Page 24 of Pour Timing

She laughs and pins me with a stare. “Could have fooled me.”

“Okay, you two.” I usher them to the window and pull out my wallet as the woman appears to take our order.

“What are we having?” she asks.

Kylie looks at my son. “Are you a chocolate or vanilla kid?”

Liam looks at me and raises a brow. I tip my chin to him. “Go ahead, get your favorite,” I urge.

“Chocolate chip cookie dough, please.”

“Ah!” Kylie screams. “A kid after my own heart! We’ll have two cones of chocolate chip cookie dough, and since your dad is boring, he gets a vanilla cone.”

I chuckle and say under my breath, “Nothing about me is vanilla, Ky.”

I see the blush appear instantly and I puff my chest. I shouldn't be doing this. She just broke off an engagement, but there's something so natural about being together with her and Liam right now. And it’s making me want to see if she feels the same.

We accept the cones, I pay for everything, and we walk to the little river that runs behind the store. There are chairs and tables but Liam heads close to the waterline, so we follow. “It’s gorgeous out today; a perfect day to skip school,” she says, nudging Liam.

“It sure is!”

I watch as she licks her cone, never taking her eyes from mine. “Don’t get used to this, Liam,” I choke out. I adjust myself discreetly, trying to force myself to pull away from watching her, but it's futile.

“Once in a while never hurt anyone, but I agree with your dad, skipping school is not something to become accustomed to.”

“I understand.” He’s just as mesmerized by her as I am. “Look at the ducks!” He walks ahead of us and she grins and raises a brow at me again, like the know-it-all she is. I continue to stare at her, my mind racing with all kinds of thoughts I used to have but have no business having right now.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” She goes to lick her cone once more, and I know exactly what she’s doing. So when she brings it close, I can’t help myself and push it into her face.

“Oh my god! Matt!” She stares at me for a moment before bursting into laughter. I join her, and on instinct, I lean in close, but she stops me by smashing her cone into my face.

“Kylie!” I yell out, and she runs. I chase after her, but she doesn't get far. It's like she wants me to catch her. When I grab her around the waist with one hand, hauling her close, and get her with my cone again, she gives it right back to me. She smears it on my face with her hand, and I nip at her finger, licking the ice cream from it. Her eyes get wide and her body stills, no longer fighting me in the least.

“Dad!” Liam comes running over, laughing hysterically. “What are you doing?”

“Get him, Liam!” She drops her cone and holds onto my arm as Liam comes and shoves his ice cream into my face too. I grab Liam and drag the both of them to the ground with me. We laugh and roll in the grass under the morning sun, covered in ice cream, and I can’t remember a time when I felt happier.

Chapter12

Matt

Being with her feels like old times, and even though I thought it might be uncomfortable, it’s not. We were friends first, even if it was twenty years ago, and for the years we were a couple, it was magnetic. We were always so in tune with each other, and I believe that’s the basis of our friendship now. We picked right up where we left off. Sure, it took a couple of longing looks and erratic heartbeats, but Kylie Johnson always had my heart. Either wrapped in a yellow ribbon with friendship or tied tight in a romantic red bow.

Hearing her tell me she broke up with Patrick was as surprising as it wasn’t. I don’t know the guy, but from what I heard, they didn’t make sense. She’s carefree, a bit wild, and needs someone who can ground her but can also match that crazy. Hearing her say she did it because she’s putting herself first made me feel good for her. Even though I’m hoping my return to Starlight Bay is part of the reason.

Would I want to try again? Should I wait to try again? I carry so much more responsibility than when we were just two innocent kids. Between Liam and the winery, it’s a lot. Plus, I’m still adjusting to putting down roots again in Starlight Bay.

After we cleaned up the best we could, we walked the small circle around the river, watching the ducks swim along with us. We talked about the town, how things have changed, how they've stayed the same. We talked about the school and the teachers who are still there. It was easy; it was fun. It was like it was always meant to be.

And the entire time, the way Kylie wove Liam into every part of the conversation was huge. He wasn’t an afterthought, not in the way adults sometimes humor kids just to keep them quiet. She asked his opinion, listened when he spoke, and answered him like what he said truly mattered. There was no eye-rolling, no brush off that said,That’s cute, but let the grown-ups talk now.She saw him and he knew it. I could see it in the way his face lit up. She made him feel wanted.

It was more than his mother ever gave him. She never listened, not really. And for a long time, I let that slide. I told myself she was busy, always running to the next meeting or thinking of her next call, and it didn’t matter because he was still too young to notice. But watching him today, seeing how naturally the two of them fit into each other's space, made me realize I should have ended that marriage long before I did. It was broken from the start, and if I had stayed it would have only taught Liam how to disappear or, worse, how to find a loveless marriage for himself.

Since we only got a few licks of our ice cream in before we were wearing it, we ran into Pies ’r Us, the local pizzeria, for lunch. Liam was starving, and we reversed the whole idea of lunch and dessert. It’s all part of the Kylie charm. She’s fun and changes like the breeze, and it definitely keeps things exciting. Liam is every bit as taken with her as I was.

As Iam.

We grab a table and Kylie excuses herself to the bathroom.

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