“She does?”
Nick points a finger at me. “Wag your eyebrows in reference to my wife like that again and I’ll shove a boot up your a—” His eyes fall to Henry. “—butt.”
I hold a hand up. “Done. As long as you promise not to try to set me up.”
“Done. Although I think it’s something you should consider. You don’t have to stay single forever.”
I sigh and look down at Henry. He’s so stinking cute and has me wrapped around his little finger, as do Emma and Jack. I couldn’t imagine splitting my time between them and a woman who will undoubtedly want me to take her on dates and spend alone time with her.
That’s not something I’m ready for. Plus, I’m not sure how the kids would do with a woman around, especially Jack. Knowing him, he’d try to set her on fire or something else equally as crazy.
“Someday. But now isn’t the time. I’ve got enough on my plate with Jack’s attitude.”
“Is he still seeing that counselor?”
I shake my head. “Not regularly like he was. It’s more on an as-needed basis now.”
Nick frowns and then looks up and smiles when Jessa walks into the kitchen.
“Did somebody order pizza?” she says, squeezing my shoulder as she walks by. “How are you, Gray?”
“Better now that you’re here.”
She winks, sets the pizza on the counter, and takes Henry from my arms. He goes to her without complaint and reaches for her bright orange necklace.
“Look how big you’re getting.”
He babbles and wiggles in her arms.
Nick stands up and moves to her side. His hand strokes Jessa’s hip. “This is a good look on you,” he whispers, kissing her neck.
She smiles up at him. “Someday.”
The moment is intimate, but I can’t look away. The ease with which they interact is something I yearn for in a relationship—if I ever decide to enter one again. My relationship with Lorelei was tumultuous at best; we fought more than we got along. Tender moments like this were far and few between for us.
“If you two start making out, I swear I will walk out of this house and leave you with all three of my kids.”
I’m joking, but it makes Jessa laugh.
“We’ll gladly keep your kids.”
“You say that now.” I take another drink of my beer. “Wait until Jack calls you a stupid idiot or puts gum in Emma’s hair.”
Jessa gasps. “He did not!”
“It was an accident,” Jack yells from the living room.
I roll my eyes. “Why do you think we’re here?”
With Henry on her hip, Jessa pulls out the portable high chair I brought over last year, and Nick attaches it to one of the kitchen chairs. Once Henry is secured to the seat, she motions for me to grab the plates.
“Let’s eat, and then I’ll see what I can do about the gum. Go grab Jack and Emma, and I’ll start cutting up some pizza.”
“You’re a godsend. I don’t know what I would do without you guys.” I stand up and pull Jessa in for a hug, ignoring the menacing growl from Nick.
“Get your hands off my girl, and you’ll never have to find out,” he says.
We all laugh, and I turn for the living room. The house is way too quiet, which means Jack is probably engrossed in an Xbox game, and Emma is doing something she shouldn’t be.
“Jack, Emma, time to eat.” My words die on my tongue when I step into the living room.
Emma is sitting on a young woman’s lap, and that woman happens to be sitting next to Jack on the couch, watching him play a mean battle in Halo.
Jack and Emma are sitting beside each other, and they’re not screaming, pushing, poking, or spitting.
I blink, but the woman is still there, and sure enough, Jack is smiling and Emma is sitting calmly. Emma doesn’t know the meaning of calm.
She must’ve drugged them. There’s no other explanation.
“Who are you, and what have you done to my kids?”
The magical stranger lifts her head and steals my breath. Her brown eyes are big, round, and outlined by dark lashes. There’s a smattering of freckles across the bridge of her slender nose, and she has the perfect cupid’s bow at her top lip. Chestnut hair is piled high on top of her head in one of those messy bun things, and a few locks have fallen loose around her face.
My God, she’s beautiful.
And definitely not from here, because I’d remember seeing a face as stunning as hers. Although, there’s something vaguely familiar about the woman. I just can’t put my finger on it.
