Page 46 of Home Tears

“What? Why? Unless it’s not true. Are the girls actually hitting on you? Maybe they’re a show?” He was squirming, and she was loving it. “I bet you don’t sleep with any of them, do you? Just like that one girl you had Hawk take home and you were hiding from.”

“I’m not a whore.”

She pretended to gasp, opening her eyes wide. “What if it’s the opposite, and you don’t sleep with any of them?”

“Dani.” He groaned. “Look. I’m healthy, I’ll just say that.”

“I bet you don’t even like sex, and you bake! With flour!”

“I don’t—” He broke off and shook his head. “I like sex.”

“Do you do kinky stuff with flour?”

“Where in the hell did this come from?” He scowled, getting out of the car. Dani followed, and she led the way inside. When the lights turned on, the words died in his throat.

Dani frowned, confused at the sudden speechless look on his face.

A slow smile spread across his face. “You look happy.”

She was. Dani frowned. How could she be happy? She turned away sharply.

“Don’t.” He grabbed her arm and pulled her back. “Don’t shut down because you’re experiencing a moment of happiness. You got your mom’s picture.”

Dani looked down to her mother. It was like the world righted itself, just for that moment. “She died when I was nine. I just have these little bits of memories of her. I think we were happy. Her, me, Julia, and Erica. The four of us.”

“I bet you’re just like her.”

“No.” Dani shook her head. “Erica was like her. Everyone loved my mother. She had this warmth about her.” That was what Dani remembered. She’d been the dreamer, but she inspired everyone else to dream. Erica had the same charm. “I think I’m like my father, whoever he was.”

She placed the photograph on her dresser. She’d hide it the next day, but she wanted to see it before she slept and when she woke. She wanted to see her mother bathed in the morning’s sunshine, no matter how cheesy that sounded.

Jonah was waiting in the doorway.

Why was he different than Boone? Why did she allow him to see her when she shut out everyone else?

Caught in a spell, Dani stood there and held his eyes. Slowly, his eyes moved back to her lips. Dani caught her breath. Neither moved.

And his phone rang.

She jumped while Jonah cursed. “Yeah?” He turned and moved back into the living room.

Dani sat on her bed and exhaled. Lying down, she closed her eyes and listened to Jonah’s one-sided conversation. Aiden wanted to know where he was and if he was going to Mae’s Grill. Jonah didn’t know. Why not?

Dani grinned as she heard Jonah successfully block that trail of questions when he asked if Robbie was bringing Lori or Brooke. Even from the bedroom, she could hear Aiden go off, ranting about both of them.

Jonah moved to the doorway and watched her back. That phone was pressed to his ear, but his eyes were on her. Hers were on him, and for a moment, Dani knew what she wanted. She sat up, still holding his gaze, and he murmured, “No, Aiden. I don’t know. I’m working tomorrow.”

Aiden’s voice was even clearer. Could he barbeque with Bubba? You know it’s Bryant’s favorite meal. And he hasn’t seen you for a few days.

“Aiden,” Jonah interrupted. “I don’t know. I’ll try. I took Bry and Amalia swimming recently.”

She knew, but she was just saying. Bryant misses his favorite uncle.

The guilt trip worked wonderfully because Dani heard Jonah sigh, “I’ll come for dinner tomorrow night. Yes, I’ll barbeque.” He cleared his throat. “I have to go.”

He had never looked away from Dani. And he murmured now, tossing his phone onto her dresser, “I always fall for it. She dangles my niece and nephew, and I do whatever she wants.”

Dani heard him, but she wasn’t listening. She was paying attention to what her body was saying, what it wanted.

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