. “I love you. Thank you for being an asshole back at the bar that night. I’d never have admitted I had a thing for Ember.”
“So you do have a thing for him?”
My mouth forms anOwhen I realize I walked into that one.
* * *
Marcy and Emberpull up at the same time, a few minutes after Rez picked up a very tipsy Desi. Ember’s pick-up truck is an old beat-up Ford with character and power under the hood, much like the owner. My cheeks heat at the thought, and when he steps out of the vehicle in a pair of blue jeans, a white vest that hugs his muscular chest, a tanned tattooed arm on display, I all about swoon. With his messy hair and his aviator shades, the man looks like he just stepped off a cover of a magazine. Maybe thisdatewas a bad idea. My insides are already turning to mush. Can I trust myself with sex on legs?
“Come on, Mom.” Brody tugs at my hand, and I snap back to the present. I move along to Marcy’s sedan. She leans against it, observing me.
“Hey, little dude.” Ember waves at Brody, who immediately lets go of my hand and runs over to him, wrapping an arm around his waist. That seems to take Ember by surprise, but he wraps an arm around my son.
“I didn’t know you were gonna be here,” Brody says enthusiastically.
“Yeah, I figured I take your mom on more adventures.” He chuckles.
“I don’t envy you, man.” Brody’s nose scrunches. “My mommy can be tough to please.”
“I can hear you,” I tell him.
Lucas hugs his uncle, the two boys rattling on about their day and all their plans for the evening.
Marcy comes up beside me, a smirk on her face. “I knew you two would kiss and make up.”
“What?” My eyes widen, and for a second, I wonder if he told her.
“Ah, so you literally kissed and made up.” She laughs. I shove her in the side with my elbow.
“It’s not like that. Ember and I are friends.” The moment I say it, Ember glances my way, slips down his shades, and offers me a smile that has shivers run down my spine.
“My brother doesn’t do friends,” Marcy says with a smirk, opening the door for the boys and letting them in. “Look, I’m calling this a sleepover with the boys just in case.”
“On my God, Marcy.” I feel like the ground should open up and swallow me whole.
Ember walks over to me and wraps an arm around my waist, tugging me to him.
“Ember,” I hiss, faking a smile for the boys who don’t seem to notice. Marcy does and waves us goodbye.
