Page 59 of A Package Deal

Warrick

It was nice to have Mom back, but it was even nicer to see the way she immediately welcomed Em and Georgia with open arms. I’d told her on the drive home from the port that I’d gotten married and why. She’d quizzed me down about the two of them, and by the time we got home, Mom seemed perfectly at ease with the odd situation. Then again, Mom liked everybody and always wanted to see her boys married, so I figured she’d take a marriage any way she could get it.

“The thing is, honey, this cookie recipe is a state secret. We can’t make it with parents in the kitchen.” Mom looked over at Em and me like we were annoying interlopers.

Georgia squealed. “They gotta go!”

“Exactly what I was thinking!” Mom high-fived Georgia. “I was thinking we should send them to some boring fancy dinner in town while you and I eat hot dogs and make cookies. Whaddya say?”

Georgia cheered and hugged Mom’s legs, clearly already replacing me as her favorite person. Mom smiled broadly, looking a lot like her old self before Dad got sick. I hadn’t seen her this animated in years. Who knew the cure for grieving would be to bring a potential grandchild around? I liked that a hell of a lot better than a cruise with old people who liked to strip.

I turned to Em, who was already working up an argument based on the slight frown and the headshaking. “You heard the woman. No one crosses Gigi when she has her heart set on something. Why don’t you go put on one of those pretty sundresses and I’ll take you out on the town?”

Em’s shoulders dropped as she watched her daughter and Gigi already pulling ingredients out of the pantry. Mom tied an adult-sized apron on Georgia, and she was so damn cute, Em couldn’t possibly be mad. She looked back at me, resigned.

“Okay.”

I lifted an eyebrow, my pride smarting. “It’s dinner, baby, not a death march.”

Em smirked and I couldn’t help but think about the way her lips looked after we’d been kissing. Her fair skin showed every touch and it drove me wild. Made me want to keep touching just to see that trace of pink that followed.

“I think arguing is my natural reaction to everything.”

I grinned at the truth of that statement. “Self-awareness is the first step.”

Em stuck her tongue out at me and spun to walk away. I burst out laughing. That might have been my first glance at a playful Em and it enthralled me just as much as all the other sides of her.

I got shooed out of the kitchen and found myself out on the back porch, texting with the detective I hired to watch Cayden. He said he had some things to talk to me about, so we set a time to chat tomorrow. My ultimate goal was to make this custody suit go away before it even reached the courts. I didn’t want Em to have to go through the stress of a lengthy court battle if I could help it. Based on what Em and Anton had told me about him, Cayden sounded like he’d probably engaged in a few shady things with his business, and if he did, I’d exploit that to get what was best for Georgia.

It was a good thing Mom and Georgia were already covered in flour and stealing chocolate chips out of the cookie batter because when I saw Em in another of those sundresses I’d bought her—this one pink with ties at the top of her lightly tanned shoulders—I couldn’t help the predatory gaze I sent her way. I wanted—no, needed—to get my hands on her before the night was over. Which was why I steered the conversation toward my first order of business when we sat down at Raw Junkies, the upscale sushi restaurant in downtown Blueball.

“We make a good team, Slaywright.” I held up a glass of the wine I’d ordered after Em said she liked a buttery Chardonnay. She clinked her glass against mine and smiled softly.

“We do.” She took a sip and the smile turned into a grimace. “A fact I was reminded of when my next client called today to tell me the wood I had delivered yesterday is already wet with dew and that it’ll rot and I can’t use that wood any longer. I spent a good fifteen minutes having to explain about pressure-treated wood. You were a much easier client.”

I frowned, not liking that someone was being difficult with her. “Who’s your client?”

She sighed and smoothed the white cloth napkin over her lap. “A guy named Roger Englewood?”

I grimaced. “Oh shit. That guy’s a cranky old man. He tries to wiggle out of everything. He’s been like that his whole life. It’s why no one will work with him.” I leaned closer. “You may reconsider working for him. He’ll try to screw you over.”

Em sat up straighter in her chair, bristling at my words. I shut my mouth, knowing it was like talking to a stubborn brick wall. “Remember our deal?” she asked tightly.

I held my hands up and sat back in my chair. Some people were determined to learn things the hard way. “I know, I know. Just offering some friendly advice about someone I’ve known my whole life. You do with it what you want.”

Em nodded, but it still felt like there was an awkwardness between us. I plunged ahead, wanting to put that topic of conversation to rest. “I actually wanted to talk to you about another project for me. Before you get too busy with other clients, I wanted to get on your schedule.”

“Oh, yeah? What needs remodeling at Gigi’s place now?”

I leaned forward again, excited to share with her my plans. “Nothing. But I talked to her this morning about an idea and she was fully on board. I just need a builder and I happen to be married to the best one west of the Mississippi. Lucky me.”

Em ducked her head, hiding a grin. She might act like she didn’t like compliments but I didn’t miss the way she soaked them up like a dry sponge.

“What am I building?”

“You’ll do it?”

She laughed, the sound like music to my ears. “Give me more info, but yeah, I don’t see me turning you down.”

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