Page 45 of Ghost of a Chance
Lionel stepped into the bathroom, making the room feel overcrowded. “I didn’t, I finished work early because I had two visitors. Pennington and Mom.”
“Your mom turned up?” Hector sat up a little straighter, his voice gentle, his expression shocked.
“Yep, she’s downstairs with Niall. I figured there was a problem when the café was shut.”
“You could say that.” Hector chuckled, then kissed the downy head of the baby. “Not that you’re a problem, sweetheart, Daddy was joking.” He looked back up, but all Brad could see was the look of want in Lionel’s eyes, and despite the trauma of the day, he could feel his ovaries going into hyper-drive.
Save me from longing looks.
No way,his poodle side protested.
“I think I need to lie on a comfy bed now.” Morty’s request got everyone moving.
Lionel kissed Brad and slipped out of the room.I’ll take Mom home, and you can meet her when you finish up.
Great, I’m sure she doesn’t need to see me in this state. I smell very funky.
Not to me.
Brad’s chuckles got Toby eyeing him with curiosity, which he ignored. “Hector, what do you need help with?”
Three hours later, a takeout sack in his hands from the café—the only perk Brad could see to helping—he unlocked the front door to Lionel’s home, hearing female laughter coming from the back of the house.
He placed the sack down and headed for the stairs, hoping to get showered before meeting his mother-in-law. First impressions mattered.
When Lionel didn’t appear while he was in the shower, he tuned into his thoughts, grinning.
Lionel felt shock from his mother facing off with Pennington. Relief. Love. And something that had been lacking before. Acceptance. He wasn’t the burden he believed he was.
It wasn’t easy to follow all the thoughts as they skipped around, back and forth, despite that, Brad got the gist. There had been a heart-to-heart conversation, and with that came insight. Brad experienced Lionel’s contentment as if it were his own.
Out of the shower and dried, Brad stood in front of the closet considering what to wear for a first meeting.
Hurry up, Mom’s excited to meet you and wear whatever, she won’t care.
Alright, bossy pants.
No, that’s you…The pause was very deliberate, so Brad waited, his grin widening…and I love it
I know, and I’ll prove it later when we’re alone.
Is that a threat?
A promise.
About the alone part, Mom doesn’t have a place to stay, now she’s no longer part of the pride…
Yes?Brad tugged out a pair of old jeans and a sweater, trying to figure out what his mate wanted to say.
She’s asked for a room here…
I sense a but.Brad slipped a leg into his jeans, forgoing underwear, his mind on later, then it struck him that his mother-in-law would be down the hallway.Just a few feet away.
He wasn’t sure about that, if they were…
—your house? What do you think?
Huh?
