Chapter 34
CHAPTER 34
JACE
The bell above the door jingles when I push it open and greedily inhale the sweet scent of pastries and coffee. I scan the busy room, pausing on the small figure waving excitedly from the back corner.
“Go join Coop. I’ll be over in just a sec.”
Beckham takes off, weaving through the crowded tables and I move towards the counter. The door to the kitchen opens and Kinsley comes rushing out, tray full of steaming food. She glances at me and her previously exhausted expression breaks into a beaming smile.
She mouths ‘one minute’ and I nod. Leaning against the counter, I make sure I’m off to the side so that I’m out of everyone’s way and watch her glide across the room.
I spot Rose sitting at a table with other ladies, leaning in to whisper before blatantly pointing in my direction. I wink and the women giggle, one of them stopping Kinsley as she passes.
She leans down and her cheeks blush at whatever the older woman is saying. She glances at me and I finger wave. Straightening, she says something to the table of ladies that have them cheering her on as she walks away.
Shaking her head, she greets the new guests and makes her way to me.
“Jace,” she hums.
“Kinsley.”
Her shoulder brushes my arm as she passes by and I turn, watching her slide behind the counter. She looks over her shoulder while she prepares a drink. “Three days in a row. Careful now, or I’ll start to think you might like me or something.”
You have no idea.
Clearing my throat, I lean with my forearms on top of the pastry case as I glance to the front door when it opens. “You weren’t kidding when you said it was busy.”
She turns completely, holding out a latte for me, her eyes glittering in the sunshine. “It’s because of you. The post you made on your socials is what did this.”
My eyebrows raise in shock. “Seriously?”
“People have been asking for the ‘orgasmic’ croissant all morning.” She quirks a brow at me and I chuckle.
“I wasn’t lying. It was the best thing I’ve ever experienced. I’ve had dirty, dirty dreams about that croissant.” And about the woman who made it.
Her eyes flash and she puts a bag on top of the case, leaning in. “You haven’t experienced all I have to offer yet.”
I lean in, matching her tone. “Is that an invitation, angel?”
Her eyes dance between mine and my heart speeds up, my body growing hot as her gaze drops to my lips. My hands flex on the glass as I restrain myself from jumping over this pastry display, threading my fingers into her hair, and slamming my lips on hers, claiming her for all the patrons here to see.
Someone bumps into Kinsley as they pass behind her, breaking us out of our heated stare down and she blinks. “Let me go grab Cooper’s things. I’ll be right back.”
I watch her disappear down the hall until she’s out of sight before pushing off the counter and heading towards the boys. I’m halfway there when a hand on my forearm stops me.
Looking down, I smirk. “Rose. Lovely as ever.”
“Charmer as always. Jace, I want to introduce you to some of my friends. This is Gwen, Betty, Ada, and Gertie.”
I nod towards the four older women. “Ladies, lovely to meet you.”
“We’ve heard so much about you,” Betty coos.
I chuckle. “All good things I hope.”
Gertie’s eye’s trail me up and down. “Pictures didn’t do you justice, my boy.” I huff a laugh as she leans over the side of the table. “What size shoe are you?”
Rose backhands her arm. “You know very well that shoe size has nothing to do with it.”
“That was one man and it’s not my fault I didn’t realize they were clown shoes.” She looks back at me and wiggles her eyebrows. “But you’re right. This one has BDE in spades.”
I glance at each of them. “BDE?”
Betty leans over, smiling from ear to ear. “It means big di?—”
“Here you go,” Kinsley says loudly, sliding up next to me. She lifts the bag up and I take it, not missing when she glares at the giggling group of ladies.
Sparks ignite when she places her hand on my arm, trying to guide me away from the table. “Let’s get you boys out of here before they corrupt you more than they have already.”
“I have a feeling he’ll be the one doing the corrupting,” Rose calls out as we walk away.
Kinsley’s cheeks flush as I chuckle and she mockingly glares at me. I smile when we reach the boys’ table. “Who’s ready to go swimming?”
They both hop around in their chairs, arms held high. “Me!”
Kinsley squats by Cooper’s chair and brushes his hair from his forehead. “Be good and listen to Jace and the others today, okay?”
“Yes, Mummy.”
“Good boy.” She kisses his head as she stands. “We close around six, but it usually calms down before then. I can always come get him?—”
“We’ll be here at six.”
She sighs before popping up on her tiptoes and I freeze when her lips brush my cheek. Pulling back slightly, her eyes dance between mine. “Thank you for this. You’re amazing.”
