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My stomach flutters at the thought of seeing those dark eyes again. “Yeah, that’ll be fine. I appreciate it.”
“No problem, Megan. I’ll see you and Nancy soon. Tell her I’ll be wanting some honey this time.”
“What?” A blush floods my cheeks. Did he really just say what I think he said?
I can hear Craig’s muffled laughter. “She’ll know what I mean.”
He ends the call, leaving me staring dumbfounded at my aunt.
“He says he’ll drop off my stuff,” I tell her, dazed. “And that he wants honey this time?”
Aunt Nancy snaps her fingers, rising from the chair. “Shoot, that’s right! That boy’s never going to let me live that one down.”
“What the hell are we even talking about here?” I stand, following her into the kitchen, so confused I’m not even sure I want to know what he was referring to.
She heads straight to the cupboard and pulls a new jar of pasteurized honey from the shelf, turning to show it to me. “Honey,” she says, like I should know what’s going on. “He was here last week after helping me get my groceries from the car and into the house, and I made him tea but didn’t have any honey to go in it. That’s the way he likes it, Meg. You know, for future reference.”
I throw my hands up in the air, surrendering. “Relentless!” I exclaim, exasperated.
“What did you think he wanted, Meg?” she asks, a knowing smirking on her face. “C’mon, tell me.”
The heat in my cheeks is flaming at this point, but I shake my head. “You know what? I don’t care what Craig Connelly wanted, Aunt Nancy, but I do know what I want.” I fix my gaze on her. “A drink.”
My aunt shrugs her shoulders as though pondering that. “Hmm, well, maybe Craig will want one of those, too, when he gets here.”
“Oh my God!” I scream, pressing my palms into my eye sockets. “You’re driving me nuts, you know that, right?”
“Meg, my dear,” she says soothingly, coming up beside me to wrap one arm around me. “I’m just getting started.”
Chapter Four
Craig
I know I shouldn’t be encouraging Nancy’s antics when it comes to her obvious infatuation with matching her niece and I up together. I mean, I know it’s not going to go anywhere, and I know I’m not interested in pursuing anything with anyone—Ellis, my ten-month-old son, doesn’t need women coming in and out of his life. Hell knows I’ve got enough I’m going to have to explain to him someday.
But, damn it, Nancy’s constant attempts at making Megan see her point of view is downright entertaining, even if it is something that will never happen.
I’ve got my cup of tea on the kitchen table in front of me, grayish steam billowing from it as I stir in a spoonful of honey. Megan is across from me, and Nancy sits to my right, clutching her own mug and leaning in so close that it gives the illusion she’s actually between her niece and me, her gaze bobbing from me to her and back again, watching and waiting hopefully for the moment we agree to her blatant matchmaking attempts and give in.
Fortunately, Megan seems just as uninterested in the notion as I am, so I won’t need to be explaining myself to her. I don’t date, and I haven’t since the day I laid eyes on my son for the first time. He’s my world now, and there is no woman in this world who would understand that. After losing Ella the way I did—after she kept the pregnancy from me the way she did—I don’t trust anyone to put my son first the way he deserves.
So, I have to steer clear of relationships. Of anyone who might complicate things even more than they already are. Ellis and I have settled into a pretty routine life since he was released from the hospital and I moved back to Cardon Springs and bought out Arnie Shelding’s auto repair business.
Ellis and Connelly Auto are the only two things I need right now. But Nancy sure doesn’t seem to see it that way.
“Will you be partaking in the men’s league this season, Craig?” Nancy’s hands are wrapped around her mug, watching me intently.
“What men’s league?” Megan asks before I have a chance to respond.
“There’s a local hockey team that is put together just outside Cardon Springs each year. Just a group of guys who enjoy the sport. Nothing fancy.” I turn to Nancy. “I doubt I will join in this year. I can’t be asking my mom to watch Ellis in the evenings, too, after having him all day while I’m at the shop.”
“You just bring that little boy of yours here anytime you need someone to watch him for a bit, Craig. You know I’d love to have him here. And Lord knows I need to start returning some of the favors you’ve done for me since you moved home.” She reaches out and pats my hand gently.
“I appreciate that, Nancy,” I tell her truthfully. “And you know damn well I don’t expect you to do anything in return for anything I’ve done.”
“Good,” she beams widely, her eyes glinting with a hint of mischievousness. “You can do me one more favor and show my darling Meg around town. A little tour of sorts. Tomorrow, perhaps?”
“Aunt Nancy!” Meg exclaims, her cheeks flaming a deep crimson red as she processes what her aunt just said. Her gaze snaps over to mine. “Craig, no. I’d never expect you to...I mean, I have to work at the Chronicle, anyway...I don’t even—”
