Thank God.Because I really couldn’t stand seeing those rings on her finger.
“Thanks, Mr. Nigel!” Jacob said.
I turned around to see Jacob playing with the glow in the dark stars I’d had Nigel pick up. Why was Nigel claiming all my gifts?
I walked over to Jacob. “We can stick these to your bedroom ceiling. So that even on cloudy days you can talk to your dad.”
“Really?” Jacob looked so excited.
“I’ll put them up for you today, okay?”
“Thanks, Coach.” He leaned forward and hugged me. “Can we go to Mr. Nigel’s house?”
“Only you,” Nigel said. “No grown-ups allowed.”
“What?” I said. “Why?”
“Because you wouldn’t understand what you were seeing.”
And a child would? That sounded like a really bad idea. “Maybe later, kiddo,” I said. “Rumor has it we get cupcakes for breakfast.”
“Cuppycakes!” Jacob yelled.
“Cuppycakes!” Nigel mimicked. He grabbed the straps of his lederhosen like he was about to undo them.
I glared at him. And I hoped he realized I was silently telling him, ‘Don’t you dare.’ Because if he got naked again, I was throwing him through his weird door.
But maybe he was just acting out because he needed more attention or something. “Thanks, Nigel. For picking up the gifts.And hanging up the portrait.” Exactly where I’d wanted it. Jacob didn’t seem to notice it or care. He was much more curious about the door. Besides, it was art. I didn’t see a problem with it being down here at all.
“I’ll frame the sheet later as well. I need to iron it first.”
That seemed like a really bad idea. But I’d learned to let Nigel do Nigel. As long as it didn’t mean he was naked on my counter and hitting on my soon-to-be-wife.
Exposed - Chapter 30
Wednesday
Brooklyn
I pulled out a tray of brownies. Baking always made me feel better. But it wasn’t the guilt that was making me feel uneasy today. Having my rings against my chest somehow eased the pain of missing Miller. I barely noticed the rings on my finger. But I noticed them pressed against my chest because it was a new sensation. The rings shifted every time I moved. A constant reminder. And it was like Miller was where he belonged…right next to my heart.
Jacob reached out for a brownie, but I grabbed his hand.
“In a minute, sweet boy. They need to cool.”
He reached out with his other hand.
I grabbed that too. “Fine, you win.” I released his hands and grabbed a knife to cut him a small piece.
He shoved the entire thing in his mouth.
I laughed. “What’s the verdict? Good?”
“Oui.”
Luckily that was one of the only French words he’d picked up from Nigel. Because I really didn’t know any French. I tickled his side and he laughed.
His laughter made me smile. I knew Miller meant what he wrote in his letter to me. He wanted me to be happy. And I was doing my best to choose that. I also felt him here in this house. I wouldn’t have loved it so much if I hadn’t felt his presence.
