Chapter 33
CHAPTER 33
KINSLEY
“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you got laid.” I choke on my spit, coughing uncontrollably as my head whips towards Rose. “But I know you didn’t.”
“There’s no way you know that.”
“We’ve talked every night you’ve been away. If it hasn’t come up now, then it hasn’t happened. And, you haven’t asked me to watch Cooper once since you’ve been home.”
“We’ve been home for three days. What, did you think I’d come home and immediately go out on the prowl like I’ve been away at sea for months?”
“No. That’s ridiculous. But you’re a beautiful twenty-five-year-old woman and yet my sixty-eight-year-old arse has seen more action in the past month than you have in years.”
My face twists in horror and I throw my hands over my ears. “Oh, god!”
“Something I’m sure you haven’t screamed since before Cooper was born.”
“Rose.” I glance over my shoulder to see my son bopping his head along to whatever he’s watching on his iPad while he eats. Thank the lord I decided to let him have some screen time while I cleaned up the shop.
“When did you get so dirty?”
“Do you not look at my book when we have a book club? Pink highlighter is for cute moments. Blue for sad. Yellow for happy. And red is for the spice. I’ve now been through three red highlighters in the last year.”
My jaw drops and she laughs. “I’ll pull a couple of recommendations for you.”
“Please, don’t?—”
“Nope, we’re going to pop that spicy romance book cherry.”
She shuffles over to the bookshelves and taps her chin. “Ah, this one is good.” She turns to me. “The love interest is a tall dirty blond with blue eyes.” She waggles her eyebrows. “Remind you of anyone?”
I snatch the book out of her hand. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
She hums, grabbing a few more off the shelves. “I’ll just slip these into your luggage for you.” I shake my head as she disappears down the hallway.
“So, what does have you floating around here with that smile on your face?” she asks when she walks back into the room, dropping a kiss to Cooper’s hair. “Because something’s certainly given you a new pep in your step.”
I shrug. “I’m just happy. Does there need to be a reason for it?”
“I guess not. But—” Her eyes move over my shoulder. “I have a good feeling about a big part of that reason.”
The bell over the door jingles seconds before little feet slap against the floor. I twist and brace in time for Beckham to collide with my legs, wrapping his arms around my waist.
I laugh, and ruffle his hair as he smiles up at me. “Well, hello there.”
“Hi. Is Coop here?”
I nod to the back. “He’s finishing up his lunch in the back corner. But here—” I lead him over to the counter and grab two cookies from the tray. “One for each of you. It’s a new recipe. Report back with what you think.”
“Sweet!” He takes off towards the table and I glance up as the bell jingles.
My smile is immediate as I take in the man standing by the door. He raises a hand and waves and I laugh under my breath as he closes the distance.
“Kinsley.”
“Hi, Jace.”
“Hi, Jace.” A voice echoes from my right.
I jump, clutching my chest. “Jesus, I need to put a bell on you.”
Rose shrugs, eyeing the man across the counter. “We meet at last.”
Jace chuckles. “You must be Rose.”
“I am. And you must be the pep.”
He looks at me with confusion and I roll my eyes. “Ignore her.” I discreetly pinch her side. “She says the craziest things sometimes. Never know what’ll come out of her mouth.”
“Can’t seem to stay away can you?” she asks.
I flash him a smile, breathing out a laugh. “Like that.”
“She’s right on this one though. I can’t stay away.”
Rose laughs, tilting her head towards me with a knowing look. “Smart man.”
I shake my head at her before turning to Jace. “What are you doing here? Not that I’m not excited to see you or anything. Because I am. Excited that is. Woo! Yay.”
Good lord, please make it stop.
I laugh awkwardly and glance at Rose who watches me with a perplexed look. “If that’s you flirting, maybe I should pack a couple more of those romances into your luggage.”
I scowl. “Don’t you have something you need to be doing. You know. Not here?”
She smiles. “I guess I could?—”
“Perfect. Do that, please.”
She shuffles into the back, the swinging door dancing behind her.
Jace chuckles, leaning on the counter. “We were here to see if you and Cooper had any plans for today?”
