“No,” he said a little too sharp. “No.” Gentler this time. “But I want to. I’ve been trying to convince her to go out with me.” He didn’t know how much he should say—or could say without giving everything away. He should be embarrassed to admit that he’d been pining after someone who didn’t want him, but Angela didn’t seem to notice.
She smiled and patted the side of his face. “Whoever she is, she’d be lucky to have a guy like you. Just… tell her how you feel. Girls are suckers for that sort of thing.” Disappointment dripped from her words. It said a lot about the woman that she wasn’t throwing a drink in his face for leading her on.
“I’ll take that under advisement,” Mack chuckled.
“You do that.”
CHAPTER NINE
Lacey brushedthe light blond hair from her son’s forehead. His eyes drooped, and he yawned. “One more.”
She laughed, shaking her head. “It’s getting late, kiddo. I don’t think you’ll even stay awake for one more story.”
“Please?” he murmured. His arms tightened around the large gorilla in his arms, and he buried his face in the soft fur. “Just one more story.”
Lacey pursed her lips together. The kid was her kryptonite. He was the sweetest, most well-behaved kid, and if she were honest with herself, she knew it had nothing to do with how she’d raised him.
Her parents had given him the start he’d needed. As much as she despised the fact that they wouldn’t give her a chance to raise her own son, she couldn’t deny that he’d turned out okay despite it all.
His eyes closed, and she let her fingers thread through his hair again, watching carefully until she knew he had fallen asleep. He mumbled something unintelligible, and a smile broke across herface. There was nothing more important to her than this little boy. Every decision she’d made during the last several years was to get him back. She’d die before she let someone take him from her again.
Emotion swelled within her breast, and she closed her eyes to fight the burning emotion that threatened to overwhelm her. She didn’t care what her sister said. Her life was perfect—fulfilled—just because she had him in her life.
The door to her bedroom creaked open, and she lifted her eyes to find her sister hovering in the crack of the open doorway. She pushed the door open just a little and wiggled a bottle of wine back and forth.
Lacey rolled her eyes. Angela knew she didn’t drink. She couldn’t afford not to be on her A game—not when it came to looking after Bridger.
Angela must have read that reaction correctly because she rolled her eyes, too. “It’s non-alcoholic,” she whispered.
Lacey grinned, one more look darting to her baby boy. His chest rose and fell with even, rhythmic movements. He was out. After the evening they’d had, she was surprised it had taken this long for him to fall asleep. Carefully, she shifted until she could reach the edge of the bed she shared with him, and then she set her feet on the floor.
He was getting a little too old to be sharing a room with his mother, but what other choice did she have? The one-bedroom apartment was all she could afford right now, and with the everchanging economy, it didn’t seem like she’d have any chance at upgrading. Eventually, she’d probably take up residence onthe couch—not only because he’d want his privacy, but she’d want to prevent him from any teenage shenanigans.
She’d been a teenager once. She knew all about sneaking out to spend time with people who didn’t deserve her attention.
Carefully, she shut the door behind her and beamed at her sister. Angela shoved the nonalcoholic wine at her then flipped her hair and spun around. “I’ve got the good stuff for me,” she called over her shoulder.
Lacey’s brows lifted, and she released a surprised laugh. “What exactly happened between you and Mack?” She hated the way her stomach swirled with nervous energy. It wasn’t fair. She had zero interest in dating the guy. She’d insisted on as much every single time he’d attempted to ask her out. So why was she worried that Angela might have torn down his defenses and gotten him to ask her out officially like she’d been hoping for?
Because you like him.
Her skin burned at the confession, even though it was all in her head. She did like him. Angela had been right. He was really good with Bridger. Everything he did around her son was endearing and only added to how attractive he had become to her. Lacey both despised it and adored it.
Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if she had one glass of the ‘good stuff’.
Angela let out a harumph as she collapsed on the couch. She shot Lacey an exasperated look before she leaned forward and grabbed another wine bottle—the one that would definitely give her the floaty feeling she was after. She plucked a corkscrew from the coffee table and twisted it into place before prying the offensive obstruction out of the way.
Red liquid sloshed into the wine glass in Angela’s hand as she let out a sigh. “I tried to kiss him.” She squeezed her eyes shut and made a face.
Lacey gasped. “Is he a bad kisser or something?”
Angela’s eyes flew wide, and she let out an embarrassed laugh. “I wouldn’t know. He didn’t let me get that far.” She groaned, and her skin changed color—nearly matching the wine in her glass.
Relief flooded Lacey’s churning stomach. “What?” she whispered, moving closer and slowly dropping onto the couch beside her sister. “Really?” Her thoughts swirled. Why hadn’t Mack wanted to kiss her? That wasn’t normal, was it?
Her sister grimaced again. “It’s so stupid. I thought we were having a moment. He’d been so sweet to Bridger all day. He’s that kind of guy—you know, attentive and all that. And he’d agreed to hang out with us. I thought for sure he liked me.”
Lacey didn’t realize that her mouth was hanging open until her sister gave her a little shove.