I stare longer than I should, and the woman’s smile falters, but only for a second. I hate that I made the kid whisperer uncomfortable. I hate it even more that my heart is beating wildly in my chest.
“I take it these angels are yours?” she asks, standing up with Emma still in her arms.
“What angels? I don’t see any angels.”
She laughs and holds her hand out. “I’m Nora.”
No wonder she looks familiar. I see the resemblance now. “You’re Nick’s sister?”
“Unfortunately. But please don’t hold it against me. We’re nothing alike. I’m the cool, smart, funny, beautiful one, and he’s, well…”
“You wish,” Nick says, walking into the living room.
He reaches for Emma. She goes right to him, and Nora flounders for a bit with what to do with her hands.
She fusses with the hem of her white, off-the-shoulder shirt.
Do I make her nervous? She’s the one who’s famous…
My eyes are drawn to the movement of her hands, but that’s a horrible move because now all I see is sun-kissed skin, smooth, toned legs, and her bare feet. She doesn’t look like a woman about to step onto a stage in front of tens of thousands of people. She looks like a country girl. I can picture her sitting shotgun in the cab of a truck, hair blowing out the window, her feet propped on the dash.
Too bad I don’t have a truck. I wonder how she feels about classic cars?
“You’ve never met my sister?” Nick asks.
I shake my head. Nick and Jessa have only mentioned her a handful of times over the years. They’re fiercely protective of her, probably because of her fame.
I definitely would remember if I had met her. She’s gorgeous on TV, but in person—without the makeup and fancy hairdo—she’s absolutely stunning.
“Nope, pretty sure I would’ve remembered,” I say, holding her gaze.
Nora’s cheeks turn pink, and she bows her head.
“Are you hungry?” Nick pokes Emma. “I think I feel an empty spot right here. And here. And—”
“Yes.” Her giggle steals my attention as she doubles over in his arms.
“Then let’s eat. Jessa got a cheese pizza just for you.”
“Cheese is da best.”
“My kind of girl.” Nora walks past Nick, tickling Emma on the way, and disappears into the kitchen.
“I wike her,” Emma says.
Nora’s scent lingers in the air. Spicy with a hint of sweet that leaves me wondering if she tastes as good as she smells.
Christ, I’m fucked.
My body hasn’t reacted to a woman in years. Of course it would react to her: young, beautiful, innocent, and way the hell out of my league. And now I have to sit through a dinner with my kids, my best friends, and America’s sweetheart while sporting a hard-on.
“You didn’t tell me your sister was coming to visit.”
“It was sort of last minute,” Nick says quietly. “She just got here yesterday.”
“She leaving soon?”
Nick looks at me funny. “No, she’ll be here all summer.”
I blow out a breath and turn toward the kitchen. “I might need another beer.”
“Yeah. Sure.” He looks in the direction his sister walked and then back to me. “You all right, man?”
“Great. I’m great.” And not at all attracted to your little sister. Because that would just be weird and awkward and
stupid.
So, so stupid, because what would a woman like her ever see in a guy like me?
Not to mention, she’s a freaking pop star. If that doesn’t have disaster and drama written all over it, I don’t know what does. And if there’s one thing I don’t need in my life, it’s drama. I’ve had enough of that to last me a lifetime.
6
Nora
“He’s single,” Jessa whispers as she reaches around me to put a dish in the sink. “I saw you trying to get a look at his left hand during dinner.”
Way to be discreet, Nora. Hopefully Mr. Sexy Single Dad didn’t notice.
“Oh, I wasn’t… I was just—” Okay, yes, I was totally checking him out. But how could I not? He’s sexy—clear blue eyes, twin dimples, and a smile I’m sure could land him any woman he wants.
My eyes drift into the living room and zone in on the man whose name I somehow still don’t know. He’s lying on the floor with his head propped on his hand, and his long, jean-clad legs stretched out while he plays with the two youngest kids. His ball cap—which barely contains his blond hair—is on backwards, and his black T-shirt stretches tight across his chest.