The door immediately swings back open as Rose barrels out. “She doesn’t!”
“What are y—” My words cut off with a squeak as she presses a finger into my side. I jump away, swatting but she follows until I round to the other side of the counter.
“Please. Take her.” She shoves my shoulder and I trip.
Jace catches me and I watch in shock as Rose unties my apron from around my waist before yanking it over my head. My hair flies around me and Jace coughs.
I look back at him over my shoulder and he chuckles, pulling my hair from where it’s stuck along his stubbled jaw. He grunts, his hand finding my hip as Rose pushes us towards the exit.
“Jesus. How are you so strong?” I wiggle away from her.
She reaches over, grabbing my bag from the hook and drapes it over my head. “Pilates.”
“Do you even do pilates?”
She winks. “Have to if I want to keep doing what you should be.” She side eyes Jace.
My cheeks heat and I cover my face with my hands.
“Boys,” she calls out and they come running, chocolate crumbs decorating the corners of their mouths. She leans down and wipes their faces before kissing their heads and guiding them over to us.
“Go. Shoo. Have fun.”
We stumble through the door and she slams it closed behind us. My head jerks back as she locks it. “So. What are we doing today?”
“Boys, stay where we can see you please,” Jace calls out as they run away, each holding a bag of bread. “And stay away from the water.”
“I thought Beckham knew how to swim?”
“Oh he does. I just don’t have a towel with me and he is absolutely not getting in my car soaking wet with pond water.”
I laugh, following him to a spot on the grassy hill. “That’s fair.”
We settle on the small blanket he lays out and I tip my head towards the sky, soaking in the rare spot of sunshine. The sound of the boys’ squeals draws my attention to the edge of the pond and I watch them throw bread before running away.
My eyes catch on a family off to the side. A little boy with a too big hat beams up at his dad and a little girl leans into her mother’s arms, twisting a flower. The two kids point in my direction and the four of them turn, looking towards me with a wave.
I lift my hand to wave back but searing pain pulses in my head and I squeeze my eyes shut.
“Kinsley.” Jace’s voice is laced with concern. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah. I just—” I rub my head as the pain eases. “I was just looking at that family over there and got a head rush, I think.”
I blink and look over to see him glancing between me and the water’s edge.
“What?”
“There isn’t a family there, Kinsley. I’ve been watching the area the entire time. It’s just the boys.”
My head shoots to the side and I lean up on my knees, twisting to look around. When I don’t see the family anywhere, I slowly lower back down. “I could have sworn…” My words drift off and I shake my head.
I turn and he watches me with concern rippling off of him. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
Something familiar skitters down my spine and I sigh. “Yeah, I just feel like I’ve been here before. But I could have sworn I haven’t.”
He swallows and opens his mouth to say something, but his eyes dart to the side and he shoots to his feet. “Beckham Edward Collins! Put that duck down right now!”
I follow his gaze, my jaw dropping. Cooper’s mid lift with his own duck and I dart to my feet. “Oh my god, no!”
The boys look at us with victorious smiles. “Can we keep them?” they yell in unison.
Jace steps up next to me. “Down.” He points to the ducks and then the ground. “Now.”
I huff a laugh when they throw their heads back and groan before letting the ducks go. “The life of a boy mum. Never truly boring is it?”
Jace chuckles as we settle back on the blanket. “Not at all. I drove my mum nuts as a kid. Didn’t help that instead of being the disciplinarian, my dad was right there getting into trouble with me.”
“Really?”
“Oh, yeah. Most of the things we got in trouble for were his ideas anyway.” He shakes his head. “I just hope I’m half the father for Beckham that my dad was for me.”
“You’re more.” He looks over at me and I smile softly. “You really are. Jace, you impress me every day with how you are with him. He is easily one of the happiest, most loved little boys I’ve ever seen.”
He looks over at his son. “I just want him to have the best life.”
“All parents do.” I bump my knee into his. “But you’re actually making that happen.”
“So are you, you know.”
I shrug. “I’m doing the best I can.”
“You’re doing amazing.”
My cheeks heat at the conviction in his voice.
