Page 46 of Tangled

“Uh, not really. I mean… fuck, should I?”

Drew eyes me suspiciously. “Haven’t you already slept together?”

I drop my voice lower as a few teachers walk by on their way back to the garage. “I mean, yeah. But now things are different. I don’t want her to think I just want to get in her pants again. I mean, Christ. I definitely do eventually, but that will take time.”

Drew nods. “That a boy. Take it slow. Make her work for it,” he winks.

“You really are a douche, you know that? How Tammy ever saw marriage potential in you, I’ll never understand,” I rib my best friend, grabbing a beer for me out of the fridge and the glass of wine I poured.

“The ladies dig the asshole vibe, Kane,” he belches, and then takes a drink from his beer.

“Sure, ‘cause the asshole thing was getting me really far before.”

Drew stumbles over to me, grasping my shoulder with his empty hand. “Seriously, bro… take it one day at a time. I… I love you, man.”

Oh, Jesus Christ. We’re at that level of drunk now, are we?

“I love you too, Drew. Now I’m going to go find Tammy so she can cut you off. Behave yourself and lay off the chips.”

Drew glides back around the counter, lifting the bowl and pouring it into his mouth, crumbs flying everywhere. “Never!” He shouts as chips soar through the air.

I laugh my ass off as I amble down the hallway back to the garage, making small talk with a few people on my way back out to the fire.

And when I see her—Olivia hunched over and bundled in her coat, a joyful smile spread wide across her face as she speaks to the person next to her—I know she’s worth the leap I’m taking. I just hope my past doesn’t come back to haunt me and fuck this all up.

Chapter 21

Olivia

“Mom, I’m here!” I shout as I walk through the front door of my parent’s house on the chilly October afternoon. I barely defrosted this morning from the fall mixer last night at Drew and Tammy’s, and then had to bundle up again to make the trek over to the home I was raised in for our weekly Sunday night dinner.

Before I moved to Northern California to go to college, Sunday nights were always reserved for a home-cooked meal from my mom. No matter what we had going on in our lives, my parents insisted we share dinner together at the end of each week. And now, being back home, my mother was elated to continue the tradition with me back at the table.

“In the kitchen!” She yells back as I remove my coat and hang it up near the front door. Adjusting my top and checking my appearance in the mirror in the entryway, I side-step the staircase right in front of me and make my way to the kitchen in the back of the house.

“Oh, it smells good, Mom,” I greet her with a kiss on the cheek and probably a little too much enthusiasm. But hell, I can’t help it. The perma-smile on my face won’t leave after my night with Kane.

I left Drew and Tammy’s last night full of optimism and giddy like a teenage girl with a crush. Kane’s confession of how he truly felt about me finally made me more hopeful than I’ve felt in a long time. Not only was he honest with me, but the fact that he put in so much effort with his list of questions solidified his intentions. Obviously, his lack of dating history is a bit concerning, but I know I can’t doubt the fact that he’s serious about moving forward. And now the anticipation of where we go from here is killing me.

“Go wash your hands so you can help me. I finally have my girl home and I need to remind you how to cook,” she teases me as I reach for the faucet and lather up my hands.

“I haven’t forgotten how to cook, Mom. But I’ll be honest, I don’t do it that often because cooking for one person is a lot of work.”

“So how did last night go?” She asks, changing the subject and then directs me to mix the dough for the dumplings. Along with my four friends, I’ve kept my mother up to date on Kane developments as well.

I can’t hide the mile-wide grin that spreads across my face and the blush I instantly feel come over my cheeks. I bend my head down to try to hide it, but nothing gets past my mother.

“That good, huh?” She laughs, stirring the pot of chicken and gravy on the stove. My mother makes the best chicken and dumplings you’ll ever taste.

“Mom,” I whisper, even though we’re the only two people in the kitchen. “Kane was there, and he pulled me aside and….”

“Knock, knock!” A voice I’m all too familiar with interrupts my story as I turn around and search out Clara.

“You came?” I ask her as she makes her way around the corner and into the kitchen.

“Uh, yeah! You said Mama Walsh was making chicken and dumplings. I’m here!”

“Good to see you, Clara,” my mom greets her and Clara hugs her from the side.

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