Page 81 of Mother Pucker

Beckett grunts in bemusement. “Pip, you might think you’re fooling everyone with all the walls you keep up, but . . . you’re only fooling yourself. Plus, if I can pull the strings to make you his personal physical therapist, think of all the other strings I can pull to make sure you guys end up together.”

I cross my arms around my chest. This guy and his Earth-sized ego.

Beckett laughs. “Why do you think I created this whole Halloween tradition andspecificallyinvited the man you’re gaga over?” He leans forward. “Did you know I even had IceMan call Slick to personally invite him? I knew there was no chance he’d say no after that.”

My mouth falls agape like a koi fish. This conniving piece of–

“And who do you think removed a lead from the spark plug in your car so it wouldn’t start that day Rowan came to pick you and Kai up for skating lessons?”

I take a step back, as if physically pushed by his blatant scheming. “You did, what?!”

“Don’t worry, I put it back.” Beckett shrugs nonchalantly. “If it was up to you, your friends would have all become ancient before you let them meet him. No way was I going to wait that long.”

I shake my head in astonishment. “It’s rare for me to be speechless, but I’m not sure I have words to describe the level of your manipulation.”

Before he walks away, he taps his temple. “You call it manipulation; I call it strategy, Pipsqueak.”

I giggle, recalling the three ridiculous-looking giant men in dwarf costumes, with the grumpy one pushing Adeline’s stroller behind all the kids.

In spite of how unamused the three men looked, they were such good sports about smiling for the cameras when my besties and I insisted on taking a million pictures.

They even patiently let me reiterate the crucial items off my health and well-being checklist before they left.

I can’t believe it’s the same house behind me with how quiet it feels now that all the kids are in bed. I’m surprised they were even able to settle in, given the sheer amount of sugar they consumed. But I promised myself I wouldn’t think about that today, and I’m going to stick to it.

Look at me, changing my “ball of nevers” ways, one confectionary catastrophe at a time.

“Thank you for taking Kai trick-or-treating tonight. I know how much it means to him,” I murmur, clean-faced and in my pajamas, sitting next to the man currently dressed as Happy on the same steps we shared my last cigarette on weeks ago.

A cigarette that not only symbolized all the past hurt and frustration I’d been bottling inside, but one that, with its end, represented the start of something new.

A new me.

And he was there with me on the precipice of it all.

He nudges my shoulder with his. “You’re welcome. I had a lot of fun. That kid of yours is something else, Shay.”

“Yeah?” I ask, studying his profile, his square jaw, and the corners of his soft lips. How did the man manage to look so gorgeous, even dressed in a ridiculous costume?

He turns, finding my gaze. “Yeah, and I really like your family.”

Something raw lodges in my throat, making my eyes prick.

He recognized their importance in my life–my crazy found family–and I can’t quite put into words what that means to me. After years of marriage together, not even Ajay understood the love I have for my best friends.

A tear escapes from my lid. “Yeah. I really like them, too.”

“Hey.” A deep furrow extends between Rowan’s brows as he takes my face in his palms. “What’s wrong?”

I shake my head, reveling in the slide of his thumb over my wet cheek. “Nothing, I just . . .” I lift my watery gaze. “You might just be perfect for me, Rowan Slick Parker, and I might just be falling in love with you.”

He stills, seemingly holding his breath.

I’m just about to apologize or cry or do something that doesn’t make me feel like I said those words in a vacuum when his deep voice keeps me glued to my spot. “Take the mights and justs out, and say it again.”

“You’re perfect for me, Rowan Slick Parker, and I’m falling in love with you.” I give him a wobbly smile. “I was scared of everything that could go wrong. That you might break my and Kai’s heart. That the next time you get hurt on the ice, it could be worse . . . much worse. I was scared of being left alone again. But now,” my lips quiver as I take another shuddering breath, “now, the only thing I’m scared of is not being there to experience everything that could go right.”

He pulls my face toward him, pressing his lips on mine.

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