Page 56 of Playing With Temptation

“Nope. I’m gonna get out of my car and stop freaking your kids out before they think Lucas’s mom is weird. I’ve got this. Besides, you’ll be there. And all I have to do is look at you and I know I’ll be okay.”

Damn.

Did I really say that last part out loud?

Where was that flu I ordered up?

“There’s my brave girl.”

I didn’t want to be the kind of woman who got a quiver when a man called her ‘girl’ but there it was—I was that kind of woman because my girl parts quivered.

I grabbed my purse and Jase helped me out of my car. He immediately dropped my hand as soon as there was a possibility the kids could see.

“Cole. Juni. This is Rainy, Lucas’s mom. But she was also my best friend when we were in high school.”

Lucas’s eyes rounded in surprise.

“Really? You knew my mom?”

“Yeah, bud. Like I said, she was my best friend.”

At Jase’s reiteration, Lucas stood a little taller.

“That’s so cool.”

Since my son hijacked the introductions, I butted in, “Juni. Colson. Good to meet you.”

“You, too, Miss Rainy,” Juni sang.

I glanced at Jase and he gave me a nod. He knew how I felt about adding ‘Miss’ in front of a name. I understood it was a respect thing, and my mom made me do it when I was a kid, but to me, there were much more profound ways to show respect than by adding a prefix.

“It’s just Rainy, honey.”

She graced me with a cute ten-year-old’s smile.

“Yeah, cool to meet you,” Colson added.

I should’ve braced.

I should’ve known.

I should’ve mentally prepared.

Unfortunately I didn’t, so hearing Colson’s voice felt like a sucker punch to the sternum.

“Has anyone told you that you look just like your dad?” I asked.

My question now had Colson standing taller.

“All the time.”

I nodded.

“Has anyone told you that you sound just like him, too?”

“Just my Grammy J.”

Grammy J.