Page 4 of This Heart
With a huff, he replied, “Of course I am. This is what, my sixth time? I’ve got Gavin beat after this one.”
“Is it a contest?” I asked with a laugh. Gavin was James’s younger brother.
“Hell yes, it is. Better watch out, though, Betty Lou is going to say we’re having a fling.”
I rolled my eyes but smiled. “They would all fall over if they knew we had slept together.”
James laughed, but his eyes softened. James had been there for me one night a few months back when I had really needed someone to help me forget the awful day I had and the harsh words that had been spoken to me by Liam, who I had thought had been a friend of mine. We had told each other we didn’t want to regret it, that it was a one-time thing, and to this day, it hasn’t ruined our budding friendship.
He took my hand. “I still don’t regret it, you know.”
“Me either, but we make better friends.”
James placed his hands on my shoulders. “We didn’t do anything wrong. We were two friends who were lonely and needed someone.”
I nodded. “I know. I know.”
He bent down and looked into my eyes. “Have you spoken to Liam since then?”
With a shake of my head, I replied, “No, and it doesn’t matter. He clearly doesn’t think I was a friend to him or to Hope. But enough of that. Ready to read a story?”
James was the type of friend every woman needed. There was something about having a guy friend. When you didn’t want to share your feelings, they got it. So when I said enough of Liam Turner, he moved on.
James clapped his hands. “Show me the way. Can I pick the book?”
Without looking back at him, I replied, “Not on your life.”
“Another successful storytime,” Granny Larson said, patting me on the arm. “James is so popular with the moms, isn’t he?”
I glanced over to where five or six moms surrounded him. Now and then, one would laugh and gently touch his arm.
“Lord, they don’t even try to hide it, do they?” I said with a shake of my head.
Granny laughed. “Not at all. Look at the ones whose husbands decided to come. They look pissed.”
I had to cover my mouth with my hand to hide my laugh.
“Poor Mary, off to the side, looking on with those big doe eyes. Have they been introduced?”
I looked at her. “Of course they have.”
Her brows went up. “Have they?”
“Yesss…ohhh…right!”
“Right!” she smiled, then winked. “Go before the poor thing leaves.”
Nodding to my great-aunt, I made my way through the group of people to Mary. “Where is Winnie?” I asked.
“Oh, my dad is showing her some books. Whichever one she picks, he’s going to buy for her.”
I smiled. “I like his thinking!”
“Come on, let me introduce you to James.”
Confused, Mary went to say something but I tugged her behind me through the group of moms.
“Did you ladies enjoy storytime?” I asked with a pleasant voice.
