Page 41 of Blame It On Midnight

“Well, you’re a Lafferty, so I know you’re not afraid of anything. What say we go and meet Nora’s mother?”

Collins felt about as far away from being a Lafferty as the moon was from the sun. She was a confident woman. A person who was at ease walking the catwalk in front of thousands. And yet the sight of Benton and his ex, had her blood running cold and that damn doubt weasel was back, pinching her with sharp claws.

“Bent wouldn’t have brought you if he thought things would get ugly. And while I don’t know Daisy Mae all that well, she’s a nice girl. She has to be. She made Nora, didn’t she?”

Collins and Ivy walked back to the group. Scarlett, Taz, and Mike Paul had moved toward the picnic tables, probably to avoid any uncomfortable drama. Ivy said hello to Daisy Mae, squeezed Collins’ hand, and joined her husband.

“Hey,” Nora chirped happily, unaware of the uncomfortable silence. “This is daddy’s girlfriend, mommy. Her name is Collins and she looks like a princess.”

“I’m not…” Collins practically stumbled over her words. “I’m a friend, is all,” she managed to say while pasting a smile to her face.

“Oh, I know that sugar,” Daisy Mae responded, the smile on her face not coming anywhere near her eyes. “Benton doesn’t have time for anything more.”

Okay. So this is how it’s going to be.

“Can I go and play with Cam and Ryan?”

“Sure.” Benton and Daisy Mae responded at the same time.

The boyfriend smiled at Collins. “Hey, I’m Nick.” He was tall. Good looking. A city type who looked like a tourist.

“Nice to meet you,” Collins replied.

“I know this is going to sound weird, but aren’t you on the cover of Sports Illustrated?”

“Sweetie, I need some food. Let’s hit up the food trucks.” Daisy Mae stepped away from them, and Nick had no choice but to follow suit. He glanced back at Collins and gave a small wave.

“That boy doesn’t know what he’s got himself into.”

“Do you still love her?” Shocked to hear the question fall from her lips, Collins took a step back. What the hell was wrong with her? This was a church picnic for God’s sake. It was supposed to be chill and lovely and all the good things she’d been thinking of since Thursday night. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I said that.”

“It’s okay.” Benton slowly shook his head. “And to answer your question, no. She will always be a part of my life, no denying that, but love, that’s not what I feel for her.” He lowered his voice. “She means nothing to me romantically. If she did, I wouldn’t have asked you to come here with me. I’m not the guy who plays both sides of the fence.” A smile curved his beautiful mouth, and she instantly relaxed.

The smile was for her. All mine, she thought.

“Now, how about we go and get us a cold drink and some food?”

She nodded, too afraid to speak because she wasn’t sure what would come out of her mouth.

He held out his hand, and exactly one heartbeat later, she took it.

Chapter Fourteen

Collins had a great laugh. It was a full-bodied kind of thing that started in the pit of her stomach and rolled out of her mouth like a freight train headed down the side of a mountain, picking up speed as it went. It was infectious. She’d done more to spread joy at the church picnic than the balloon clown, and that guy was busy.

She laughed a lot at the church picnic. Once she relaxed, that is. And it took some to get there.

Daisy Mae didn’t make it easy. Truthfully, Benton was more than a little surprised at her behavior. She had a boyfriend. Was planning on moving to Washington State with the man and yet, she’d been like a bloodhound on a hunt, followed him and Collins the entire day, Mick or Nick, or whatever the hell his name was, lapping at their heels like a puppy.

Through it all, Collins had been a champ. Even when Daisy Mae tossed barbs her way. Even when she constantly referred to Collins as being so young that she probably never heard of Eminem or learned cursive writing. Cursive writing? What the hell?

When Daisy Mae practically dragged him by his arm to participate with her and Nora in the burlap bag race, he almost said no, but Nora’s little face had lit up like the Fourth of July.

“Please, Daddy?” The kid could break him without trying.

How could he say no to that? Like a good sport, he ran the race and the three of them won it handily. He didn’t like being manipulated, though you wouldn’t know it. His acting skills were impressive. Anyone watching would think that he and Daisy Mae were close. That they’d patched up their differences. That her quest to take his daughter from him was over and done with. They were the poster couple for co-parenting. Polite and nice and easy. But now that it was time to leave and he had a few moments with Daisy Mae, he was going to make them count. She needed to stay in her lane. She needed to be told.

Nora was hugging the Pullman twins, while Collins was saying goodbye to Ivy and Mike Paul.

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