Page 11 of One Steamy Pucking Meet Cute

“Old habits,” I say dismissively. “But I’m pretty sure your tongue found its way into my mouth right after that. And you really were drooling a little bit when I pulled away.”

She sits up straighter. “That’s bullsh… she pauses. “That is crap. Crud.”

I laugh. “You can’t protect that kid from swear words, you know. His uncle is an NHL player. He’s going to be surrounded by more cursing than he’ll know what to do with. Might as well embrace it.”

Caroline looks like she wants to say something but gets stiffer and keeps quiet.

I almost ask about Walker’s real dad. I can joke around all I want, but the truth is there’s something that twists inside me every time I see Caroline and Walker. It’s a sense of betrayal and hurt I know I don’t have any right to feel.

If nothing else, I wish I could kick his real dad’s ass. Caroline shouldn’t be stuck doing this all on her own, just like everything else in her life. It pisses me off. It hurts. Because I know Caroline never asks anyone for help. I admire that about her just as much as it frustrates me.

Hell, if I believed there was a remote chance she would’ve let me, I might have even offered to step in. Babies and kids aren’t my thing, but I could’ve at least helped her hire some help or babysat to give her some time off.

“Have you thought about what kind of ring you want yet?” I ask.

“Nothing crazy,” she says quickly. “Just enough to sell the lie.”

“Well, if you really were engaged to me, your ring would be something crazy. So…”

She eyes me. “I don’t want you wasting your money on a lavish ring, Jake. And make sure you can return it when this is done.”

“Right,” I say, even though I’ve got no intention of returning the ring. She can keep it for all I care. The idea of getting her some cheap thing doesn’t sit right with me, so that’s not how this is going to go.

Caroline leans over Walker’s carrier and shushes him. He makes some gurgling noises, and I see chubby hands holding her finger as she smiles.

Something in my chest feels confusingly warm at the sight of them. She’s good with him, which is mildly surprising to me for some reason. I guess Caroline always seemed like such a badass that I wasn’t sure she could soften enough to be that kind of mother. I sort of pictured Sarah Conner from The Terminator giving her kids assault rifles and grenade launchers, then teaching them how to prepare for the coming robot apocalypse. Seeing her baby talk and giggle with Walker is definitely not what I had imagined.

“Think he’ll handle the takeoff okay?” I ask.

“He’s tough.”

“That’s not a shock. Look at his mom.”

Caroline’s smile looks genuine and then suddenly sad again.

She goes back to focusing on Walker, and I’m left with my thoughts racing. There’s obviously something bothering her. I guess it shouldn’t be a surprise, though. That asshole just told her yesterday that she needs to get married in six months, or she’ll lose the bed and breakfast her mom left her. That would ruin anybody’s day.

I put it all out of my mind and pulled out my phone. I start a text to Vanessa.

Me: Good news. I got the solution to our little problem.

Vanessa: Already? What did you do?

I smile as I type because I’m imagining the look on her face when she reads this.

Me: Got hitched. On the way to Manhattan right now to pick up a ring for my girl. Want to come to the wedding?

Vanessa starts and stops typing about ten times before her reply finally comes through.

Vanessa: Not funny.

Me: Good. Because it wasn’t a joke. You better come to my wedding, or I’ll be offended.

“Something funny?” Caroline asks.

“Oh, no.” I tuck my phone into my pocket. “I was just telling my agent about our arrangement.” I shrug. “She told me I needed to figure something out to make the team feel more secure about me the other night. Needless to say, she wasn’t quite expecting this.”

Caroline laughs. “Yeah. I bet she wasn’t.”

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