Page 25 of Only One I Ever Wanted

“Here and there. He flits around like the wind.”

I could tell that didn’t exactly make Joe happy. Kai was a good deal younger than us, and I’d been long gone before he was even out of elementary school.

“He’s actually on his way back from Denver.” Anna set the green pitcher on the table, fussing with one of the blooms before sitting next to me. “He was teaching skiing of all things.”

Joe shook his head.

“So, it was your idea to make Sully go shirtless?”

My jaw dropped. “God, no. I found him like that. Evidently, the dishwasher wasn’t hooked up correctly.”

Sully picked then to come inside with Danny in tow, a package of Fruit Snacks in hand. He waved and went to the other side of the table to sit near Joe.

“And since when do you forget to turn off the water?” Joe asked Sully.

“Since there were multiple lines. I don’t know who did that set up, but they were idiots. All fixed now.”

“Thanks to you and your gleaming chest.” Joe’s voice was deadpan.

“Dad.”

Then Joe’s booming laugh filled the room. “You should see your face.”

Sully rolled his eyes and went to the cabinet for a big pot for the pasta. He filled it and set it on the range to cook. I popped up and crossed to him. “Oh, this is a lovely range.”

“Thanks.” Anna rose to meet me. “Do you cook?”

“I dabble. Only thing I miss from Los Angeles is my kitchen.”

“So, definitely not your ex-husband?”

I pressed my lips together a minute before a giggle escaped. “Not at all, actually.”

“Good to know.” Anna glanced at Sully. “Isn’t it?”

His gaze locked on mine. “Very.”

I tucked my fingers into the pockets of my dress so I didn’t twist them together like a nervous idiot. “I’d be happy to trade recipes.”

“That sounds wonderful.” Anna hooked her arm through mine. “Come sit down. I want to hear all about what you’ve been up to.”

“Not much to tell. I have my own business. Hoping that I can make it work here.”

“What do you do?”

“Besides make my son go viral,” Joe put in with a smirk.

“Do you even know whatviralmeans, dad?”

He shrugged. “Not at all, but that’s all I’ve heard all afternoon.”

I laughed. “If only all my work was so easy. I have a marketing company. I usually have to do a lot of sweating and research to get the reach that Sully got with one video.”

“I have no idea what that means,” Anna said as she got up to put the pasta into the now boiling water.

My stomach growled at the scent of garlic and butter on top of the sauce bubbling away on the stove. “I help companies with visibility. I was hoping Sully would let me use him as a guinea pig and then I walked into my kitchen and saw him in all his...”

Sully glanced over at me with a grin.

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