Page 77 of Already Callin’ You Mine

“Careful!”

I jolt forward, reaching for the offending fruit so he doesn’t choke. Jace beats me to it, grabbing the large wedge from his mouth and holding it for Otis to take a bite. Giving him a look that supports my concern, Jace mouths chewing really well, making sure Otis follows suit.

He’s not half bad at this dad thing, actually.

No, no. I did not just think that.

Doesn’t matter that there are some…flirtations and…errr…benefits, between Jace and me at the moment. The last thing he’s doing is signing up for the role of stepdad. For crying out loud, Otis’s real dad doesn’t even want to play the part. I can’t expect any other man to do it.

“Hayride?” he asks again.

“Errr, umm, sure.”

“You don’t seem enthused.”

That’s because I’m not. I’ve never understood the appeal of sitting on a hay bale, which is itchy and scratchy to begin with, to be tugged around via a tractor. I know what the town square looks like; I drive past it every day. It’s not going to look different just because we’re going super slow and trying not to sneeze.

“No, it’s fine. It’s part of the experience.”

Jace quirks an eyebrow up, staring at me like he’s trying to read my thoughts.

“How about this.” He steps in to me, wrapping an arm around me loosely, so our little family…errr, party of three, is huddled together. “We’ll take a boy trip, going on a hayride, hitting up the fishing derby that Ewan has set up, maybe hit up some more trucks along the way, and then we’ll meet you over at the haunted house. Give you some girl time.”

Girl time? I don’t even know what that is. But not having to go on the hayride sounds glorious.

“Sure.” I take the caramel apple from Otis, moving three pieces to a napkin, and hand it back to him. “That’s all you get. And share with Jace.”

“Okay, Mama.”

I give him a quick kiss, ready to send them on their way, but Jace doesn’t move. Instead, he stands there, looking at me expectantly.

“Where’s mine?” he asks, one side of his mouth upturned. I roll my eyes, ready to give in, when Otis chimes in.

“Kiss him, Mama.”

I stop, head whipping to the little voice giving me instructions. Instructions I never imagined coming from him, of all people. The last thing I need is these two ganging up on me, but at the same time, I can’t help but swoon. I can’t help but love the fact that this is my Saturday night.

“I don’t usually succumb to peer pressure,” I say, giving them both a look that I hope playfully reminds them that they can’t bully me. “But just this once.”

Pushing up on my toes, I grab onto Jace’s arm, kissing him. I hold on a beat longer than I usually would given where we are and who we’re with, enjoying the spicy taste of him. The one that lingered on my lips all weekend after our last encounter. The one that is as intoxicating as they come.

“We’ll be back soon,” Jace tells me as I pull away from them, and then he turns to go, Otis still perched on his hip, like an extension of himself.

And my heart feels like it could burst at the sight.

I spend the next half hour wandering around Newton Field, grabbing some footage for reels and chatting with a couple of colleagues who told me they’ve seen the stranger danger videos online. I beam with pride that people are talking about them and finding them helpful, wishing that Jace was here to also hear this. It won’t be the same coming from me. This is the kind of thing that needs to come straight from the horse’s mouth.

“Don’t tell me he did another runner,” my dad’s voice booms, stealing my attention as I pass the Southern Brothers tent.

He and my mom turn to me, both holding a beer in their hands, scanning around looking for their grandchild.

“Not tonight. At least as far as I know,” I answer, walking over to join them. “Jace took Otis for a hayride since I had no interest.”

Dad gestures, offering to buy me a beer, but I shake my head, wanting to stay clearheaded for the evening. He pays Brenna Rawlins Hayes, then leads us out of the tent.

“It nice to see you two getting along.”

We’re more than getting along…