7. #2
I bit my lip as I thought of how big and strong they were when he hugged me outside the bathroom last night and then shivered when I imagined feeling those rough palms on my bare back. “God, I hope so.”
“For your sake, I hope so, too, but in more ways than one, if you know what I mean.”
◆◆◆
ZANE
Even though it took a few texts to convince Courtney that I was happy to postpone our first date and replace it with hanging out at her house with pizza and a passel of kids, I finally got her to send me topping preferences so I could make sure that everybody had at least one kind of pizza they liked.
On a whim, I sent Janis a text asking for a box of cookies to bring for dessert. After an inquisition about who this woman was, how many children she had, and what my intentions were with her, I walked out with two dozen assorted cookies and even a few pastries for good measure.
I was nervous on the drive over to her house, mostly because I wasn’t sure how Dayton would feel about me invading his space after what happened last night. But I wasn’t one to run away from a challenge, and I had a feeling that challenge might be the boy’s middle name.
I admired the quiet neighborhood as I drove down the street toward Courtney’s and wondered what it was like to live somewhere so calm and pristine. But then I pulled to a stop in front of her house and saw a scene more like what I’d envisioned.
“Now we’re talking,” I said as I watched her two young boys riding their scooters on the sidewalk in front of their house while her little girl drew with chalk on the driveway.
By the time I’d parked and walked around to get the boxes out of the passenger seat, I had an audience of three kids, eager to help me carry everything.
However, they took the boxes up the driveway toward the back of the house instead of through the gate into the house.
I was surprised to see a detached garage back there and even more surprised to find Courtney sitting cross-legged on the floor, reading a Chilton’s auto repair manual to a young man underneath a car.
When Courtney heard the chattering kids, she turned to see what the commotion was and smiled before her expression changed to a look of panic.
“Is it already seven?”
“Actually, I’m about ten minutes late, but that’s because I stopped to get dessert. I caught Janis before she left the bakery and convinced her to send some treats with me for after dinner.”
Courtney tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear before she stood up and started trying to wipe the grime off her hands. It was the cutest thing I’d ever seen when she brushed her hands over her cheeks to make sure they were clean and left smudges there instead.
“We completely lost track of time! I was trying to help Dawson get this car running, and we hit a snag.”
While we were talking, the young man had gotten out from under the car and was wiping his hands on a shop towel as he walked our way. I didn’t give a shit about grease and grime, mostly because I was usually covered in it myself, so I stuck my hand out and introduced myself.
The young man shook my hand and said, “It’s nice to meet you.
I heard about what happened last night, and I want to thank you for making sure they were okay.
” He frowned at Courtney before he said, “Since this one just decided to take off in the middle of the night without a word, going all over hell and creation looking for our brother, I’m really glad you were there when she needed you. ”
“She was handling herself just fine, but I thought it would be wise to remove ourselves from the scene before things got hairy.”
“They always do when Jill is involved,” Dawson said sadly. He looked over my shoulder at the driveway, and his face lit up as he asked, “You brought pizza?”
Courtney gasped as I turned around. I laughed when I saw the three younger kids were sprawled out in the middle of the driveway with open pizza boxes scattered around them while they each worked on scarfing down a slice.
“Oh, no! Let me gather them up, and we’ll go inside.”
“You don’t like picnics?” I asked as I took her hand. I pulled her toward the kids and the food and said, “They’re the best way to eat because the mess stays outside!”
“You surprise me at every turn, Zane.”
“I’m going to take that as a good thing,” I said as I sat down next to the Meat Lovers pizza. I picked up a piece and gave her a mock toast as I said, “Come get some before it’s all gone.”
Once Dawson was settled down with a box in front of him, I asked, “What are you working on in there?”
“I went to the junkyard today and got parts for the exhaust, so Courtney and I were trying to figure out how to put it together. We’re hoping to get it running by Monday so she can take it for an inspection and get it cleared to drive since she’s without wheels now.”
“Have you looked into getting a rental?” I asked Courtney.
“I used my rental car allowance for the year while my SUV was in the shop after the wreck.”
“Do you have a lot of experience working on old cars?” I asked Dawson.
“Absolutely none,” he said with a self-deprecating laugh. “I don’t have a clue of what I’m doing. That’s why Courtney was reading me directions from the manual.”
“When we’re done eating, I’ll help you get it running. I’ve got a good bit of experience with engines.”
“You don’t have to . . .”
Dawson interrupted Courtney and asked, “You wouldn’t mind teaching me a few things? There’s a lot wrong with the car, probably because it came with the house. I don’t want to even contemplate what it might cost to get it all done by a professional.”
“I’m technically a professional, but I’ll take food as payment,” I said as I rubbed my belly. “Obviously, I get paid well.”
Dawson laughed because I wasn’t really that big, just solid.
Zoey called it a dad bod, but I thought that sounded stupid.
If I spent more time in the gym, I could probably work my way toward being cut.
However, I had better things to do than waste time in a gym.
I liked to consider myself healthy, and whatever workouts I got included actual work.
Well, there were other forms of working out I liked to do, but I hadn’t had that opportunity in a while. I didn’t know Courtney well enough to ask if she’d like to join me, but if things went the way I hoped, that would happen sooner rather than later.