Emma jumps on him. I smile when he catches her, rolls to his back, and tosses her into the air. His arms are toned, more so than any guy I’ve ever dated, and it makes me wonder if he could pick me up as easily as he does his daughter.
Wait. What?
The thought is a little alarming. I don’t even know this guy, and here I am thinking of him picking me up. I shake my head and turn back to the sink.
“Don’t be embarrassed.” Jessa nudges me with her elbow and puts away the plate I hand her. “Grayson might look a little rugged, but he’s the sweetest guy.”
From where I’m sitting, rugged isn’t a bad thing. It sure as hell beats the metrosexual men I’m used to. There’s nothing worse than being with a guy who takes longer to get ready than I do.
“Grayson.” I roll his name around, letting it float through my head. Strong and sexy. It suits him.
“We call him Gray. Do you remember me telling you about my friend Lorelei?”
“The one with the drug problem?”
Jessa frowns and looks at the sink. “Yeah. Gray is her ex-husband, and those are her kids.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah, oh.” Her sad eyes find mine. “They’ve been through a lot.”
“I can’t imagine. He seems like he’s doing good though,” I say, looking at him again.
This time he catches my eye, and I quickly turn away.
“He is, most of the time. But there’s a lot of baggage there, you know?”
“We all have baggage.” My baggage is named Todd and has left three voicemails on my phone already today.
“Maybe. But he also has three kids who are learning to live without their mom and a business. He has a lot on his plate.”
I toss the dishrag over my shoulder and turn to Jessa. “Is this your way of warning me away from him?”
“No. God, no. It’s just—”
“Spit it out, Jessa. We’re family. You can talk to me openly.”
“It’s just…I saw the way you two stole glances of each other during dinner, and—”
“Wait. You saw that?”
“You weren’t exactly being discreet.”
“I was trying to be.”
“Try harder next time.” Jessa smiles tenderly and touches my arm. “Gray is wonderful, but you two are at different points in your life, and I don’t want either of you to get hurt, that’s all.”
“You mean I’m a hot mess, and he has more responsibility than all of us combined?”
Jessa gives me a pointed look. “You’re not a hot mess. You’re young and have the world at your fingertips. Gray is, well, he’s been around the block a time or two, and you’ll be leaving soon—”
“Not until the end of the summer.”
She nods. “I know, but—look, all I’m saying is be careful. You’re a lover at your core. You wear your heart on your sleeve, and when you attach to someone, you give them your whole self. You’re a relationship kind of girl, and I just don’t think Gray is there yet.”
“I appreciate the advice, or warning, or whatever the hell that was, but you do realize I just got out of a relationship, right? One that didn’t end well. I’m not exactly in the market for a guy.”
“I wasn’t looking either when I found your brother.”
“Well, I’m telling you now, you have nothing to worry about. I’ll probably never see him again after tonight.”
“I’m not worried. You’re both wonderful. In fact, if you lived here permanently, and he was in a different place in his life, I’d think you and Grayson would be a great match.”
“But I don’t live here.” I live on a tour bus.
She shakes her head. “I love you both, and I don’t want either of you to get hurt, but more than that, I don’t want to see the kids get hurt.”
“Well, then it’s a good thing you have nothing to worry about. I don’t find him the least bit attractive; I like my men a little cleaner cut. Plus, he’s a little too old for my taste.”
The lie tastes bitter on my tongue, but it’s too late to take back.
“Right.” Jessa snorts and rolls her eyes. “And I’m not head-over-heels in love with your brother.”
“Sorry to interrupt, but I have a big, big favor to ask.”
I turn at the sound of Grayson’s voice. He’s standing in the doorway, looking at Jessa.
Damn it, I wonder how much of that conversation he heard.
“How long have you been standing there?” I ask, feeling my stomach twist.
“Long enough,” he says, not looking at me.
