Page 62 of Lee

She couldn’t focus on that right now. They’d invited her to this, so she was just going to enjoy the time. And if they ended up deciding they didn’t want her around in the future, she would accept that.

She’d deal with rejection before, and she could accept it again if necessary.

But for the time being, she was going to relish these moments and not think about possibly losing the opportunity for more of them.

“Listen, I think Rori is old enough to answer for herself.” Jackson turned his attention to her. “So, what do you say? Want to go on a date?”

Anxiety filled Rori, leaving her uncertain of what to do. She didn’t know this man. If she turned him down, would he make her life miserable? Would every time they were present at the same events be awkward?

She glanced at the others gathered around her. Janessa and Will had exasperated expressions, while Wade, when their gazes met, gave a subtle shake of his head. Lee was staring at Jackson with narrowed eyes and his lips pressed into a tight line.

When her gaze went back to Wade, he said, “You can tell him no, and everything will be fine. He’s learned to take rejection well over the years.”

“I’m very flattered by your invitation, Jackson, but I just…” She fumbled for a reason to not accept without having to tell him that her interests currently lay in another direction. Also, she didn’t want to give him hope that maybe if they got to know each other that he’d have a chance. But on top of that, she didn’t want to give Lee the impression that she was saying no to all dating. “I’m just not interested. I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine,” Jackson said with a wave of his hand. He didn’t seem heartbroken, so that was a plus. “At least I didn’t have to cough up the money for a date, only to be told there would be no second one. That’s happened far too often.”

Rori wondered what was wrong with the guy that he hadn’t been able to find a woman who wanted to date him.

“Dial back the desperation,” Wade said. “If it’s meant to happen, it will happen without you madly chasing after every woman, hoping she’ll be the one.”

Jackson glared at him for a moment, then turned his attention back to the food on his plate. Rori felt a little sorry for the guy. She knew what it was like to crave love and acceptance, only to be rejected.

But that didn’t mean she was going to go on a date with him. Pity wouldn’t be a good foundation for a relationship, she didn’t think. But then, what did she know?

The meal continued, with the conversation moving in a different direction. Lee seemed to have let go of his annoyance with Jackson because they went on to talk about something that had happened with mutual friends.

“Hey, Lee,” Charli said as they stood in the kitchen after cleaning up the remnants of the meal and getting the coffee and dessert ready. “Why don’t you get the guitars? We could have a time of singing after dessert.”

“Sure. I’ll go grab them,” he said, then left the kitchen.

When Rori followed Charli back out to the yard, she discovered that the guys had been busy. Chairs had been moved to form a circle around a stone fire pit, which now had fire crackling in it.

Was this what friends and families did all the time?

There was laughter and conversation as they settled around the fire with cups of coffee and cookies. The kids had asked for s’mores, so Blake was helping them put marshmallows onto sticks while Misha and Charli set out graham crackers and chocolate bars.

“Did you want a s’more?” Lee asked as he settled into the seat beside her, setting the guitars down on the grass next to his chair.

“I’ve never had one.”

Lee’s brows rose, and an expression crossed his face that she didn’t recognize. “Everyone should have at least one s’more in their lifetime. Want one?”

She glanced at the kids, then back at him. “Not if it’s too much trouble.”

“It’s not.” He grinned. “I enjoy roasting marshmallows. I’m a pro at it.”

Lee got to his feet and went to Blake to get a stick and a couple of marshmallows. Rori watched as he dropped to a knee next to Peyton and held out his stick with the marshmallows on it. Lee was careful to keep it above the flames, and he helped adjust Peyton’s stick as well.

Soon, he got to his feet and carefully carried the stick over to where Charli and Misha sat with TV trays in front of them. They helped him assemble the s’mores, and then he carried back a plate with two of them on it.

“I decided I wanted one too,” he said as he sat down in his chair. “It’s been awhile.”

When he held the plate out to her, Rori took one, immediately getting marshmallow stuck on her finger. She couldn’t help but laugh as she made a bit of a mess while eating her s’more. The kids solved that problem by licking it off their fingers, so she followed suit.

Lee grinned at her. “Tasty but messy.”

He offered to make her another one when they finished the ones he’d already made, but Rori declined. It had definitely been delicious, but she didn’t want to get any messier.

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