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“Well, I hope it was worth it because you lost me as a friend.”
She hurt for these boys. They were only seventeen, learning life’s lessons. A shoe scuffed on the wood floor, bottles jangled as the refrigerator door opened, and one of them blew out a breath.
“It wasn’t, okay?” Ben said. “It sucked. I pretty much knew right away it was a mistake, but what could I do? If I didn’t follow through, she’d have made fun of me at school.”
This time, the quiet went on too long, so she moved forward and peered into the kitchen. The boys were gently moving the pastries, organizing them, and she appreciated their care.
“She smells funny.” Ben said it cautiously, as if he wasn’t sure how the comment would land.
The boys stared at each other, and in the mounting tension of their silence, Grace wondered if she should intervene. Break it up.
“I know.” Jeremy asked, sounding genuinely confused. “What was that?”
Relief cracked Ben’s features, and for the first time since she’d met him, he relaxed. “I don’t know. But Laney says her whole house smells like it.”
“All right.” Jeremy finished loading the last basket. “I think that’s it. Should we see if Grace needs help with the baskets?”
“No. She asked us to wait here. If she needed our help, she’d have told us to come with her.”
“True,” Jeremy said.
Both boys stared at the screens of their phones.
And then, Ben said, “It won’t happen again.”
Never looking up, Jeremy said, “Yeah. I know.”
She was just so relieved for them. Moving into the kitchen, she set her load on the table. “Looks like you’re all set. I appreciate you guys so much—you jumped right in, and you’re doing a terrific job. Let’s fill the baskets, and then you can go ahead and load the van.”
By the time she’d sent the boys off to the festival grounds and returned to clean up the kitchen, she found Jaime leaning against the counter eating a croissant fresh out of the oven. He wore worn jeans that barely contained his muscular thighs and a gray T-shirt that did nothing to hide his ripped obliques, chiseled abs, and broad shoulders. “My God, you’re hot.”
Still chewing, he lifted his shirt to give her a peek.
Heading straight for him, she took the invitation and licked a path from his belly button to his nipple. Hands on his chest, she got on the tips of her toes and kissed his mouth. “Since when do you eat my pastries?”
“Since I’ve got a woman that wears me out every night.” He released a long-suffering sigh. “I’m starving.”
“Poor baby.” Smiling, she threw her arms around his neck. He smelled so good—like soap and warm man. “I could ease up on you, if that would help.”
“The hell it will.” He tossed the croissant onto the counter and wrapped her up in a tight embrace. “The boys are out early.”
“Today’s the Blue Fire concert, so we’re going to be slammed. I made double batches of everything.”
“Cool. You’re going to make a killing.” He seemed unusually relaxed.
“Fingers crossed.”
“Hey, so, I got a hold of my friend at the Wild Wolff Village. Rhys?”
“Oh.” She took a step back. She had a lot riding on this. Until she figured some things out, she wouldn’t tell her family about her decision.I might not get to stay.
He nodded. “He’s out for the next month to be with his family, but he said he’d talk to the leasing office manager.”
“I’m as scared as I am excited.”
“What’s got you scared? Break it down for me.”
“What if they give me a space?” She pressed her hands together. “And I can’t afford the lease?”
