Page 26 of Moore to Love

She looked up at me with wide eyes, sucking in a quick breath. “You got food for Benjamin and Madison too?”

“Yeah, I figured cheese pizzas were a safe choice for them.” After putting the lid back on her container of pasta, I set it on top of the other boxes in the bag. “But I also did a couple of orders of spaghetti from the kids’ menu with the sauce on the side, just in case they like that better.”

She reached up to tangle her hand with mine. “I don’t even know what to say, except for thank you.”

“That’s more than enough.” I leaned forward to brush my lips against hers before tossing my empty container in the trash and sitting back down. “After the text you sent about needing time with the kids because of how tough it is when they come back home, I was worried about you guys. There wasn’t anything I could do to help last night, but then when I was calling Trattoria with the lunch order, inspiration struck.”

“My favorite meal for lunch was already a heck of a treat since I don’t eat out that often anymore, and when I do, it’s usually just fast food when the kids deserve something special. I really appreciate you thinking to include them even though they’re not here.” The smile she aimed my way was shy, but that didn’t make its effect on me any less powerful. “I’ve never really thought about what my love language was, but I’m so touched by your thoughtfulness that I’d have to say receiving acts of kindness is a big one for me. I just never really got to experience it like this before.”

Yet another reason I wanted to punch her ex. He’d had her for more than a decade, and from the small things she’d shared so far, it sounded as though he’d never treated her right in all that time. “I hate that for you.”

“It wasn’t all bad, but we’ve talked enough about my past for now.” She gently nudged my shoe with hers. “What I want to know is how you learned all the love language stuff. We’re done eating, so it’s time to spill.”

It was my turn to duck my head, and if I wasn’t mistaken, I actually blushed. Raking my fingers through my hair, I mumbled, “My youngest brother is still in college. He took a psychology class last spring, and when he came home for the summer, he told my mom that he appreciated how she was always giving us words of affirmation. Of course, she wanted to know where he came up with that. And it snowballed from there, with her having all of us take an online quiz so she’d know what our love language is and could make sure she was giving us what we need.”

“That’s so sweet.”

“Just don’t ever tell Logan that.” I shook my head with a laugh. “Rigden and I gave him such a hard time over the whole thing.”

“What are your brothers like? I don’t think I’ve ever met either of them.”

“Logan is the stereotypical baby of the family, which isn’t that shocking, considering he’s more than a decade younger than me.” I thought about my baby brother's recent visit back home and wondered if something was going on with him that prompted it. “He’s only twenty-one and still thinks the world revolves around him, but our parents did a good job making sure he wasn’t too spoiled.”

She tilted her head to the side with a grin. “If you’re that much older than him, weren’t you the baby of the family during your formative years?”

“You’ve got me there,” I conceded. “And that’s something Rigden likes to remind me of, just like the big brother that he is.”

“How much of a gap is there between you two?” she wanted to know.

“Two years. He’s thirty-four to my thirty-two.”

She nodded. “That’s how far apart Benjamin and Madison are. I can only hope they’ll be as close as you and Rigden are when they grow up.”

“From what I’ve seen of your kids, you don’t have to worry,” I reassured her, jolted by the wild thought that if things worked out between us how I was starting to hope for…then it was possible that she’d end up with a third child who would also fit the same gap as my siblings. One who’d be mine. I had to clear the lump in my throat before I could add, “Madison trails Benjamin the same way I did with Rigden when we were younger. And your son is just as patient with her as my brother was with me. You’re doing a great job with them.”

“He’s the one who owns the distillery?” she asked, tapping her finger against her chin. “At least I think that’s what your grandmother told me a while back.”

With as small as Mooreville was, it always surprised me how newcomers didn’t know everyone. After living here for almost four years, I would’ve expected Ellie to have met most of my family, but then I remembered what my dad had said about how she’d started going to his church because she was lonely.

Needing to touch her, even if it was in no way sexual, I reached out to wrap my hand around hers. When she twisted her wrist so our palms were pressed together, something settled inside me. “Yeah, he’s really made a name for himself. Especially with his rye whiskey. It’s spicier than most people expect, and he’s even won a couple of awards for it.”

“That’s awesome. A successful businessman, a veterinarian, and a college student who taught his brothers about love languages,” she teased, her pretty green eyes full of mirth. “Your parents have to be quite proud.”

“They definitely are,” I confirmed with a rueful chuckle. “Although my mom would be much happier if any or all of us settled down and gave her grandchildren. Even Logan, and he’s too young to think about becoming a father.”

“You should give him more credit. I was only twenty-one when I got pregnant with Benjamin,” she pointed out with a grimace.

The last thing I wanted was for Ellie to think I was judging her. “And I’m sure you were way more mature than he is.”

“Knowing you’re responsible for a tiny life growing inside you has a way of making you grow up fast.” She laughed softly, shaking her head. “Although I bet your brother has more experience with dating than I did back then, so at least he’s got that going for him.”

Considering her ex had been her high school sweetheart and I was fairly certain she hadn’t been with anyone since him, that was a fair bet. “He’s had a few girlfriends, but I don’t think there’s anyone special in his life right now.”

“I should probably warn you that I might be awful at the whole dating thing, if that’s where this is headed,” she confessed.

I squeezed her hand, wanting her to feel how much I meant what I was about to say. “If I get to make the call, then it’s absolutely the direction we’re going in.”

“I…um…I’d like that.”

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