Page 103 of Love in the Storm

Asa pressed his mouth to hers, breathing in the joy radiating from her. Every brush of her lips on his sent a crackling fire racing up his spine.

Jacob’s quick steps pounded down the hallway,and Lyric pulled back before pressing two more quick kisses to his lips.

“So?” she asked as Jacob darted into the room.

Asa stared at her. “So what?”

“How was your day?”

Oh, she had asked that. He’d just lost all of his senses while Lyric kissed him. “Fine. Pretty boring.”

“Boring is good,” she said as she pulled plates from the cabinets.

“What did you get me?” Jacob asked, peeking in the bags.

“Everyone got burgers. Yours only has lettuce and mustard.”

Jacob dug in the bag for the burger with his order written on the wrapper. “Awesome. Are we going to Beau’s?”

“Homework?”

“Done,” Jacob said.

“Then we’ll go after you eat.”

Jacob sat at the table and bowed his head to bless the food before tearing the wrapper off the burger and digging in.

“Oh! I have news,” Lyric said. “I just got off the phone with Mom.”

Asa leaned back against the counter and crossed his arms over his chest. “And?”

She rested her hands on his arms and looked up at him with a megawatt smile. “She and Dad arecoming to visit tomorrow after I get off work. Is there any chance you’d be able to come?”

“Around five thirty? I should be able to make it. Where?”

“The Basket Case. I was thinking something casual.”

“Did you tell them I’d be there?” Asa asked.

“I told them I’d ask if it worked with your schedule. They said if you couldn’t come this time, they’d make another trip to meet you and schedule further ahead next time.”

Asa rested his hands on her waist. “Are you sure you don’t want this first time to be just the three of you?”

“I’m sure. You’re a major part of my life. I’d like for Jacob to be there next time too. Maybe even your mom.”

Things with Lyric had moved fast from the beginning. She’d met his mom and Jacob early, and everything else had progressed at a quick pace ever since. Meeting her parents felt like a big step, but he was more than ready to take it. “I’d love that. Let’s plan on it.”

She pressed a quick kiss to his lips. “Thank you.”

Lyric’s phone rang on the end table. She looked at it but didn’t move to answer.

“That might be important,” Asa said.

She checked the screen. “It’s Wendy.”

The mention of Lyric’s friend had them both on edge. Wendy had been on a downward spiral since Jaycee died, and Lyric had told her to call if she needed anything. Lyric had spent a few evenings with her friend, and she was pretty confident Wendy was on the other side of her grief the last time Lyric and Asa talked about it.

Would Wendy need something small this time or was she in trouble?

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