Chapter Thirteen #2
Summer smiled so hard her cheeks hurt. Listening to the chaos on the other end felt almost as good as being there in person. She missed and loved them all so much, but she was glad they had this time together.
Vander moved around the kitchen, making coffee. She could feel him listening too. Every now and then his mouth twitched like he was trying hard not to laugh outright.
“The Grand Canyon’s huge, Mom. Like…really huge. And we got ice cream after, but it wasn’t as good as Vander got us.”
Her chest gave an unexpected squeeze. She sliced a sideways glance at Vander but only his profile was visible, and it didn’t give away anything about how Ben’s words made him feel.
When he pivoted away from the coffeepot, mug in hand, their eyes met. A glimmer of warmth moved across his face.
“Next time you should get the banana split too, Mom. Then all three of us will have the same thing!”
They shared a grin, and suddenly this all felt real. Permanent.
He’d woven himself into their lives so naturally she couldn’t picture him anywhere else.
Tears clogged her throat, and she was grateful for Ben’s little boy ramblings to fill the space. He was back to talking about the canyon and hiking trails and a squirrel that stole part of Grandpa’s sandwich.
She listened attentively to every word even as her mind was whirling with the realization that the man standing feet away from her, muscle flexing as he brought his mug to his lips belonged with them.
There was no longer a “someday” on the calendar of her mind.
He belonged with her now. And forever.
Her heart swelled with happiness she didn’t fully trust not to be snatched by the wind and torn out of her grasp.
“Mom?”
She blinked quickly, recovering from her emotions. “Sorry, buddy. I’m listening.”
“You got quiet.”
“Just miss you. And Grandma and Grandpa too.”
“Aww.” Ben drew out the word with his own dramatic flair. “Don’t cry, Mom.”
Vander’s mouth tipped at one corner around the rim of his coffee mug.
“I’m not crying.”
“Grandma says women cry when they’re emotional.”
“What? Tell Grandma I’ll be having a talk with her later about that.”
“Uh-oh, Grandma. You’re in trouble!”
In the background came her mother’s unconcerned laugh. “I’ll give you trouble, little boy. Come closer and I’ll tickle you.”
Ben’s squeal bounced through the phone, and Summer laughed with him. Vander watched her with an expression that made a tingle take up residence in the pit of her stomach, stretching heated fingers lower.
Nobody had ever looked at her that way—like she was a decadent dessert to be savored one bite at a time.
She gulped, forcing her mind to focus on what Ben was saying. After a few more minutes, he eventually yawned hard enough to hear it clearly through the speaker.
“Sounds like you’re going to need a nap before your next adventure.”
“Naps are for babies.”
“And grandmas!” her mom piped up over the line.
Emotion tightened Summer’s chest because no matter how happy she was for him getting these adventures, part of her still hated sleeping without him in the next room.
“I love you, buddy.”
“Love you too, Mom.”
The words settled around her heart, warm and familiar.
Then Ben added, “Love you, Vander!”
His head jerked up, surprise flickering across his face before a stronger emotion replaced it.
“Love you too, buddy,” he said with such ease that a lump filled every corner of her throat and she melted right there in the middle of the kitchen.
After they hung up, she stepped up to Vander. He stared down at her, a small crease between his brows as if he didn’t quite know how he’d adopted a single mother and her son.
Curling her hand around his nape, she went on tiptoe to brush her lips over his. “Ben’s not the only one who loves you.”
His fingers tightened on her waist, and he deepened the kiss. For a beat, all the emotion flowed between them. Then his phone dinged with a message, and she dropped back to her flat feet.
“You check your message. I’m going to check on Granny Helen.”
He nodded. “I’ll walk you to the door.”
Once he saw it was safe, he let her go and got absorbed in his phone.
Granny Helen was sitting outside on her wooden bench, watching two squirrels chase each other around the yard.
Helen turned toward her, studying her face before a knowing smile spread slowly across her own. “So.” She crossed her arms with an attitude Summer could only call smug. “Tell me about that man.”
Heat crept into her cheeks before she could stop it. “Oh my god.”
Granny chuckled. “There it is at last—the reaction of a flesh and blood woman. I’d say if that gorgeous man can’t rouse something inside you, he’s either doing it all wrong or you’re dead.”
She laughed at her own joke, and Summer joined her, moving quickly away from her own front door in case Vander was still nearby.
“You’ve got the look, dearie.”
“What look?”
She lowered her voice conspiratorially. “The one that says you’re completely head over heels for him.”
She opened her mouth to deny it, but what was the point? It didn’t make her weaker to love Vander—totally the opposite.
Helen squeezed her hand. “I’m so happy for you. He seems like a good one.”
Her dear friend’s words struck a chord inside her. For years, she’d convinced herself nobody decent would willingly step into the complicated mess of her life.
The single mom schedule, unpaid bills, fear of what would hit next and exhaustion. So much exhaustion.
Her own parents tried to help her find balance by giving her time without Ben, but it was Vander who changed the rhythm of her life.
She squeezed Helen’s tough, thin fingers. “I think you’re right, Helen.”
The woman’s eyes creased more with her smile. “Of course I’m right.” She released her hand. “Go enjoy your man.”
Laughing under her breath, she headed back inside, feeling wound too tight with happiness to sit still. Sun streamed through the kitchen window, bathing the space in a warm glow. Vander stood at the counter, still staring down at his phone. His shoulders were hard boulders of strain.
Concern nudged the edges of her happiness. “Everything okay?”
He glanced up and locked the screen. “Yeah.”
The way he answered told her it probably wasn’t entirely true, but before she could register what that could be—and before she could talk herself out of it—she crossed the room in quick strides.
Grabbing his shirt in both fists, she surged onto tiptoe and kissed him.