“Coming right up!”
I return with s’mores…and his sisters. I try to hide my disappointment as I hand him the marshmallowy treat on a stick. Guess it’d be selfish to expect to have him all to myself all night. Verity helps Sibella lower onto the blanket, then sits next to her, leaving plenty of space next to Jackson, where I plonk my ass.
Verity lifts her glass, and Sibella yells for everyone to stop yacking, clearing the way for Verity to make a toast.
“I’ll keep it short. To family. To meeting wonderful new people. To enjoying the moment we’re privileged to share with each other.” She smiles as she looks at Sammy, then shifts her eyes to me. “And to a night of firsts.”
I lift my cup with a big smile on my face. “Cheers!”
Whatever weird juju that was here when we first walked in is totally gone. I’ve spent some quality one-on-one time withJackson, and if his sister’s innuendo is innuendo-ing what I think it is, it sounds like there might be a possibility Jackson and I could end the night with more than just talking?
Sibella starts taunting Jackson with more pregnancy talk as I watch Sammy take big, messy bites of his first s’more. Wagner looks on in horror at first, but when Sammy gazes up at him, all sticky fingers and gooey smiles, he beams at his son like the proud papa he is.
The thing that keeps distracting me is being acutely aware of how close Jackson and I are sitting to each other. Every once in a while, when he says something to one of his sisters, he moves and brushes his knee against mine. How can such a small touch feel like the biggest thing in the world?
“Okay, everyone. Get ready. The fireworks are due to start in T-minus two minutes,” Chris yells out.
Verity pulls Sibella off the ground as everyone scatters to grab drinks and find a good spot to watch the show, leaving Jackson and me alone again.
“I didn’t mean to hog you all evening,” I say, getting up.
“You’re fine. I actually kind of enj—” Jackson stops when he can’t lift himself off the blanket. I don’t know if something is up with him, but instead of sticking my nose where it’s not wanted, I extend my hand. “Here.”
“Oh, thanks. I’m just a little…”
He never finishes the thought. His rough hand slides into mine, sending tiny sprinkles of heat shooting up my arm. Once he’s standing, I reach down and hand him his cup.
“Thanks.”
He takes it from me, our fingers connecting. I don’t move. Neither does he. His green eyes flick to meet mine. I let out a shuddery breath, inching forward toward him as he leans almost imperceptibly closer to me.
With my heart galloping in my chest, I reach my hand out?—
“Uncle Kick! Come on! It’s starting soon. Hurry!”
Sammy barges into me, and in a flash, my second chance for a kiss with Jackson vanishes.
“I should, uh, probably go over to Clancy,” Jackson says, jamming his hands into his pockets. “We always watch the fireworks together. It’s kind of our thing.”
“And it looks like I’ve been summoned.”
Jackson looks at me, then drops his gaze to the ground, smiling. “Thanks for the chat. I enjoyed it.”
“I did, too.”
I take Sammy’s hand in mine and walk over to where Wagner, Pip, and Clancy are leaning against the rail on the patio. Wagner pulls out a chair from the table and lifts Sammy onto it.
“Here.” Pip clears out of the way so I can stand next to Sammy and moves to the other side of Wagner.
“Thanks.”
“Nice of you to show up,” Wagner says dryly.
“Fuck off.” I lean back and say to Pip, “Please know that whatever awful impression my brother has made should not reflect on me at all. Unlike him, I actually have social skills.”
Pip smiles bashfully. “I’ve actually been having a really nice time with him.”
“You…have?”
