Chapter 16 #2
“Actually, my favorite dinner is meatloaf. Mila taught us how to make it. And she always serves it with garlic mashed potatoes and fresh green beans that she sautés in butter.”
“Oh.” Lena was clearly taken aback. “That does sound good.”
Boone watched Sadie’s internal struggle because, while she wanted to be appreciative of Lena’s offer of spaghetti, quesadillas were supposed to be tonight’s fare, and he and Sadie had both been looking forward to them.
Boone glanced out the front window, wondering once again what was keeping Mila.
“Well,” Lena said, recovering quickly. “What if we make the spaghetti tonight and tomorrow, we can do the meatloaf? It’ll be fun. The three of us cooking together.”
“You’re only staying tonight, remember?” Boone said, working overtime to temper his tone.
Lena’s smile was pure malice. She wasn’t finished fighting that battle.
Which was tough luck for her, because he wouldn’t be moved.
“I need to run out,” he said. Mila should be here, and Boone was worried that she wasn’t.
“What?” Lena exclaimed. “Now?”
Boone nodded. “You two don’t need me around like a third wheel.
You were just saying you were looking forward to spending time with Sadie.
” Lena wasn’t the only one who could manipulate situations.
“You two have a fun girls’ night, cooking and talking.
” Boone looked at Sadie. “But remember, it’s a school night.
Homework still needs to be done, and no staying up late. ”
Sadie nodded in agreement. “Okay. I only have a science worksheet to do. It won’t take long.” She looked at Lena. “I’m going to go put on my comfies, Mom. Be right back.”
Lena didn’t reply, watching as Sadie walked into her room and closed the door behind her.
“Boone. I was hoping we could eat dinner as a family.”
He frowned. “Why would we do that, Lena? We aren’t a family.”
She reared back as if he’d struck her. “But…Boone…”
“Her bedtime is nine o’clock,” he reminded her, even though he fully intended to text Sadie at that time to make sure she was in bed. God knew Lena wouldn’t enforce it.
“But—” she started again.
“Don’t wait up. I won’t be back until late.” Boone wasn’t coming back until he was sure Lena and Sadie were asleep.
Heading to his bedroom, he put on socks and tennis shoes, returning to the living room the same time as Sadie. Lena was still standing in the middle of the room, looking completely lost. If Sadie wasn’t there, Boone would have chuckled at her discombobulation.
Grabbing his truck keys, he walked outside, climbing into the cab. He drove straight to Mila’s farmhouse and parked.
When he knocked on the door, he was slightly surprised when Mila answered. She was dressed in a similar comfy outfit to the one Sadie had just put on, and her feet were covered with a bright pink pair of fuzzy socks.
“Boone,” she said, equally shocked to see him.
“What are you doing here?” he asked.
She grinned. “Last time I checked, I live here.”
“It’s Tuesday night,” he pointed out. “Why didn’t you come to the cabin?”
“I didn’t want to impose.”
“Why the hell would you think you’re imposing?” he asked, confused, trying to recall if he’d said something at lunch that might have given her that idea.
“I know you have company, Boone, so I thought I’d, um…”
Shit. “You know Lena’s here?”
Mila didn’t reply.
“Invite me in,” he demanded.
She stepped back, allowing him to pass. Closing the door, she gestured down the hallway toward the kitchen. “I’m heating soup for dinner. Need to stir it.”
Boone followed her down the hall, inhaling deeply when he entered the kitchen. “Goddamn, that smells good.”
Mila grinned. “It’s my take on zuppa Toscana,” she said, then listed the ingredients when he gave her a quizzical look. “I fiddled with the recipe a bit. Mine is Italian sausage, potatoes, spinach, and bacon. I made a loaf of sourdough as well for toast. You’re welcome to join me, unless…”
“I’m not eating dinner at my house.” Glancing over his shoulder, he realized the house was silent. “Where are Nora and Remi?”
“Still at the stables. I just got back from running soup and bread to them. They’re both committed to staying with Mama Mia until the kittens arrive.
” As she spoke, Mila opened a mason jar and added more soup to the pan, then cut four thick slices of bread from the loaf, putting them in the toaster. “Is Sadie with her mom?”
Boone nodded. “How did you know Lena was here?”
“She stopped by the winery when she first arrived.”
Boone didn’t like the sound of that. The only reason he wasn’t losing his shit right now was because Mila didn’t look mad or even upset. “Did she need directions or something?”
Mila shook her head. “She came to speak to me.”
