Page 68 of One Night with Number Nineteen

“Because it’s only a matter of time,” I whisper.

Before it goes wrong again.

Before it goes wrong with Lainey.

I should leave it alone, leave her and Ollie alone.

But fuck me if I can do anything except turn the steering wheel toward her house.

She opens the front door as I’m walking up, mouth curving. “Hey, stranger.”

“Hey, yourself.”

“Are you okay?” She steps closer, touches my jaw. “Is it your neck again?”

My neck hasn’t hurt since she worked on the knots a few days ago. “Nah, Pages. I’m just a little tired.”

“And you have to get on a plane tomorrow,” she says. “I’m sorry. I should have told you to go home instead of coming here.”

I touch her cheek with my free hand. “I wanted to come here.”

“But—”

“Let me in, Pages.”

Soulful brown eyes on mine.

Then she steps back and lets me in.

“Saw-yur!” Ollie says, running down the hall, his dinner clothes swapped for pajamas, his hair a little damp from his bath.

He skids to a halt in front of me then throws his arms around my waist.

Fuck, if that doesn’t kill in the best possible way.

“Hey, bud. Love the jammies.”

“Thanks,” he says. “Santa got them for me.”

I smile at Lainey. “Santa did good.”

She smiles back.

“Are those for me?” Ollie asks, pointing at the bags in my hand.

“One of them.” I hold the gifts up. “The other’s for your mom.”

“We have presents for you under the tree.”

My heart stutters in my chest. “You do?”

Lainey steps close, something in her eyes that has my heart stuttering a second time. “Why don’t you grab them, sweetie, and we’ll meet you at the couch.”

“You didn’t have to get me anything,” I begin.

She just touches my jaw. “Yeah, we did.” Then adds before I can, “Let’s go sit down.”

What can I do but follow her?