The reminder startles me, and I blurt a nervous laugh while Luc eyes me in question.
When his cousin disappears inside, he tips his chin at me. “What was that about?”
I shrug. “Just recipe talk.” I shake my head, dismissing the idea. “We can pretend that didn’t happen.”
His brows lower. “You mean you being here for Christmas? Yeah, no. We’re not pretending that didn’t happen,” a grin spreads over his face, “because I’d love for you to come for Christmas.”
Heat blooms beneath my cheeks. But a honeyed warmth also bubbles up in my chest. I want to tell him I’d love it too. That I’ll look forward to it. But I have to be careful. Even though I want to be near him, I can’t let myself get too close.
I nod. “I’d like that, but…” I watch him wait on my words. “We’ll see.”
He mirrors my nod. “We’ll see,” he echoes with acceptance.
“Good,” I say, and then cover my mouth as I yawn.
“You really do need a nap.”
I shake my head. “I’m okay.” The kids are playing hard core now. Laughing. Shouting. Tearing across the yard. “I’m good for now.”
Luc stands up and holds out a hand. “Come with me.”
I don’t move. “Where are we going?”
He closes and opens his fingers, beckoning. “Trust me. You’ll like this. C’mon.”
I do trust him. Better still, he’s giving me a reason to touch him, and I’ve been jonesing for that since he grabbed my hand during the blessing. I place my hand in his, and his surrounding warmth is my immediate reward.
Then we’re moving across the yard toward the trampoline. Not at all what I expected.
“I don’t think I’m up for bouncing on that.”
He grips my hand tighter. “No bouncing. I promise.”
Luc mounts the steps, but sits on the top one and toes off his shoes. He nods at me, still holding my hand, though I haven’t left terra firma. “Now you.”
Eyeing him with suspicion, I sink down on the middle step and pull off my boots. When he slips in through the slitted opening, I follow, still skeptical. Crawling on all fours, Luc makes his way to the middle, and I have to say, I may regret climbing up here with him, but I don’t regret the view.
When he reaches the center of the mat, he sits, leaning back on his hands, his legs stretched out in front of him. This is another view I don’t regret. But I’m confused.
“What are we doing up here?”
He wears the slightest smile, but he looks rather pleased with himself. “You’re gonna take a nap.”
I blink. “Excuse me?”
He pats the springy black surface beside him. “Come here and lie down.”
“Uh, no.”
His brows pull together, but his smile only grows. “Why not?”
I open my mouth. Close it. “B-because.” It’s the best answer I can come up with at the moment. And then a better one arrives. “It’ll look ridiculous.”
He glances at the soccer game. “You think they’ll care? Even if they do notice?”
I look back. No. They’re all having too much fun. When was the last time I heard Emmett giggling like that? And Mattie? My God, she’s beaming. Harry’s out of breath, shouting directions at his brother. I watch them for a while, a bittersweet sting spreading through my chest.
When I don’t answer, Luc shrugs. “I’ll go first.” And then he flops onto his back, the movement shaking the trampoline’s surface and jostling me just a little.
