Page 119 of How to Kiss a Hawthorne Brother
“I suppose I could,” Lila says. “If it’s during Jack’s school hours.”
A thrill of victory shoots through me. She said yes. The feeling is followed swiftly by a wave of trepidation. Becauseshe said yes.
I nod. “Great. Good. I’ll keep you posted.”
Jack tugs on Lila’s sleeve. “Could I come too?”
“You’ll be in school, baby. But we can go to the harvest festival at the farm next month. You loved it the last time we went.”
Jack nods, even as he tugs on her arm, pulling her down until she’s crouching beside him. He whispers something into her ear, but his whisper is hardly a whisper. “Can I ask him if he wants to be my stairdad?”
“Stepdad.” Lila corrects him so quickly, it’s clear they’ve had this conversation before.
She shoots me an apologetic look even as my heart drops into my stomach. The thought is ridiculous. Outlandish. And yet. Something in the back of my heart flickers. It’s tiny. So tiny. Tiny enough that I know better than to think it means anything.
Lila pushes her sunglasses onto her head and squares Jack so she’s facing him head on, one hand on either of his shoulders. “Iknow this is really important to you, Jack. But that’s a question only grown-ups get to ask each other, okay?”
He shrugs away from her, his tiny hands balling into fists. “But he said he doesn’t have any kids. Or a wife. Or even a pet. And I helped him, and he said I had good muscles and . . .”
Tears are hovering in Jack’s eyes now, and my heart nearly breaks for the kid, despite the awkwardness of the conversation. I don’t know the whole story, but I can guess. Jack doesn’t have a dad around, and he clearly wishes he did.
Jack’s lip quivers, and he takes a shuddering breath. “I think he would like me if he got to know me.”
Now tears are pooling inLila’seyes. I turn and move a few paces away to give them some privacy, though I’m not so far that I can’t hear her response.
I watch out of the corner of my eye as she runs a hand over his hair. “Oh, Jackson. Of course he would like you. I bet he already does. But Mr. Hawthorne couldn’t bejustyour stepdad. He’d have to be my husband, too. Do you understand? We would have to get married. And people only get married when they’ve fallen in love.”
He studies me for a long moment. “Is that what Chloe’s dad did?”
“I’m sure it is. He met someone, they spent some time together, they fell in love, and then they got married. That all happened before she became Chloe’s stepmom.”
Jack sniffs. “Do you think if you spend time with Mr. Hawthorne, he’ll love you?”
The same attraction that’s been spiking every time Lila looks my way roars through me when Jack mentions love. If love were based on physical attraction alone, I’d say odds were pretty good of me falling for Lila. But I know better. Real love is so much more than attraction, and I’m in no position to have any opinions when it comes to this particular conversation.
“Honey, Mr. Hawthorne is my boss. And falling in love—it isn’t really something you can plan. It just happens. Now listen, I promise we’ll figure something out for the father-son breakfast, but I need you to let this go, okay?”
Ah.At least now I’m starting to understand Jack’s motives. Honestly, I’m impressed with how Lila has handled the entire thing. She has every right to feel embarrassed, given that this is our first encounter, and her kid is trying to play matchmaker. But if shedoesfeel that way, she isn’t letting it preempt what she’s saying to Jack. She isn’t dismissing him, silencing him. She’s down on his level, listening, reassuring, explaining in a way he can understand.
Jack’s eyes dart to me before he gives his mom a slow nod. “Okay.”
She scoops him up into a hug, lifting him off the ground and swinging his legs back and forth until he starts to giggle. She finally lowers him back to the ground but keeps hold of his hand. “Can you say goodbye to Mr. Hawthorne?”
“Goodbye, Mr. Hawthorne,” Jack says without looking up.
“Thanks for your help, kiddo.”
Lila ushers him back to the car, then returns to pick up the jack she discarded to answer her son’s question. “I’m so sorry about that,” she says, avoiding eye contact. “He’s got this father-son breakfast thing at school, and it’s making him hyper-aware of his fatherless state. But to ask that was so totally inappropriate, and I really need you to know that I didn’t put him up to it. Or even talk about the possibility. That was all him.”
“I assumed it was. Don’t worry about it. I’m flattered, actually. That he would consider me a worthy option.”
She nods, eyeing me like my response has surprised her. “Even so, I’m not sure I’ve ever been so mortified.”
“You played it off well,” I say. “Jack’s dad isn’t . . . around anymore?” I don’t know what makes me ask the question, but I can’t regret it because I really want to know.
Lila’s hand falls to her side. “He died a few years back. It’s just me and Jack now.”
“Oh. I’m so sorry. I’m divorced.” I close my eyes and wince. “It’s not the same thing. I don’t mean to make it seem like it’s the same thing.”
