plow through. “So, how long do you think it will take to get this truck up and running?”
“I think with some work today and tomorrow, it should be good to go.”
“Excellent.” I say, “So do you think we can go on Wednesday?”
“Yeah, don’t see why not.”
“Perfect.” I smile wide. More answers aren’t too far away. At least, I hope not.
“So, um, Jade?”
“Yeah?”
“Do you want to stay for dinner?”
“Sure, will your family be around?”
Connor rubs his brow. “Unfortunately.”
“What are you talking about? They seem great.”
“No, my mom is great. My uncles…” He shakes his head. “Are something else.”
I smile. “I’d love to be part of your family dinner.”
He glances at me with a sheepish smile on his face and nods. “Great.”
I hear a car drive up and look down the driveway to see an old, blue Honda making its way toward us.
“Oh, that’s my mom.”
I stand up from the grass.
As she parks, Connor makes his way to the car and opens the door for her.
She’s beautiful. Golden curls, warm skin, and a gorgeous smile. She could be a bit of sunshine all on her own. “Hey, sweetheart.” She kisses Connor’s forehead as he leans down to give her a hug.
They embrace for a moment, a long moment, as if they are clinging to each other, as if every moment is precious. It ignites something inside me, warms me from the inside out and I feel my breath hitch.
Connor’s mom pulls away from him and she gives me smile. “So, Connor, who is this lovely lady?” I can’t help but smile at her calling me “lovely.” It almost feels true when she says it.
Connor motions to me. “This is Jade. She’s new at school. And, Jade, this is my mom.”
I step forward and reach to shake her hand. “It’s wonderful to meet you, Mrs. Devereaux.”
She pushes my hand aside and wraps me up in a hug. “Oh, hon. Just call me Desi.”
“So I hear you got my boy to start working on this old truck?” She says, placing a hand on the peeling paint. “I’m impressed. I thought this thing was going to become front lawn decoration.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
“No problem, love.” She kisses his forehead again. Looking back at me she asks, “My boy asked you to stay for dinner, right?”
“Oh, yes. Is that fine?”
“Absolutely. We rarely get to meet Connor’s friends. I’m so happy you can stay.” Desi looks at Connor. “And don’t you worry. I’ll tell the boys to behave themselves.”
“That doesn’t guarantee anything.”
She laughs. “Sure doesn’t. But it’s worth a try.”
Chapter 26
Connor
Jade and I wash up when I hear the screen door open. I usually like how loud they are, how when they came into the house for dinner, I hear them from anywhere in the house. But today, it just sets me on edge and I brace myself. Jade touches my arm, concern on her face, “Are you okay?”
I jerk away without thinking. Her hand is so warm and soft. I want her to touch me again, but it would be awkward now. “Uh, yeah. I’m fine.” I look up just as Jesse enters the kitchen. He is drinking a beer, but as he tips his head forward and catches sight of Jade, he ends up dribbling some of the beer on his chin and shirt. I stifle a laugh. Jesse seems like he is never going to be used to Jade being around, and it makes me smile that at least one other person makes a fool of himself in front of her.
“Oh, uh, hi.” He sputters.
“Hi.” Jade smiles.
“Hey Jesse, you got some beer on your chin.”
Jesse eyes me as he wipes his mouth. Harry and Wade both file in after him. Both look at Jade, to me, and then back to Jade.
“Company again, eh, Connor?” Wade says, smirking. He is the one I am worried most about, for good reason.
“Nice to see you again, dear. Jade, was it?” I don’t worry at all about Harry. Also, for good reason.
“Nice to see you too!” Jade reaches to shake their hands.
“Are you staying for dinner?” Harry asks.
“Yes, Desi and Connor
“I think with some work today and tomorrow, it should be good to go.”
“Excellent.” I say, “So do you think we can go on Wednesday?”
“Yeah, don’t see why not.”
“Perfect.” I smile wide. More answers aren’t too far away. At least, I hope not.
“So, um, Jade?”
“Yeah?”
“Do you want to stay for dinner?”
“Sure, will your family be around?”
Connor rubs his brow. “Unfortunately.”
“What are you talking about? They seem great.”
“No, my mom is great. My uncles…” He shakes his head. “Are something else.”
I smile. “I’d love to be part of your family dinner.”
He glances at me with a sheepish smile on his face and nods. “Great.”
I hear a car drive up and look down the driveway to see an old, blue Honda making its way toward us.
“Oh, that’s my mom.”
I stand up from the grass.
As she parks, Connor makes his way to the car and opens the door for her.
She’s beautiful. Golden curls, warm skin, and a gorgeous smile. She could be a bit of sunshine all on her own. “Hey, sweetheart.” She kisses Connor’s forehead as he leans down to give her a hug.
They embrace for a moment, a long moment, as if they are clinging to each other, as if every moment is precious. It ignites something inside me, warms me from the inside out and I feel my breath hitch.
Connor’s mom pulls away from him and she gives me smile. “So, Connor, who is this lovely lady?” I can’t help but smile at her calling me “lovely.” It almost feels true when she says it.
Connor motions to me. “This is Jade. She’s new at school. And, Jade, this is my mom.”
I step forward and reach to shake her hand. “It’s wonderful to meet you, Mrs. Devereaux.”
She pushes my hand aside and wraps me up in a hug. “Oh, hon. Just call me Desi.”
“So I hear you got my boy to start working on this old truck?” She says, placing a hand on the peeling paint. “I’m impressed. I thought this thing was going to become front lawn decoration.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
“No problem, love.” She kisses his forehead again. Looking back at me she asks, “My boy asked you to stay for dinner, right?”
“Oh, yes. Is that fine?”
“Absolutely. We rarely get to meet Connor’s friends. I’m so happy you can stay.” Desi looks at Connor. “And don’t you worry. I’ll tell the boys to behave themselves.”
“That doesn’t guarantee anything.”
She laughs. “Sure doesn’t. But it’s worth a try.”
Chapter 26
Connor
Jade and I wash up when I hear the screen door open. I usually like how loud they are, how when they came into the house for dinner, I hear them from anywhere in the house. But today, it just sets me on edge and I brace myself. Jade touches my arm, concern on her face, “Are you okay?”
I jerk away without thinking. Her hand is so warm and soft. I want her to touch me again, but it would be awkward now. “Uh, yeah. I’m fine.” I look up just as Jesse enters the kitchen. He is drinking a beer, but as he tips his head forward and catches sight of Jade, he ends up dribbling some of the beer on his chin and shirt. I stifle a laugh. Jesse seems like he is never going to be used to Jade being around, and it makes me smile that at least one other person makes a fool of himself in front of her.
“Oh, uh, hi.” He sputters.
“Hi.” Jade smiles.
“Hey Jesse, you got some beer on your chin.”
Jesse eyes me as he wipes his mouth. Harry and Wade both file in after him. Both look at Jade, to me, and then back to Jade.
“Company again, eh, Connor?” Wade says, smirking. He is the one I am worried most about, for good reason.
“Nice to see you again, dear. Jade, was it?” I don’t worry at all about Harry. Also, for good reason.
“Nice to see you too!” Jade reaches to shake their hands.
“Are you staying for dinner?” Harry asks.
“Yes, Desi and Connor
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