Great, I’ve offended him. And it was a complete lie. He’s insanely attractive. I just said what I did to get Jessa off my back.
Jessa clears her throat and steps toward Grayson.
“What’s up?” she asks, and then her eyes widen. “Gum!”
“What about gum?” I ask, looking between the two.
Jessa pulls her phone out and starts tapping on her screen.
“Jack accidentally lost his gum earlier this evening, and it conveniently landed in Emma’s hair,” Grayson says, looking over Jessa’s shoulder at her phone.
“I can help.”
“You can?” Finally, he looks at me, and the knot in my gut loosens a bit.
I nod and nudge Jessa. “You can stop searching the internet. I’ve got this. Where’s your coconut oil?”
Jessa looks up and pushes her phone into her back pocket. “Coconut oil?”
“In the cabinet with the spices,” Nick says, walking into the kitchen with Emma and Henry wrapped around his legs.
“I knew that.” Jessa searches the cabinet, grabs the coconut oil, and hands it to me. “What are you going to do with it?”
“You’ll see.” I hold my hand out to Emma. She untangles herself from around my brother’s leg and stands up.
“Are you gonna get da gum outta my hair?”
“Yep.”
She slips her tiny hand in mine and walks with me to the bathroom.
“Is it gonna hurt?”
“Not at all.”
“You pwomise?”
I lift her onto the counter beside the sink. “I promise.”
I twist off the lid, scoop out some coconut oil, and rub it between my hands to warm it up. Then I smear it over the pink glob of gum in her hair. I keep rubbing, adding a little more when necessary, and eventually the gum starts to break apart.
“You’re good at that,” Grayson says.
“Thanks.” I glance over my shoulder to see him walk into the bathroom. He sits on the toilet seat and watches me work. “I’ve done this a time or two.”
“You’ve had gum stuck in your hair?”
“More than once,” I admit. “It’s a work hazard.”
“A work hazard?” Grayson’s smile lights up the room.
Those dimples coul
d be hazardous to a woman.
“Don’t look so surprised,” I say, laughing. “I don’t get a ton of rest, which means I fall asleep randomly, and sometimes I have gum in my mouth.” I point a finger at Grayson and smile. “And if you tell anyone about that, or sell the story to the tabloids, I’ll…I’ll…I don’t know what I’ll do, but it won’t be pretty.”
His face hardens a bit. “Would someone actually do that?”
“You’d be surprised at what people will do, or say, or lie about to make a quick buck.”
I’ve been burned more than once. It’s why I don’t have many friends.
“Actually, I wouldn’t be surprised. I know first-hand what people are willing to do for money…and other things.”
His voice tells me he’s been burned by someone he trusts the same way I have—Lorelei, if I had to guess.
“You don’t have to worry about me,” he says. “I like to make my money the old-fashioned way.”
That warms my heart. “Thank you. That means a lot.”
He holds my gaze long enough to cause goosebumps to race up my arms. When my nipples tighten in awareness, I break the connection and look away.
“You’re doing great, Emma.”
“Fank you.” She blinks up at me and then looks at her dad and yawns.
“Are you tired?” he asks, taking her hand when she nods her head.
“I can stop if you want to get her home.”
Grayson shakes his head. “No, it needs to come out.”
“I have an idea.” I wipe my hands off on a towel and pick Emma up. I situate her on her dad’s lap so she can rest her head on his chest while still giving me access to the gum.
“How’s that, honeybun?”
Her toothy grin makes me smile. “Good.”
I tweak her cheek and reach for more coconut oil. “I don’t know how you do it,” I say, rubbing it down the shaft of her hair.
A small clump of gum falls off, and I drop it in the trash.
Grayson wraps his arms around his daughter and rests his chin on her head. “Do what?”
“Deal with all of this cuteness. Seriously, your kids are adorable.”
“Most of the time. Don’t let their cherub faces fool you. They each have a wild side.”
Wait For Me Page 4