Bringing Home the Bad Boy (Second Chance #1)(98)

Evan’s palm slipped up to Charlie’s nape where he gave her a light squeeze. “Yeah, bud. It’s okay with your mom and me.”

Gosh. She blinked rapidly. She might just lose it.

Sofie placed a hand on Lyon’s shoulder and gave Charlie a knowing grin. “We’ll meet you after.”

When they left, Charlie had a serious, silent discussion with her tear ducts, instructing them not to ruin her makeup.

Evan lowered his lips to her forehead and kissed her, whispering, “Natural progression, Ace.”

“I know, I just…”

She looked at the engagement ring on her finger. Thought of Evan’s proposal. “Promise you forever, Ace.”

She’d said yes to him then. Then she’d said yes a dozen more times in their bed that night.

Natural progression.

“Bound to happen,” Evan said to her now. “He loves you. I love you.”

Her heart fluttered. She looked from her ring to his handsome face. “I love you, too.”

“I know, baby.” Another gentle squeeze to her neck. “Better go in. We’re late.”

They crossed the park and entered the library where a small crowd had gathered for the “big reveal” of Mrs. Anderson’s penance painting from one-half of the Penis Bandits.

Real art for the library’s wall.

Evan and Charlie positioned themselves near the back of the crowd, behind a short bookshelf filled with children’s books—Evan’s included and proudly displayed face-out. Mrs. Anderson tugged the sheet and the crowd gasped when it piled to the ground, revealing the painting.

Charlie gasped, too.

“Beautiful,” someone said.

“Amazing.”

“An original,” said someone else.

It was original, all right. A touched-up, refinished original she wasn’t sure was safe for public consumption.

“Evan,” she hissed.

His arm wrapped around her shoulders and tugged her close, his low, sexy male chuckle reverberating against her ribs.

She stared at the painting.

Oh boy.

The very painting she’d asked him to burn. He’d wanted to hang it in the living room, which had earned another “no” from her.

“You didn’t, baby,” she breathed.

“Penis Bandit, Ace.”

In other words, you can’t take the bad out of the boy.

And maybe that’s what she loved about him. People continued to murmur their appreciation, nodding with admiration.

Charlie turned her lips to Evan’s ear and whispered, “Crude.”

He smiled down at her. “You love it.”

She did. And she loved him. Which is why he’d known she’d forgive him.

“A huge gratitude to Mr. Evan Downey, commissioned to do this amazing and artful painting,” Mrs. Anderson announced with a flourish of her hand.

The crowd clapped and he lifted his hand in a small wave.

Then a voice cut in, “Ava, is that… a nipple?”

Mrs. Anderson turned to her prized possession, tipping her head to study it closer. Evan’s waving hand dropped and pressed into Charlie’s lower back.

He tilted his chin at the door. “Ace.”

She didn’t need to be told twice. She moved for the door.

A second later, Mrs. Anderson’s voice rang out, “Is that a butt cheek?”

Evan’s laugh cut into the air, making Charlie feel overwhelmingly happy.

She’d found what she didn’t know she was looking for—a husband, a family, a son.

Finally.

Outside, they spotted Patricia and Cliff Mosley at the cider booth. Pat had a cup of cider, but it looked like Cliff had taken a chance on the sauerkraut ice cream.

On the way over to meet them, Charlie lifted her eyes to the slowly darkening sky, knowing she was where she should be, knowing they were all where they should be.

Spotting a star, she smiled and whispered up to her friend, “I’ve got this, Rae.”





FROM THE DESK OF JESSICA LEMMON



Dear Reader, Every good bad boy should have a hangover remedy in his repertoire. Turns out Evan Downey from BRINGING HOME THE BAD BOY has two. One of them is a recipe for seared red potatoes, eggs, and cheese on top, and the other… well, the other one might be heroine Charlie Harris’s favorite.


But that’s another story for another time.


In case you don’t happen to have a go-to recipe for when you’ve had too many “Mad Cow Tinis,” I’m going to give you Evan’s. It does employ a bit of skill, so if you’re severely hungover, you may want to have a friend (a bad boy?) make it for you.





HANGOVER HASH FOR TWO


4–5 new (red) potatoes, scrubbed and rinsed ? of a green pepper, cubed ? of a sweet Vidalia onion, cubed olive oil 2 eggs

sharp cheddar cheese 2 slices multigrain bread




1. The trick, Evan would tell you, is getting the potatoes cooked just right. Place potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water. Put a lid on the pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, remove the lid and continue to cook the potatoes for 12-14 minutes or until you can stick the tip of a knife in a potato and it slips off the edge. That means they’re done. Remove from water and place on a cutting board. When they’re cool enough for you to handle, cube them.