Boone had been leaning on the counter, watching her work, but at that revelation he shifted, twisting her away from the stove so that she was facing him. “What did she say to you?”
Mila bit her lip, and Boone got the sense she was weighing her words.
Leaning down until his face was inches from hers, he narrowed his eyes. “Lie to me about this, Mila, and you’ll find out not all spankings are fun.”
Her blown pupils told him that threat had fallen way the hell short. And not just with her.
Because her suddenly flushed cheeks and heavy eyelids had attracted the attention of his cock. Now was not the time for an erection, but his dick wasn’t getting the message.
“I guess Sadie mentioned me to Lena, and she wanted to meet me.”
Boone gave her a look. “I know my ex well enough to know it was more than that. You gunning for that red ass?”
She laughed breathlessly. “Keep up with that threat, and you’ll never find out what Lena said.”
Boone chuckled, wrapping his arms around her waist, tugging her against him and letting her feel his hard-on. “Clearly the threat isn’t working for either of us.”
Mila’s hand dropped, lightly cupping him through his pants. “I know we just had sex at lunchtime, but I swear, it feels like that was years ago.”
This woman.
She was fucking made for him.
Boone gently extracted her hand from his dick. “Let’s eat and talk, and then we’ll make up for all those lost years.”
Mila giggled just as the toaster popped. “Okay. I’ll dip the soup, you butter the bread.”
They worked side by side, then carried their food to the table. Mila went to the refrigerator and pulled out an open bottle of white wine, filling two glasses.
He lifted his glass, tapping it against hers. “To us.”
Mila smiled. “To us,” she repeated.
“So…you had the pleasure of meeting the ex.” Boone hadn’t talked to Mila about Lena much, and he regretted that now.
Part of him figured he hadn’t because he didn’t like talking about Lena, period.
She was a reminder of a very difficult time in his life.
The way she’d walked out on him had left lasting scars.
The other reason was less interesting, but probably just as powerful.
After ten years, he’d gotten very good at holding his tongue about Lena because he never wanted Sadie to overhear him bad-mouthing her mother.
“She’s a very beautiful woman,” Mila mused.
Boone’s opinion of Lena’s attractiveness had been tainted over the years, the inside spoiling the outside. “She doesn’t hold a candle to you.”
“Can I ask,” Mila began, “why did you and Lena get divorced? I know you said she left you, but…what led to that?”
“Lena was young when we married. Probably too young. She was pretty and charming, a social butterfly, the life of the party, and…”
“And?”
Boone sighed. “And restless. She wasn’t suited for the quiet, steady life I wanted.
When I came home from work, I just wanted to unwind, eat dinner together, maybe snuggle on the couch in front of the TV.
Lena hated that, preferred eating out—even though we couldn’t afford it—and meeting with friends for drinks.
After Sadie was born, things became strained because those nights out were few and far between.
When she left, she said she’d had enough of boring nights and my controlling nature.
That she wasn’t cut out for the whole marriage and baby routine, and that she wanted her freedom because Sadie and I were smothering her. ”
“Smothering.”
Boone saw recognition dawning in Mila’s gaze.
“Earlier today…” She pursed her lips. “Are you worried you’ll smother me too?”
He rubbed his chin. “It’s a concern. I know I can be overbearing. I’d never want to push you away because—”
“Boone,” Mila interjected. “Nothing you described today sounded bad to me. It didn’t come across as overbearing or smothering. It sounded…wonderful.”
He frowned.
“I’ve spent my whole life dreaming of meeting a man who loved me so much, he couldn’t stand to be apart from me. Someone who’d want to spend time with me, worry about me, and want to hear what I had to say. Even if it’s boring stuff like what I did at work.”
“You couldn’t be boring if you tried, darlin’.” Boone took a bite of soup and groaned. “Jesus, that’s good.”
Mila laughed. “You say that about everything I make.”
“Because everything you make ends up being the best thing I’ve ever tasted.”
Mila playfully slapped his arm. “No pressure there.”
He winked, then took a bite of bread, aware he’d used her food as a way to avoid the Lena topic—again.
Mila realized that, too. “I’m sorry Lena made you feel like it was your fault she left. Because I don’t think that’s true. It sounds like you were two very different people. Did your other girlfriends accuse you of smothering them?”
Boone considered that, then shook his head.
“No. I parted amicably with all three of them. My high school girlfriend went off to college, and while we tried the long-distance thing, it didn’t work.
Same with the second girlfriend. She got a job in Chicago.
I couldn’t live in the big city, so we agreed it was best to walk away. ”
“And the third?”