“I guess it isn’t a surprise by now that Cooper’s dad isn’t around. He left before I gave birth and a few days later, signed away his rights. That’s why he has my last name.”
“I’m so sorry, Kinsley. You don’t have to?—”
“It’s okay,” I say softly. “I’d been working at the shop for a few months when he came in. After a few weeks of innocent flirting, I finally agreed to go on a date with him. Things were going well, and I guess in hindsight it was going a little too well.”
His jaw ticks and I dip my head as I continue. “I was on my way to tell him about the pregnancy when another girl opened his door. Turns out I wasn’t the only one he’d been seeing.”
Jace curses under his breath and I shrug. “When I told him about the baby, he said he was nowhere near ready to settle down and I told him that much was obvious.”
I laugh nervously and shake my head. “I said that we didn’t need to be married for him to be a part of the baby’s life. But he said he didn’t want that either. I asked him if he was sure and he said yes. He asked me if I was sure I was going to keep it…” I smile and look over at Cooper. “And I said yes.”
“You’re incredible.” I take in the look of awe on his face, my heart skipping. “Seriously. I don’t think I’ll ever stop being amazed by you.”
A flash of something shines in his eyes but he blinks and it’s gone. I duck my head, hiding my blush and fidget with the threads of the blanket.
“Thank you,” I whisper.
“For what?”
“For everything. I wouldn’t have been able to get through these last few weeks without you.”
“I’d do anything for you, Kinsley. For you… and for Cooper.”
I blink at the sincerity of his words. The wind dances through my hair and my chest rises on quick breaths as he reaches up, his fingers brushing against my cheek as he tucks a wayward strand behind my ear.
He shifts, leaning to his side and I move closer without thought. His eyes drop to my lips and I suck in a breath at the heat swirling in their blue depths when they meet mine.
His hand cups my jaw and I lean into the touch, eyes fluttering closed at the feel of his warmth. He lays his forehead against mine and rolls it side to side as if he’s struggling to hold himself back.
“Kins—”
A scream pierces the air and we spring apart. Jace helps me to my feet as he looks in the direction of where the boys were.
“Dad,” Beckham screams, tugging Cooper behind him.
“What—oh my god,” I yell when I see multiple geese trailing after them.
The boys reach us and Jace swoops down, tucking each of them under his arms as I quickly grab our things. The blanket falls from my arms and I stop, but he circles behind me.
“Leave it, it’s theirs now.”
I squeal when the geese close in on us and take off towards the car. I go to open the door but it’s locked. “Jace, the doors.”
He tilts a hip out to me. “Pocket.”
I look at him with wide eyes but he’s staring off to the side. Clenching my teeth, I shove my hand in his pocket and twist it around.
“Woah, not the keys.”
“Sorry,” I cringe.
When I feel the metal hoop, I pull them out with a cry of victory.
“Hurry. Kinsley, sweetheart. Please, hurry.” The panic in his voice increases with each word and I look over my shoulder to see the geese abandon the now battered blanket and flap their wings as they take off after us.
“What is their deal?” I shriek, clicking the unlock button.
I throw the door open and Jace tosses the boys inside. “Beckham!”
“What?”
He straightens out of the car, holding a gosling.
I slap a hand over my mouth but the laugh bursts through my fingers.
“Angel, get in the car and lock the doors.”
“You think the geese will be able to open them otherwise?” I giggle.
He rolls his shoulders and cracks his neck. “Wish me luck.”
I hum as he takes off running towards the advancing geese, holding out the gosling. “Here you go, safe and sound. My boys just wanted to show them the car, that’s all! They’re just silly little boys and you’re some silly little gooses, so you understand, right?”
A goose honks and he shrieks, setting the gosling on the ground before high tailing it back to the car. “Get in. Get in. Get in.”
The doors slam as we dive into the car, the quiet interior filling with his quick breaths. He glances in the mirror with furrowed brows. “I thought I said no.”
I look in the back and Cooper smiles shyly as Beckham answers, “You said no to the ducks. That wasn’t a duck.”
Jace’s exasperated eyes meet mine and I burst out laughing. His eyes drop to my mouth before slowly meeting mine and he sighs, his head falling back. “Freaking ducks.”