Page 106 of The Moment We Know

David pointed a finger at Paige. “That leak’s on you.”

Recovering quickly, she gave him an eye roll. “How was I supposed to know you hadn’t already told her that? I mean, you told her everything else.”

When the kitchen was clean, and they’d all had a piece of pie for dessert, Paige decided it was a good time to leave. She was actually getting a little tired—it had been an extremely emotional day and she wanted to get home and process it. Plus, she knew Jules would be calling for a full recap.

After exchanging contact information with Valerie, Paige gave her a hug. “Let’s get together again, soon.”

“I’d love that,” Valerie said.

Turning to face Jacob, Paige felt her heart swell at his earnest little face; she was a total goner. “It was nice to meet you, Jacob,” she told him with a smile.

“It was nice to meet you, Paige.” Paiche.

“I’m going to walk Paige to her car and say goodbye,” David said to Jacob, picking up the bags with her leftovers in them. “When I’m done, I’ll get your bath ready, all right?”

Jacob nodded and took a few steps toward the living room, only to stop and dash back to the fridge. After perusing the pictures displayed on it, he removed one and brought it over to Paige.

“Here,” he said, a little shyly.

Taking the picture, she looked at the drawing of Scooby-Doo and Shaggy. “This is … for me?”

He nodded.

She cleared her throat. “It’s a really good picture. Are you sure you want to give it away?”

“It’s for your fridge.”

Touched, she stared down at his face, and willed herself not to cry at the unexpectedly sweet gesture. “Well, then, thank you very much. I’ll put it on my fridge the second I get home.”

Seemingly pleased with her response, Jacob waved goodbye with his fingers before turning and heading toward the living room once again, leaving Paige blinking hard and trying to keep her shit together in front of Valerie and David.

Taking Paige’s hand in his, David brought it up to place a kiss on the back of it. “I told you he was going to like you.”

Valerie patted David on the arm. “Take your time ‘saying goodbye’. I’ll give Jacob his bath.”

“Really? Thanks, Mom.”

Then, as if not wanting to waste any of that time, David opened the door and pulled Paige outside, and before she knew it, he had her pressed against her car, her leftovers sitting on the hood. But instead of kissing her, he leaned in and whispered in her ear, “So. You like me, huh?”

She took a moment to breathe in his cologne. “Maybe a little bit.”

“Only a little bit? I can move heavy stuff, you know.”

Paige laughed at that, then put her hands up to his bearded cheeks and stroked the trimmed hair, paying special attention to the lighter ash-brown patches around his mouth and on his chin, making him hum a little in his throat. “I can’t believe you sent a child in to do reconnaissance for you.”

“It worked, didn’t it?” he countered, with zero remorse.

Before she could do anything other than shake her head at him, David did what he’d wanted to do from the moment she’d arrived at the loft—he kissed her until she was breathless.

Chapter 41

As usual, Jacob was reluctant to be dropped off at Ashley’s place, and after once again trying to make the two days seem like nothing, David then added what he hoped was a gold nugget. “When you come home on Sunday, Paige will be there to have dinner with us. Won’t that be nice?”

Slowly, the little boy nodded, and while David could see Jacob did think that was nice, it didn’t quite eliminate his reluctance at staying with Ashley. “Can she bring Rice Krispies treats?” he asked.

At this point, David didn’t care if the promise of sugar was what it took to put a smile on his son’s face. “I’m sure she could, if I asked nicely.”

Jacob gave a quick smile. “Say ‘please’.”

---