You are.
Someone calls her name from the kitchen and she glances over her shoulder before facing me again. My lips twitch and I jut my chin towards the kitchen. “Go.”
She nods, bending to place one last kiss on his head. “Okay. Have fun. I love you.”
“Love you, Mummy.”
She glances at me with a smile before dashing across the bustling shop and diving into helping the others behind the counter.
I love you.
I turn to the boys and clap. “Ready?”
They nod and I follow them as we make our way to the front with a slight pit stop for Rose to give each of us—there was no way she wasn’t including me—a kiss on our cheeks, to which the boys furiously try to wipe at their faces to get rid of her red lipstick.
“Well lookie who it is.”
“Uncle Lawson,” Cooper cheers as they load into the car.
“Are you ready to have some fun?”
“Is Uncle Ryder coming too?” Beckham asks as he climbs into his seat.
I help buckle him into his seat as Beckham finishes fastening his. “Yep and guess what.”
They both look at me with bright curiosity. “What?”
“He’s bringing Uncle Nik with him too.”
They gasp and Cooper whispers, “It’s a boys’ day.”
I smile, ruffling his hair. “It’s a boys’ day.”
By the time we pull into my parents’ driveway, the boys are vibrating in their seats from excitement. Lawson and I have barely opened the doors before they take off running for the house. We follow behind them, pausing at the door when Ryder pulls up.
I squint at the six packs in both his and Nik’s hands. “Are those root beers?”
“Blake sent us over with them. Thought the boys would get a kick out of having a ‘drink’ with the guys.”
“Your wife is awesome and way too good for the likes of you.”
“Don’t I know it,” he chuckles.
We make our way to the backyard just as the boys come flying down the stairs in their swimming trunks.
“Oi, Coop. Let’s get your vest on.”
He shuffles over and I help him snap the floating vest on before he takes off after Beckham. Standing up, I reach down and pull my shirt over my head, throwing it at Ryder when he whistles.
Sneaking up behind my victims, I scoop the boys into my arms and they giggle as I make a run for the pool, jumping into the deep end.
We take turns tossing each of them round in the water until our arms are on the brink of giving out, sighing in relief when they ask if we can take a break to eat a late lunch. The root beer is—no surprise here—a hit and we send photos to the girls.
“Heard from the she-devil recently?” Lawson asks.
I give him a warning glare, glancing at Beckham where he and Cooper sit munching on their peanut butter and jelly sarnie.
“She gets back Saturday. Asked if she could have Becks for the night.”
His eyebrows shoot up. “What did you say?”
“She’s his mum, Law. What was I supposed to say?”
“How about ‘wow, how gracious of you wanting to play mum for a night when you haven’t bothered to even pick up the phone and call your son the past month we’ve been gone.’”
“Or ‘how convenient that you’re coming back right as we’re about to leave again and only have time to spend just the one night with him,’” Nik chimes in.
“Or ‘nah, we’re good, catch you next time,’” Ryder quips, sipping on his root beer.
Lawson snaps, pointing at him. “That’s the winner. Short and sweet.”
Sighing, I lean back in my chair and groan, scrubbing a hand down my face. “There’s nothing I can do lads. I’m not going to outright keep him from her.”
Lawson shakes his head. “I still can’t believe you fell for her tricks.”
Ryder shrugs. “At least he saw her for who she really was before it was too late.”
Nik tilts his head. “I’d say her having his kid goes way beyond that.”
The guys hum, all of us glancing over as the boys start cleaning up their trash and disappear into the house. “I’d do it all over again if it meant I’d have him though.”
A couple minutes later, there’s a tap on my shoulder. “Dad?”
“Yes, Beckham?”
“We’ve been really good.”
I bark out a laugh. “That you have.”
“Granny Rose said that when someone’s been good, they deserve a reward,” Cooper muses and I choke on my spit knowing damn well that lovely, but pleasantly dirty old ninny isn’t talking about something as innocent as ice cream.
I nod and they pull their hands in front of them, each holding multiple kid size containers of lemonade flavored Italian Ice. “We brought some for everyone,” Cooper cheers.
The boys hand the lads their treats before crowding onto my chair, each of them sitting on one of my legs. Cooper’s shoulders do a familiar wiggle as he takes his first bite and I watch with a tilt of my lips.
Gets that from his beautiful mum.
“Dad?”
“What’s up?”
“Are you and Miss Kinsley dating?”
I choke on my spoonful of ice.
