Page 70 of Just My Luck

When I finished, I gathered my plate, along with Ben and Tillie’s discarded sandwiches. With one arm full of dishes, I reached out for Abel’s plate.

He immediately started to rise when I shook my head. “I’ve got it. Relax.”

His brows pinched down, but he settled back into the couch, and I walked toward the kitchen with a grin on my face. Abel was so quick to try to take care of everything around the house that it felt nice to be able to beat him to the punch for once. After quickly rinsing and stacking the plates in the dishwasher, I made my way back to the movie.

I stopped short when I saw Ben tucked into Abel’s side. Tillie was standing in front of them. “I wanted to sit by Abel!” Her lower lip jutted out in a ferocious pout that never worked on me.

Abel looked around at the couch, and then he and Ben scooted over. “You can take this side.”

Sucker.

From the sidelines, I watched as my twins cuddled Abel on the too-small couch. Tightness seized my chest. His arms spread across the back of the couch like it was the most natural thing in the world to watch a silly movie with my kids.

This is what Jared has to live without.

He may never realize it, but my ex didn’t deserve their love.

Abel did. He was patient and kind and accepting of them, just as they were. A swell of happy tears threatened to spill over my lashes, and I had never been more grateful for the darkness of a living room.

“Sit here, Mama!” Ben patted the small sliver of couch where my seat used to be.

I smiled. “Are you sure there’s room?”

The kids wiggled, sandwiching Abel between them. I barked a laugh at the ridiculousness of it. “If you say so.”

The film was surprisingly heartwarming and fun—at least the parts I could pay attention to. Despite Ben between us, I was painfully aware of Abel’s proximity. His muscular arm stretched across the back of the couch, and the warmth of his hand radiated to the back of my neck. When a well-timed jump scare happened, we all laughed, and I felt the soft brush of his fingertips at the nape of my neck.

I swallowed hard, leaning into his touch. His fingers twined with the tiny hairs that had fallen from my updo. The pads of his fingers stroked my skin until I felt as if I would burst into flames. I couldn’t think—couldn’t breathe—for half the movie. All I could think about was how much warmth and comfort I found in his touch.

Feeling brave, I peeked across the couch at him. His dark eyes were forward, focusing on the movie as the swashbuckling hero courageously led his team into a dangerous cave. I studied Abel’s strong profile—his high cheeks, his straight nose, the stubble on his jaw.

Tingles rushed through me as I recalled the delicious scrape of that stubble across my inner thigh. His fingertips were toying with me, and my insides began to unravel. Something so simple and wonderfully domestic as a family movie with the kids hit me in the chest.

It could always be like this.

I swallowed down the ridiculous thought and spent the rest of the movie ignoring the hum of my blood whenever Abel touched me.

TWENTY-FIVE

ABEL

How was it that,even in leggings and a cardigan, Sloane was so damn pretty?

I should have kept my hands to myself, but in the cover of darkness in the living room, it felt safe to let my hands wander a bit. Her skin under my fingertips calmed me in a way I couldn’t really explain. The slow, steady breathing of her kids at my side was an unexpected comfort. The twins took pure, unbridled joy in the adventures on screen, and I caught myself laughing with them at the silly puns and obvious jokes.

By the time the movie ended, Tillie was out—her mouth open and the sound of soft snores—a strong giveaway that she’d missed the entire ending of the movie.

Sloane patted Ben’s back and whispered. “Okay, bud. Let’s get you to bed.”

Ben gave a slow, bleary-eyed blink. “I’m not tired.”

The look she gave Ben was full of maternal affection. I could still remember that same look from my own mother. Sloane smiled at me over Ben’s head, and my heart rolled.

It would be so easy to let myself fall for you.

She rubbed slow, patient circles on Ben’s back. “I know. Let’s walk that way anyway.”

Sloane shifted, helping Ben to his feet. She then leaned over me, placing her hand on Tillie’s shoulder.

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