She grabbed my hand. “Char, I’m sorry. I’m worried about you. I know you love him, but do you really think the man is husband and father material? He can hardly string a sentence together around Jameson.”
“That’s not true. He and Jameson talked quite a bit tonight while you were getting tangled up with Martez.”
“There was very little tangling.” She smiled.
“Regardless.” I smiled back. “Drake is trying to get to know Jameson.” Sure, he wouldn’t slide in his socks with us or join our nightly dance party. That’s not really his style. But he did come in for bedtime, and he made notes of all the books in Jameson’s room. He’d even told me I was a great mom and that motherhood suited me. “But you don’t need to worry. I don’t have any delusions about Drake and I having a future together.” Maybe some daydreams, but definitely not any delusions. “He’ll be leaving in a couple of days and that will be that.”
“What do you mean, that will be that? What about Jameson? He doesn’t want a relationship with him?” she seethed.
“I don’t know, Izzy. We haven’t talked about the future. I’m trying to let Drake ease into this. He’s still in shock, and quite honestly upset with me for keeping Jameson from him.”
“Well, I guess that’s a good sign,” she half-conceded. “If he were apathetic, I may have to slap him.”
“Oh, you know you want to anyway.” I grinned.
“I totally do, but I will refrain, as I don’t believe in physical violence.”
“How benevolent of you.” I smirked.
“My benevolence is running thin. Did you know he told Martez to be careful with me? Like I’m a psycho or something?”
“Did you ever stop to think he was trying to protect you, not Martez?” Which suddenly made me worry. Did Drake know something about Martez? Surely he wouldn’t have someone working for him he didn’t trust. Or come to think of it, he could actually think Izzy was a psycho. I mean, she’s not, but she’d always come off as the crazy big sister to him.
“I doubt your baby daddy is trying to protect me,” she snarled.
“Please don’t call him that. It makes me feel like I belong on the Maury Povich show.” Good ole Maury and his baby daddy reveal episodes.
“I’ll give you that.” She laughed. “At least the jerk isn’t demanding you take a paternity test.”
“Izzy, he knows Jameson’s his. I can tell by the way he looks at him. Like he’s seeing himself. It’s sweet.” Sure, the man could hardly express a thing, but it’s all there in his eyes. Everything I wanted but couldn’t have because something inside of himself, or in his past, was preventing him from being human. I just wish I knew what that was.
“Char, you and Jameson need someone who can be sweet for more than a couple of days. Just remember that.” She let go of my hand. “I’m ready for my ice cream now.” She grinned.
Now I felt like I needed some, after that lovely piece of advice. I wrapped my arms around myself. Izzy was right. Jameson and I deserved someone who was in it for the long haul. Odds were, it wasn’t going to be Drake.
Chapter Thirteen
Drake and Jameson continued to bond over movie clips and their love for cinnamon French toast during breakfast. Then I dropped Jameson off at school and headed to the attic. I was in search of some old photos of the inn I wanted to display near the check-in area for the dance. It was also a good excuse to be alone. Drake was on a video call running lines with his new costar. Martez was helping translate when needed. And Izzy was giving the carpenter the what for, for not showing up yesterday like he had promised. She was probably still blushing too. All throughout breakfast she and Martez kept smiling at each other covertly. I could tell Martez would like the opportunity to knock Izzy’s socks off with another round of kisses, but I wasn’t sure if Izzy would be amenable.
Women need a reason to kiss someone. Men, for the most part, just need an excuse—like she’s willing and able and has a pulse.
Honestly, I was a bit worried about Drake’s warning to Martez. I would have to talk to him about it later. Not that it would matter. They were leaving on Sunday, two days from now. Drake had some pressing meetings and an award show or two to attend this month. Appearances were everything. Not only that, but the after-parties were a time for rubbing shoulders with all the right people. It’s how Drake had gotten the part of Kaden Chandler. He’d just happened to run into the director at one of those parties, and as luck would have it, the actor they had originally hired had backed out. That guy had to be kicking himself. The Kaden Chandler Chronicles had made billions and was still going strong.