“Your dad wishes,” Lawson murmurs.
“Do you?” Cooper’s twists, staring up at me.
I glare at Law and Ryder nudges his arm. “Kids hear everything, don’t you know that?”
“Yep,” Beckham hums around a spoonful.
My hands are suddenly clammy and good god who turned the sun up a million notches? I give the boys my attention again. “Why are you asking?”
Becks shrugs. “Aunt Sydney says that if two people spend a lot of time together then they are in love. And you are with Miss Kinsley a lot .”
The boys steady themselves on the table when I shift in my seat. “No. We aren’t together.”
The disappointment on each of their faces mirrors the break in my chest as I grit out the words. Cooper twists his lips, much like his mother when she’s thinking about something she probably shouldn’t say but does it anyway.
“Yet?” Yep. Just like that.
The lads snicker and I send each of them a glare as I shift the boys so they’re facing me more. “Why are you two really asking?”
Beckham sucks in a long breath before saying at lightning speed, “I’ve always wanted a brother. Someone I could go on adventures with like you do. Cooper’s my best friend and I thought that maybe if you and Miss Kinsley were together then that would mean we really could be brothers.”
I’m stunned silent as he stares up at me. My mind scrambles for something to say and it isn’t until Lawson shifts in his seat, catching my eye, that I find the words.
“You know that you two can be brothers even if me and Kinsley aren’t together.” I nod towards the lads. “How do you think I ended up being stuck with these three nincompoops?”
The boys giggle as the lads all scoff, mumbling how it’s really them stuck with me.
Cooper sobers, tilting his head. “Do you not like my mummy?”
Very much the opposite. Kinsley Hope Jones has ingrained herself in my soul. Hell, she is my soul. I gave it to her willingly that day eight years ago.
I’d give it all up for her. For you. For this family.
“I do, Cooper,” I whisper. “I do like your mum.”
“So then you and Mummy are together.” He slurps up the remnants of his treat.
Lawson chuckles. “Not quite how that works, lads.”
His little eyebrows furrow. “But if he likes Mummy and she likes him, then that means they are together. Right?”
My ears perk. “You think your mum likes me?”
He nods, licking his spoon. “I heard her talking to Granny Rose when we got home last night.” He pauses, looking at me with worry. “Don’t tell her I was easy dropping.”
I huff a laugh. “Eavesdropping.”
The boys lean back against my chest, playing with the rings on my fingers as Cooper sighs. “Then how do we know if you are together?”
“Well, first I’d take her on a date.”
His head tilts. “What’s a date?”
“It’s where we spend time together, usually over dinner.”
He hums, glancing at Becks.
“Then it’s settled,” my son declares, smiling at Cooper.
My eyes dart between them. “What’s settled?”
They giggle and I glance at the lads who shrug.
They don’t bring it up again over the next few hours and I have half the mind to think it didn’t even happen. But the soft chuckles of the lads every now and then when Cooper talks about his mum’s favorite food or activity is a good reminder.
We’re pulling up outside of the coffee shop at five till six when I pin them in their seats with a curious glare. Their whispered conversation halts and they look at me with wide eyes.
“What are you two little schemers up to?”
“Nothing,” they say in unison.
I squint at them, but something catches my attention through the window. My lips part as I watch Kinsley dancing around the shop, her head thrown back as her lips move.
The boys climb out of the car and I follow as they bolt into the shop.
“Oh my gosh!” She startles, turning the volume on the speakers down.
Cooper and Beckham crash into her legs and she laughs. “Did you have fun today, my little monsters?”
They nod and Beck shares a look with his partner in crime.
My eyebrows furrow. “Boys?—”
“Will you go on a date with my dad?” Beckham blurts out.
“Like where you spend time together over dinner?” Cooper tacks on.
I stand there frozen as she glances from them to me. “I?—”
“He likes you like you like him.” Cooper breaks away and grabs my hand, pulling me over. “I asked.”
She croaks a disbelieving laugh, her cheeks flaming. “Your wingmen are a little younger than most, don’t you think?”
I shrug. “Gotta do what you gotta do to get the girl.”
She hums and I clear my throat, I stuff my suddenly shaking hands into my pockets as my eyes settle on her bright ones. “What do you say? Dinner? Saturday?”
She watches me a moment before she slowly nods. “I’d really like that.”
I see the boys high five out of the corner of my eye but I don’t look away from her. I can’t look away from her because…
Holy shit. I have a date with Kinsley Jones.