Page 78 of In the Air Tonight

“I bet there’re more.”

He waggles his brows at me. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

I feel my face turn bright red, which is mortifying.

“Adorable,” he says with a chuckle.

I grimace. “Awful.”

“Super adorable.”

“Who blushes at thirty-something, especially when their name isBlaise?”

“You do, and I’m digging it. What else can I say to make it happen?”

“Don’t you dare!”

His grin lights up his face with a mischievous glee. “I do so love a challenge.”

“I urge you to decline that challenge.”

“If you’re going to be that way about it.”

“I am.”

“Fine.”

“Fine.”

“So,” he says with the grin I’m coming to like more and more, especially when he’s not trying to embarrass me, “how about that pizza?”

“Lead the way.”

We gather the treats I brought and the open bottle of wine and head downstairs.

“Watch out for Fenway. She’s an underfootnik.”

“Is that a word?”

“My own personal creation. I almost fall over her at least once a day because she tries to rush past me on the stairs.”

Just as he says that, the dog darts between us, forcing him to grab me so I don’t fall.

“Case in point. Sorry about that.”

“It’s fine. I love her. She’s adorable.”

“She’s a demon.”

“Don’t say that about your little girl!”

“It’s the truth. I love her madly, but she’s going to be the death of me. Literally, if she knocks me down the stairs.”

I stop on the second-floor landing to study photos on the wall that I missed on the way up. Young Jack with his parents, with other dogs, with groups of kids, birthday parties, soccer games, baseball, proms, graduations.

“My mom did that in case you’re wondering if I’m in love with myself.”

Again, he makes me laugh. I’ve laughed more in the last half hour than I have in years. It feels good.

---