Page 80 of Can't Get Over You
“I’m saving room for my hot chocolate.” The boy eyed Gunnar.
“I thought you and Jude made some,” Ava asked.
“We did.” The boy blushed all the way to his ears.
“It wasn’t good?” Ava asked.
Cody gave Jude side-eye, and everyone burst out laughing.
“Hey,I’mnot the aficionado,” Jude said.
“No, you’re not.” Gunnar reached into his back pocket and pulled out two shiny red packets. Waving them, he said, “Salted caramel.” He shoved his chair back. “Let’s go.”
The boy dropped out of his chair, running to keep up with the McKenna patriarch.
As they headed into the kitchen, Boone smiled. “Bonding with Grampa. Nice.”
“It really is.” Ava’s gaze lingered on them as Gunnar filled a kettle.
“When’s your flight?” Jude asked Decker.
“I have a car coming in an hour to take me to the airstrip.” The quarterback pushed his salad aside and wiped his fingers on a napkin.
“Actually, Decker’s here for a reason,” Wyatt said. The table went silent. “We want you to know we’re all in this together.”
“If you do this, we’re doing it with you,” Boone said.
“I know I have a tough schedule,” Decker said. “But I came home when youdidn’tneed me to show you how fast I’ll be here when you do.”
Finlay sucked in a sharp breath.What a lovely thing to say.
When the three brothers put their hands in the center of the table, Jude stared at them, as expressive as a slab of granite.
Ava put her hand on top of the pile. “If you adopt him, I’ll treat your son the way I treated all of you.”
Finlay wasn’t part of the family, so she wasn’t sure if she should join them, but she had to let Jude know he could count on her, too. She added her hand. “I know you only hired me for six weeks, but I’ll do anything I can to help. As long as you need me, I’ll be here.”
Jude examined his slice of pizza. He cleared his throat. “I guess I’m doing this, huh?”
Everyone remained quiet, but the way he was already changing for this boy, making space for him, was a pretty clear indication.
“It’s a lot, you know?” Jude said. “Hard to wrap my head around.”
“Which is why we’re here.” Wyatt clapped a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “To help you get there.”
“I appreciate it,” Jude said slowly and deliberately, and she could see the effort it took for him to look each of them in the eyes. “I mean, Judge Adams isn’t wrong. I am a single bartender, and I don’t know that I’m the best man for the job.” He took a breath, looking contemplative. “But with all of you beside me, I can’t think of a better life for him.”
“Aw, sweetheart.” Ava got up and came behind him, throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him.
He reached for her hands, clinging tightly. “Thanks, guys.”
Finlay knew at that moment she’d made a terrible mistake. She couldn’t be his nanny, live under his roof, and be around his family without getting her heart thoroughly and mercilessly destroyed.
How the hell was she supposed to walk away after the holidays? She’d promised to stay in Cody’s life, but what would happen when Jude settled down? And he would. No matter what he said about not being cut out for it, he’d eventually fall in love. He’d want a mother for Cody.
Interrupting her pity party, Boone pointed at Wyatt’s last slice of pizza. “You gonna eat that?” Even as his brother said, “Yes,” the hotshot yanked his plate away.
Unfortunately, he’d thrust it near Jude, who easily snatched it up.
