Hometown Love (Love on the North Shore #2)(32)
“Bye.”
Back outside, Jessie got in her car, feeling a thousand pounds lighter. The weight that she’d carried since seeing Sharon and Jeremy no longer existed, and best of all, she didn’t have to tell Sharon her secret.
***
Through his upstairs bedroom window, Mack heard a car stop in his driveway. Pulling his t-shirt on, he opened his bedroom door as Grace’s voice floated up the stairs.
“Daddy, someone’s here.”
“It’s probably Jessie.” Mack reached the bottom of the stairs, anticipation like he hadn’t experienced in a long time running through him. “I’ll get the door. Why don’t you find the take-out menus in the kitchen?”
Grace nodded, causing her wet hair to fall forward before she skipped off to the kitchen, her dollhouse forgotten.
They’d spent the day in the yard cleaning an area for Grace’s new swing set. Or perhaps he’d cleared an area while Grace played. Either way, they’d both needed showers when they’d come inside.
Opening the front door, he saw Jessie still seated in her car, her eyes locked on the garage door. Then her gaze swung toward him. For half a heartbeat she watched him and then her lips formed a tentative smile, and the memory of their kiss washed over him. When he’d come home the night before, kissing Jessie hadn’t been on his mind. Sure, he’d thought of her often during the week and had looked forward to seeing her, but kissing hadn’t occurred to him. Once he’d put Grace to bed and seen Jessie seated in the dancing firelight, the idea took root and there had been no stopping it.
After she’d left, he’d lain in bed thinking about her and the kiss. He’d even woken up thinking about it. Now, as he stood there looking at her, all he wanted was to kiss her again and see if it would affect him the same way it had the night before. Like he was a thirteen-year-old experiencing his first kiss again, only better.
Breaking eye contact, Jessie pushed open her car door and stood. He’d told her to come over right after work so he’d expected her to be in either jeans and a Quinn’s hardware golf shirt or perhaps one of those loose flowing dresses she sometimes wore. Today, though, she wore neither, and he had to keep his mouth from dropping open.
Unable to help himself he let his eyes rake across her body, starting at her face and working his way down. She’d left her hair down and it skimmed across her shoulders. Her dark red short-sleeve top clung to her body, its V-neck drawing his eyes to her cleavage where they remained for several seconds before traveling lower. While she wore jeans, they were nothing like the loose-fitting ones she wore in the store. Instead, these molded to her trim thighs. She even wore footwear he never would’ve guess she owned. Unlike the comfortable sneakers or sandals she wore most of the time, tonight she wore black boots that ended just below the knee.
“I hope this time is okay.” Jessie stopped on the top step. “If not, I can come back later.”
Mack forced his eyes to met hers and hoped surprise didn’t reflect on his face. “It’s perfect. I just finished my shower.”
Jessie held out the box in her hand. “I know you said not to bring anything, but I stopped at Peggy’s for some cupcakes.”
“Thanks. Come on in.” He accepted the box, his fingers brushing hers, and a jolt of awareness shot through him. And just from that simple touch he knew that when—not if because there was no doubt in his mind that he’d kiss her again—it would be just as incredible as last night.
The door closed behind Jessie, but neither of them moved. Not wanting Grace to walk in and see them kissing, he raised a hand and trailed a finger down Jessie’s cheek. “I’m glad you’re here.”
Jessie swallowed and gave him a small smile, this one not as tentative as before. “Me, too.”
He didn’t miss the hint of unease he heard. “Come on. Grace is in the kitchen digging out the menus. She wants Chinese again, but I’m more in the mood for pizza.” He took her by the hand. “There is also that Indian restaurant in Salem that delivers now.”
Without any hesitation, Jessie entwined her fingers with his, and it dawned on him that Jessie had come back into his life for a reason. Okay, maybe he couldn’t count tutoring her in high school and playing soccer with his sister as in his life before, but that day she’d helped with Grace had crossed their paths and he wanted to see where things went.
In the end, they ordered pizza since they’d all eaten Chinese earlier in the week. Considering she hadn’t gotten her way, Grace didn’t complain at all even though Chinese was one of her favorites.
“You have to see the fairy village I made.” Grace removed a mushroom that had accidentally gotten on her pizza before lifting it from her plate. “I used the houses we painted, but it needs more. Come on. I’ll show you.” Grace began to slip from her chair, but Mack stopped her with a hand on her arm.
“After dinner.”
“I’ll be quick.”
Part of him wanted to say okay, but he knew from past experiences that if Grace went out now, she’d never finish dinner. “Eat first. Then you can show Jessie anything you want.”
Grace scowled, a look that made him laugh. Rather than make her look angry, the expression only made her look cuter.
“I’m hungry anyway, Grace. I want to finish my pizza.” From across the table, Jessie threw him a glance as she spoke. “As soon as we’re both done, we’ll go outside.”