Page 20 of Say You Remember Me
“Okay…” I sighed, not exactly the reassurance I was hoping for. But it would make sense that Ian would assume I was worried about being seen kissing him at all since that was what Ishouldbe most worried about in this situation.
I shouldn’t be wondering how memorable it was for him and how our stolen moment ranked among all the other kisses he’d had recently.
“Trust me, no one else will remember.” Ian put a hand on my shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze.
And while I knew he was trying to calm me with the gesture, it only made my heart skyrocket further.
Because yeah, Ian Hastings was touching me. Like it was no big deal.
Like it was a completely normal thing to do.
And he didn’t seem to notice the way my pulse was suddenly racing because after letting his hand drop, he continued by saying, “And besides, you have that cute friend of your aunt to look forward to meeting tonight. Any gossip about us will be forgotten once they see you strutting around Eden Falls with a new hottie.”
“Har har.” I rolled my eyes, trying to push away the butterflies fluttering in my stomach.
“Hey, you never know. It could be your lucky night.” Ian grinned, the mischievous glint in his eyes unmistakable.
“I highly doubt that,” I muttered, still feeling the heat from where his hand had rested on my shoulder.
The elevator doors slid open, and as we stepped inside, all I could think about was how I liked the flirtatious banter with Ian way too much.
Which meant, I should probably consider talking to Sloan’s “single dad” friend tonight. Because even if I wasn’t exactlylooking to date right now, it wouldn’t hurt to at least try and get someone else on my mind. Anything to help distract me from the undeniable pull I felt toward my boss.
7
MADDIE
“If you keep cookingus meals like this, I’m going to be less motivated to find a place for Grant and me to move into,” I teased Sloan as I loaded the last plate into the dishwasher, still stuffed from the garlic butter chicken, roasted vegetables, and rosemary potatoes she had made for Grant and me.
“It’s all part of my evil plan.” Sloan grinned as she pulled a fruit tray from the fridge to carry into the backyard where her friends would all be gathering in a few minutes. “After years of only cooking for myself, it’s been nice having you two around. You’re the perfect taste-testers for my new recipes.”
“Well, if you keep this up, we may never move out.” I chuckled as I closed the dishwasher.
“I’ll hold you to that.” She winked. Then after glancing at the clock on the stove, she asked, “Hey, everyone should be here soon. Would you mind pulling the charcuterie board out of the fridge and carrying it out to the backyard?”
“Sure.” I nodded, opening the fridge and spotting the tray of meats and cheeses neatly arranged on a wooden board. “I’ll bring it right out.”
The evening air was warm when I stepped outside a moment later, but thankfully, not too humid. Sloan’s backyard was cute—a cozy patio with a built-in fire pit, outdoor string lights glowing softly overhead, and a patch of grass where Grant and I had kicked around a soccer ball a few times this past week.
As I set the charcuterie board on the table, I glanced up to see Grant walking toward me from the side of the house, holding the stick he’d been carving.
“Hey, Grant,” I called over to him, knowing he sometimes needed a heads up before transitioning into a new activity. “Aunt Sloan’s friends will be here soon, so you’ve only got a few more minutes to play outside before we need to keep out of the backyard.”
“Okay,” he said, not looking up from his stick. And I couldn’t help but smile at my cute little boy, his hair messy with a few leaves stuck in it like he’d climbed a tree to retrieve the stick he was carving.
I’d just gotten a call this afternoon from the summer program we’d applied for and heard that he had gotten in, which was such a relief.
I had worried about making him start over with new friends at a new school in a brand-new town, but hopefully, with the summer program having a lot of kids in it from the elementary school he’d be attending this fall, he’d be able to make friends before too long.
“Two more minutes, okay?” I called to Grant, just to remind him before heading back in.
He didn’t respond, but that was typical—eight-year-old boy selective hearing and all.
I was about to head back inside when Sloan appeared in the backyard, leading three people behind her. There was a woman with dark red hair, another with a short blonde bob, and a man with curly auburn hair and glasses.
Sloan waved them over to me. “Maddie, these are my friends Rosalyn, Jennifer, and Freddy,” she said, pointing to each of them in turn. Then gesturing to me, she said, “And this is my niece Maddie who just moved to town.”
“Nice to meet you, Maddie,” Rosalyn said with a warm smile.
