Page 63 of Single All the Way

“I’ve been on this earth for darn close to eight decades, my dear. I’ve seen some things.”

I laughed. “I’m sure you have.”

I filled the next two mugs, and she added marshmallows, the two of us working together amiably, as if she wasn’t in the process of busting my chops.

“Emerson, I mean it. Do not hurt that man. If you do?—”

“It’s not like that,” I said, keeping my voice down as the revelry continued in the next room. “It’s not serious, Grandma Berty.”

She turned her head toward me and gave me a weighted look, one I was sure had functioned as herdon’t mess with meexpression while she was raising her children.

I raised a hand as if surrendering. “Really. We’re having fun. That’s all. Nothing long-term.”

“Does he know this?”

“Of course. We’ve agreed.”

She went quiet as she filled the last mugs with marshmallows, and I sensed she was going to say more, but then she didn’t.

“The kids won’t know,” I said in case she was worried about them getting hurt. I was worried enough myself. It was already going to be difficult for Skyler and Xavier to transition to yet another living situation when I found a house.

“Kids are resilient, but I think that’s wise. Just remember you’re dealing with a man who feels things deeply and prioritizes the whole world’s needs before his own.”

“He does,” I agreed. That was part of what made him so easy to like. “He’s a wonderful man, and he’s also smart. He and I are on the exact same page.”

“I hope you’re right,” she said.

Ben understood my needs as well as my limits. He’d been through similar losses.

We were being smart, communicating. Acting like adults, albeit sex-starved ones.

I had to believe everything would work out fine. I could explore this little treat for myself, and no one would get hurt.

ChapterEighteen

Emerson

Iwalked into the holiday party at Max Dawson’s house at Ben’s side, keeping space between us like friends would. Because wewerefriends. The sleeping together part was literally just a benefit of that friendship and our temporary circumstances.

“Come on in,” Max called out as he walked toward us.

“Hello, llama savior,” I said, handing over my coat.

Ben handed him a bottle of whiskey. “Yeah, thanks. Yet again.”

“The things we do for a little libation.” Max laughed and took it from him. “Happy I could help. Grab a drink and some food.”

“Thanks for having me,” I said as I made a point of separating from Ben.

I smiled warmly at everyone in the vicinity, greeted Harper and her business partners and friends, Cambria and Dakota, who stood nearby welcoming guests, then scanned the room for drinks. I was going to need at least one, stat.

My nerves were on edge from the challenge of being with Ben in public, acting like the best of friends but not slipping too close.

My body wanted to be too close.

The crowd was bigger than I’d expected, with the open-area living room, kitchen, and dining area all filled with people, most of whom I knew. It appeared there were more guests out on the deck despite temperatures that hovered around thirty-five degrees.

Anna and Ava, Cash and Seth and his singer wife, Everly, were in my immediate view, with another three or four dozen scattered throughout.

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