Page 66 of More Than Falling in Love

“I don’t.Neither does Parker.But I like green beans.”He shoves his empty plate away and rubs his stomach.“That was good.Really good.”

“Ava is a great cook.”

“Yep, but Goldie made that.She’s a good cook too.”He leans his head on my shoulder.“I wish you could spend the night.”

I wrap an arm around him.“I’ll miss you too, kiddo.”

Standing outside Kent’s door,I pull in a deep breath and count to fifteen.Breathing exercises are supposed to be calming, but I’m not feeling any better.

The door creaks open, and Kent steps to the side.“I thought I heard someone out here.”

“Is he still in the shower?”

“Yeah.”He steps out and closes the door.“If you’d rather not wait, I can text you when he’s ready.”

“I don’t mind waiting.You know that.I actually just wanted to talk to you.”

“About?”

I close my eyes and try the breathing thing again.“Do you want me to leave?”

“That’s the last thing I want.I don’t want my kid to feel like I do.”His voice is a whisper, and his words are laced with years of pain.

I rest a hand on his arm.“I’m so sorry.”

“I know.”He pulls away and crosses his arms.“Give me time.I’ll get over it.Just a bit of a wounded ego.But I won’t cut off your relationship with Mason.The house is always open to you.”

He might as well have added the wordsMy heart is notbecause that’s dripping from his tone.He’s closed off.Those walls are back up, and it’s my fault.

“I care about you, Kent.”

He rubs his jaw.“Let’s focus on reading time.”

We walk inside, and Mason smiles.“Tonight, instead of sitting between you, I’ll sit in your laps.You need to be close together.”

I sort of hate that Parker is right.Mason is doing his best to get things back to how they were.If he figures out a way, I’ll be thrilled.

As instructed, Kent and I sit so that our thighs are touching.Mason sits on top of us and opens his book.

Kent’s arm is stretched across the back of the couch, and I resist the urge to rest my head against it.He doesn’t want that right now.Will he ever?I never meant to wound him.His past wasn’t even in my thoughts when I reacted last night.Fear motivated me.Fear of destroying our friendship.Fear of finding someone perfect and still getting it wrong.And fear of the unknown.

Now I’m just afraid I can’t clean up this mess.

My eyes stingwhen I see Sarah waiting in baggage claim.“You didn’t have to come.”

“You said that over and over, right after giving me your flight info.I got the hint.You need me.”She grabs my carry-on.“I have a car waiting.Let’s get your bags.On the way to your place, you can fill me in on how reading time went.”

I pick up my suitcase off the carousel and follow her to the car.

Once the bags are loaded and we’re rolling, she pins me with a stare.“Talk to me.”

The flight home has given me lots of time to think.“I don’t want to talk about last night.I need to figure out a way to fix everything.”

Chapter 24

Kent

When my phone vibrates in my pocket, I know who it is.I’ve checked the time over and over, waiting for her to land back home.Her home.I slide the phone out of my pocket.

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