Page 49 of Beachside Kisses With My Best Friend

She laughs. “Yes, but only because I’d moved it from the coffee table into a drawer when I was cleaning and then forgot to move it back to the toy bin. You couldn’t have known.”

“Guess I would have known if I’d asked.”

“You were six.”

“Sounds like I haven’t changed much if I’ve got the same look about me now.” I sit back in my chair and absently rub my left forearm.

“A boy always needs his mama, no matter how old he is. At least, I like to think so.” She winks over the top of her drink as she takes a sip before lowering it. “Now, tell me what’s going on. Is it the custody case?”

“No, that’s all going well. As well as can be expected, anyway. We’re on track for court, and my attorney is confident our angle will produce the desired result. He fully expects the judge to throw out Larry and Constance’s petition.”

“Good. The job, then?” Her lips quirk into the tiniest of smiles.

I think she very well knows I’m not here for something career-related, but I indulge her anyway. “No.”

“Ah. A matter of the heart, then.”

I sigh, not even bothering to answer.

“You still haven’t told her how you feel, I take it?”

“Not in so many words.” I stare at the lines of wooden grain in the table.

“Just in that kiss?”

My head jerks up. “You know about that?”

“Had to hear about it from the ladies at book club, thank you very much. My own son keeping me in the dark. Shameful.” Another wink and smile. “It sounds like the two of you are moving toward something good.”

“Maybe.”

“You don’t sound sure.”

“I’m not.” The refrigerator hums in the still morning air. “Things were really weird between us the last week. But last night, we finally seemed like ourselves again. She even opened up to me about something she never has before. Something that happened during her last marriage.” When she told me about the miscarriages, my heart broke for her—for all the hurt she’s experienced, even more than I ever knew. And when I heard Donny’s reaction to their losses, well, I wanted to find the man and beat him to a pulp. A really, really bloody pulp.

So much for being a peacemaker.

“It feels like she’s letting you in more?”

“I don’t know. Maybe.” I hesitate, and Mom’s eyebrows go up as I continue. “She asked me to, um…to hold her while she slept last night.”

“Oh my.”

“Nothing happened, Mom.”

“On the contrary.” She gives me a knowing look. “I’d say something very significant happened.”

“You think?” I scratch behind my ear. “I honestly can’t figure it out. And I don’t want to ask, to put another wedge between us. Because this week gave me a picture of what things would be like if I did lose her.”

“And yet, didn’t last night give you a picture of what you could gain?”

Yes. “Waking up with her in my arms was…indescribable, really. If I got to do that every day, I would consider myself the luckiest guy in the world.”

“Jordan, I don’t know exactly what Marilee told you about her past, but the fact she trusted you with that information speaks volumes. And then, right after that, to ask you to stay with her all night long? Sleeping is a very vulnerable position, but she still wanted you there.”

“Yeah, but what does itmean?”

“I can’t be sure, of course, but I believe that if she doesn’t love you already, maybe she is at least open to the idea.”

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