Chapter 6
Chapter Six
JOEY
“Joey. It’s so good to see you.”
“Mr. Moore, how are you?”
I adjust the basket in my arm, shaking the general store owner’s hand.
“Can’t complain, Joey. How’s that little Max of yours?”
I smile at him. “He’s great. Happiest kid you could imagine.”
“Bring him by sometime. I’ll give him a cookie from the bakery.”
“You’re too good to us, Mr. Moore. Thanks.”
“Anything for my favorite customers.”
I smile at him, waving at his retreating form. I’m sure he says that about all his customers, but it makes shopping with a kid much easier. Instead of asking for everything in the store, he is more focused on eating his treat.
Paying for everything, I make the short trip home.
Thank God for Kade because if I couldn’t borrow a truck from the ranch, I don’t know how I’d get to and from work.
I heave all of the bags into my arms and walk up the stairs to my garage apartment. It’s nothing fancy; my parents built it to help me out after Max was born. It makes it easy on them to watch him, and I pay minimal rent to them. I refuse to live here for free.
My favorite face in the world greets me as I push open the front door.
“You’re home!”
Max runs up to me, hugging my legs.
“Hi, Baby.” I set the bags on the floor and scoop him up. “I missed you today.”
“I drew you a picture.”
“Oh, yeah? What else did you do with Uncle Chase?”
A look comes over his face. “I love you, Mommy.”
I cock an eyebrow at him. That sweet I love you, Mommy isn’t fooling me. “Did you do something you weren’t supposed to?”
“Nofing.” I love his sweet voice and how he’s still stumbling over some words.
“Is Uncle Chase going to tell me something different?”
His shoulders shrug as Chase grabs the grocery bags to help me put them away.
“Tell her what you did,” Chase says.
He sucks in a deep breath. “I watched TV.”
“You know you’re not allowed to watch TV,” I say, giving him a stern look.
“But Uncle Chase was in the bathroom forever,” he whines.
“Hey!” Chase shouts from the kitchen. “It wasn’t forever.”
I set Max down and follow Chase. “What were you doing in the bathroom?”
“Cleaning my shirt.”
“What happened to your shirt?” I look down. There’s an outline of what looks like a stain smack-dab in the middle of his stomach.
“The ketchup bottle exploded when I was making Max his fish sticks for lunch. I had to clean it off and then I ended up making a bigger mess on my shirt and had to use the hair dryer so it wasn’t sopping wet.”
I try to fight the smile, but I can’t. “I don’t know who’s messier, you or Max.”
“I resent that.” Chase points a finger at me. “Clearly it’s Max. I had to do a load of laundry because he spilled his lunch everywhere and then decided he wanted to make dirt cups with real dirt.”
“Of course he did.”
“We had fun, but I made sure to give him a bath after,” Chase says.
“I appreciate it.” I turn my attention back to my son. “This means no TV time this weekend, okay?”
Max nods his head. At four years old, it’s hard to dole out punishments, but hopefully it won’t cause too big of an issue come Sunday.
“Okay, Mommy.”
“I’m going to go change, so say goodbye to Uncle Chase and then you can help me make cookies.”
“Cookies?” His eyes light up. “Okay!”
“Why are you making cookies?” Chase asks.
I set Max down. “Not that it’s any of your business, but I’m making them for Sam. He helped me out the other day when my car broke down.”
“Dad has good friends.” Chase smiles. “I’m glad he was able to help you out.”
“Me too.”
In more ways than one. The memory of feeling his lips on mine carries me into my bedroom as I change into leggings and a T-shirt.
Sam Shaw kissed me. I thought these feelings I had were one-sided. Except the only thought in my head when he pressed his lips against mine was it’s about damn time.
I’ve never felt anything so good before. I’ve been missing out these last few years if this is what it should be like. Hell, Sam Shaw should teach a master class in kissing.
Except I don’t want him kissing anyone but me.
Max and Chase’s conversation hits my ears as I head back out. There’s not much room in my apartment. My bedroom is big enough for my bed and a dresser. I have to share Max’s closet with him. The worst is sharing a bathroom. Not ideal, but we get by.
“Are you ready to make cookies?” I ask.
“And that’s my cue to leave. I don’t need any more stains,” Chase says.
“Bye, Uncle Chase.” Max waves goodbye.
“See you this weekend. Tell Rylee I said hi.”
“I will.” A dopey grin washes over his face. Even though they’ve been dating for two years, they are still crazy in love. I wish it was something I had.
Until then, it’s more bad dates and longing for attention from a certain cowboy.
“Are you ready to help?” I ask Max.
He pushes his step stool from one side of the counter to the other. “Yes.”
“What kind should we make?”
“Peanut butter kisses.”
“You got it.”
I already knew what his answer would be and pulled out what we would need because they’re his favorite. I help Max with all of the ingredients and pour them into the bowl. We don’t make these often, but I love letting him help with whatever he can.
I scoop out a tiny bit of batter and let him lick it off the spoon.
“How do they taste?”
“Yummy.”
“Perfect.” I kiss him on the cheek. “Why don’t you go play while I clean up and then we’ll each get a cookie after dinner?”
“Okay.”
Given that this place is so small, it’s easy to keep an eye on him while cleaning up as he plays with his dump trucks.
The rest of our night goes by in the blink of an eye. Playing games. Dinner. Cookies. Books before bed.
It’s the pre-bedtime snuggles that I love most.
“What are you going to dream about tonight?” I ask Max, pulling the covers over him.
“About cookies.”
“Really? Cookies?” I brush his dark hair off his forehead.
“They were really yummy. I want more.”
“Okay. Well, I hope you have the best dreams about cookies.”
“Will you dream about cookies?” he asks.
“Hmm. Maybe.” I kiss his forehead. “Now, sweet dreams, Max.”
“I love you, Mommy.”
“Not as much as I love you, Max.”
I shut off his light, and his night-light’s glow fills the room before I close the door. I straighten everything up so I don’t have to deal with it tomorrow. After tripping over one toy and nearly breaking my arm, I will never make that mistake again.
By the time everything is done and clean, I rinse off before falling into bed. The usual exhaustion doesn’t hit.
What I’m going to dream about tonight is definitely not cookies.
My dreams will be filled with a certain sexy cowboy. One that I want to kiss. That I want to see come undone. That I want to do all the things with.
I close my eyes as I burrow into the covers. There could be a lot worse things than dreaming about Sam.
I only hope it isn’t the only place I get to do things with him again.
Because that would be a damn shame.