Page 54 of Playing With Temptation

“Yeah, we know.”

I didn’t know how much time Jase needed to pick up Colson before he met us at the Daily Scoop. So I decided to take the long way, playing double duty to waste time and give me and Lucas time to compose ourselves.

“Maybe I should write Mama Trish and Pop Dave a letter.”

Yeah, I was going to start bawling at the mention of Zoe’s parents.

“They would love that,” I croaked. “But they always love hearing from their p’tit loup.”

I butchered the pronunciation, but Lucas didn’t care.

“Your French is horrible!”

So he didn’t care but he still liked to give me stick about it.

“It’s not French,” I noted.

Then at the same time we both said, “It’s Louisiana French.”

Zoe’s parents were born and bred Creole. They both speak Creole and switch between Cajun, Creole, and English mid-sentence. It’s a trip listening to them argue. However, Zoe only spoke Louisiana French and very little of it, seeing as right before she was born David and Trisha moved to Michigan.

Lucas’s laughter was music to my soul and exactly what I needed to pull my shit together as I pulled into the parking lot of the ice cream shop.

“We’re here,” I told Lucas. “But before we go in, is there anything about today’s assembly you want to talk to me about?”

“No. Everyone was really sad. The second graders in her class were crying and most of the third graders who had her. They stayed after it was over with the guidance counselors and the principal said that if anyone wanted to talk, they could go to the office to call their parents. I’m just sad for her mom and dad.”

I glanced in the rearview mirror. He looked a little sad but mostly reflective.

“Okay. But later, if you change your mind, you know you can talk to me about it, right?”

“Of course I do.”

Of course he did.

I don’t know how I did it, but somehow in the midst of fumbling my way through parenthood I’d managed to raise a really great kid. I figured it had a lot to do with Zoe’s hand in helping shape him and my mom’s guidance.

I was grateful to both.

And I really missed Zoe.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

With great timing, Jase pulled in while I was maneuvering into a spot.

Actually, his timing wasn’t great—now that we were there, and he was there, and our children were all there, the realization of what was about to happen hit.

And when it did, my hands started shaking.

Jase officially meeting Lucas—no problem.

Me meeting his kids—colossal problem.

His kids with the beautiful Shay Bowman.

Oh my God what was I thinking?

Lucas was unbuckling. I had to think of something quick.