At Peace (The 'Burg #2)(38)

I didn’t know whether to feel bad, considering that my situation was messing with their heads, or to feel good that I lucked out and moved across the street from such good people.

I decided to feel good.

“Thanks Feb, that’s sweet.”

“Don’t tell me it’s sweet, honey, tell me you’ll call.”

I nodded and pulled her son close to my chest, wrapping my arms around him to give him a squeeze. Then I dropped my head and kissed the top of his dark-haired, soft, fuzzy baby one.

“I’ll call,” I mumbled against Jack’s baby head.

“Good,” Feb said softly and I took in a breath, nuzzled Jack’s baby head and he squirmed, not thrilled about his captivity so I let him go and took his hands, allowing him to bounce in my lap again when Feb muttered, “Matchmaker.”

I looked up to see Keira, Heather and Joe under the sideless tent. Keira had my plate of cupcakes in her hand and she was shoving them at Joe.

Shit.

“She’s social,” I told Feb and watched as Keira pointed at me, pointed at the cupcakes and then rolled her eyes and let her head fall back in a “Mom’s cupcakes are to die for” gesture.

Shitshitshit!

My cupcakes were good even I had to admit that. Another recipe I’d fiddled with, yellow cake with crushed up bars of gourmet dark chocolate baked in them and vanilla bean frosting that was simply orgasmic. So much so it was a wonder any made it to the cupcakes since I ate most of it while icing.

But it wasn’t that Keira wanted to share the bounty of my cupcakes. It also wasn’t that my daughter had a crush on Joe.

It was that she wanted him for me.

Shit!

This annoyed me and surprised me. Tim had been gone awhile it was true, but not that long.

Then again, life had changed, I had changed and I didn’t hide my pain when Tim died. The girls were also in pain and I didn’t want them to think they had to hide it either. I didn’t want them to bury that only to have it eat at them later and, weirdly, I wanted us to give that to Tim. I wanted my girls and anyone to know I was inside out with losing Tim. I wanted people to see it because they’d know who Tim was and what he meant to me and that he was the kind of man whose death would cause that kind of pain. Because he was.

But my daughter loved her mother; Keira would want to take away that pain.

Shit!

“Keira’s a nut,” I told Feb and I looked from my daughter and Joe, who had taken a cupcake and was in the process of taking a huge bite, to Feb.

“And Cal’s a good guy,” she said back, I felt my body jolt at the look on her face and I knew that she knew about Joe and me. How she knew, I didn’t know. But she knew.

“I –”

“We’ll have drinks, you and me, one day soon. I’ll explain and maybe, when I do, you’ll give him a break and a second chance.”

A break? A second chance? What was she talking about?

First of all, he didn’t deserve a break. Secondly, he didn’t want a second chance.

“Feb –” I started.

“Feb!” Colt yelled. “Baby, we got any more Bud?”

“I feel like I’m at work,” she muttered then shouted across the yard, “Yeah, it’s in the fridge in the garage.”

Colt looked at his woman, Feb looked at her man. I knew where this was going. Even though he mowed the lawn, erected a tent and stood at the grill for the last two hours and she’d probably been planning this for weeks and preparing for days, doing the grocery shopping, cooking and running around, they were locked in a standoff as to who was going to replenish the drink coolers. She was sitting in the grass, taking a break. He was manning the grill which he considered work even though it was mostly just standing there. Therefore, Feb was going to lose.

“Shit,” she muttered, losing, and looked at me, getting up. “Can you take care of Jack? I gotta go get more beer.”

I smiled at her. “Absolutely.”

“Momalicious!” Keira called as Feb walked away. “Joe loves your cupcakes!”

Everyone turned to Keira, Heather and Joe but I only saw Joe’s eyes on me. I doubted he told Keira that he “loved” my cupcakes (though, he’d be a freak of nature if he didn’t at least like them, they were delicious) and I further doubted he was thrilled that Keira announced it to everyone.

But, whatever.

I avoided Joe’s eyes and shouted back, “I can die happy.”

Then I looked down at Jack, cooed at him softly while smiling. He smiled back and did a baby giggle and I snatched him in my hands, shoving him into the air while he emitted another baby giggle then bringing his belly down to my face to give him a nuzzle so I could get another giggle.

Baby Jack didn’t disappoint.

* * * * *

“Nice cupcakes, buddy,” I heard from behind me half an hour later and I saw, in front of me, Feb, who I was talking to, lift her gaze to some high point over my shoulder.

Joe obviously was there.

It sucked that he could sneak up on me.

“Crap, Scout got hold of my shoe,” Feb muttered. “Be back.”

I watched as Feb rushed across the yard to the puppy who looked really pissed at one of her flip-flops. The dog was jerking his head back and forth, flip-flop between his teeth then putting a paw to the shoe and tugging at the strap with his mouth.