Page 22 of Needing You

She tucked her arms tight to her chest, which did beautiful things for her chest, so I focused on my own drink to avoid enjoying it a little too much. Honestly, who does that? Admire a woman’s breasts while she’s baring her heart aboutyour own son.

Fuck.

But also, I hadn’t gotten laid in an eternity, and being faced with what was virtually the most forbidden fruit of all time did not help. Especially when I’d made a baby with that fruit, and it’d only grown to be sweeter and more alluring in the years since that very first time.

Holy fuck, man, get a grip.

“He does. I respect that. I’m trying to give him space. He deserves the time to work through whatever he’s feeling and tofeelwhatever he’s feeling. I just… I miss him.”

A pang of understanding for her ripped through me. If I understood anything, it was missing people. I’d missed home, missed family, missed my twin, my mom, my idiot younger brothers, and my baby sister. And then of course, I’d missed Kate more than I’d ever admit to anyone.

And lately, I’d missed my son. In a way that didn’t make any sense, because how could I miss him when I hadn’t known him? But I felt this retroactive missing and longing for him.

To have that closeness with him and see it dwindle would be painful. Especially when all her choices had been with him in mind. I didn’t agree with many of them, but I did believe she’d always done her best. I didn’t relish her suffering because of it, even if I didn’t feel completely at peace with things between us.

Despite the years and pain and an insane history I was only beginning to grapple with between us, I reached out and laid my hand on the table, palm up. “I’m sorry, Kate. That really does sound awful.”

Her dark eyes found mine again, and she settled her palm against mine, fingers sweeping over my wrist. Something about her taking my hand gave me a barreling sense ofrightness, like somehow this small moment brought us together in ways a torrid night of satisfying our bodies wouldn’t come close to.

“Thank you. I’ve never been able to share stuff like this with anyone. It feels… really good.”

Damn me for thinking it, but all I wanted was to make her feel good. In this way and any other way she’d let me. But instead of ruining our heartfelt conversation with my lustful assholery, I held onto her a little tighter and said, “You’re not alone in this anymore, Kate.”

11

KATE

“I need to shop for Brenna and Connor’s wedding,” Ellie announced, peering at the screen of her phone before setting it down next to her coffee.

I frowned as I refilled the white ceramic mug on the table in front of her. “Where are they getting married again?”

“Nashville. It’ll be a small, private ceremony. The reception is at some rustic barn venue, but judging from the photos she’s sent me, it’s fancy as hell.”

April smirked. “She’s a small-town girl at heart, but Brenna Walker is stillBrenna Walker.”

Sighing dreamily, I let myself imagine what that would be like as I stared out the window over my friends’ table. Not so much the country music superstar thing… but if I could make good money doing what I loved as Brenna had—and damn Will for even putting the idea of owning a cupcake store in my head—my son would be so proud of me. I wouldn’t be “having coffee” with the girls in tiny breaks while I was technically alsoservingit to them and my other customers. And I damn sure wouldn’t have to calculate items in my shopping cart before determining if I could allow myself to indulge in more expensive ice cream or not.

Which, by the way, hadn’t been the case the other day when I’d run into Will. After he’d left to meet up with his mom, I’d finished tallying my cart and realized that no, it wasn’t the day for the good ice cream and second-from-the-bottom-shelf wine. In fact, it wasn’t even the day for cheap ice cream and bottom-shelf wine.

And like a jerk, I’d not only called Will out when he wanted to buy our groceries, but I’d turned him down. As if taking his money to feed his son would be such a horrible thing. The kid eats like he’s three or four people instead of one, and honestly, if Will wanted to help Jackson thrive while I was merely surviving, why shouldn’t I let him?

Oh, right, because Jacksonisthriving, and it’s not Will’s responsibility to make sure I do too.

“Uh, earth to Kate,” April said, waving her hand in front of my face. “Where did you go?”

Startled, I shook my head with a short laugh. “Sorry. Daydreaming.”

“About?” Ellie prompted, scooting deeper into the booth and looking around the near-empty diner. “Come on, sit for a minute. We came at a slow time for a reason.”

Shifting my gaze toward the few customers who lingered after the morning rush, I figured I had time to sit for a beat before the lunch rush started. Nodding, I slipped onto the red leather seat beside Ellie and put my trusty carafe in front of me. “Damn, I should have brought myself a mug.”

Always quick on her feet, April twisted in the booth and snagged a clean one off the empty table behind her, then placed it in front of me with a wag of her perfect brows. “Voila.”

I poured coffee into the mug with a smirk and nod of thanks, shaking my head at Ellie when she tried to pass me the tiny silver pitcher of cream. Which, of course, only served to remind me of not only my money troubles but of Will too.

“Tell us quick, before you have to rush off,” April pressed, holding her own mug of coffee between her hands.

“Well, as you know, Will and Jackson have been hanging out a lot, but I haven’t seen much of Will myself, so when we ran into each other at the grocery store—”

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