Page 51 of Her Cowboy Baby Daddy
“I’m lucky you didn’t karate chop me.”
She felt herself start to relax at the teasing words and the gentle smile in his eyes. Yes, the man put her on edge, but he also had a calming effect on her. That made no sense. In fact, it was kind of confusing, and Hayley decided it was nothing she wanted to think too hard about. Better to simply go with the flow.
“I’m glad you came.”
“Me too.” She hoped. She sucked a breath between her teeth and looked past Spence to where Trenna Hunt and Spence’s mom, Audrey, were arranging dishes on the long folding table that had been set up next to the smoker.
“We’ve been cooking tri tip for hours.”
“I can smell it from here.” She met Spence’s gaze. “I should have brought a dish.”
“You should relax and enjoy being a guest. Come on.” He motioned toward the front yard with his head. “Let’s go say hello to the birthday girl.”
Their shoulders gently bumped as they headed across the driveway, and Hayley wondered if it had been an accident or if Spence sensed that, for all of her bluffing, she was still a shy girl inside, and was giving her a reassuring touch. He smiled down at her, giving her the answer. Reassurance, it was.
He seemed to be figuring her out faster than she was figuring out him.
Not that it was a contest, or that she really had any business figuring out Spence. He was a friend. One that set her hormones ablaze, but that was simply chemistry. He smiled down at her before reaching for the gate, and her stomach did a slow flip.
At that moment, she was so relieved that he’d turned down the baby request. His ability to set her off and cause her lady bits to do a happy dance would have caused complications with a capital C. With a baby involved, she wasn’t allowing complications in her life. She had things mapped out from birth to graduation, and everything centered on the child—or perhaps children. There was no room for hormones and the problems they brought. Her child would not grow up the way she had until the age of eleven. She still felt the sting of feeling like she was being shoved into the background whenever a new Mr. Wonderful appeared in Reba’s life.
Trenna and Audrey looked up as the gate squeaked, then Reed emerged from the house with yet another big bowl of something that smelled wonderful.
“Hey, you all know our neighbor, right?” Spence put a casual hand on Hayley’s shoulder as he spoke.
Deep breath. Smile.
“Hi,” she said simply. “What can I do to help?”
“How are you with icing?” Audrey asked. “Lex needs help with the cupcakes.”
“Great.” Hayley glanced up at Spence, who pointed to the door that Reed just came out of. Hayley went up the steps and into the cheerful kitchen, Spence close behind. A dark-haired girl who looked eerily like a feminine version of Reed in his younger days glanced up, then broke into a welcoming smile.
“Hi.”
“Lex, this is Hayley Parker. Hayley, my niece, Lex.”
“Nice to meet you,” Hayley said as she crossed the room. “Your grandmother said that I could help you with the icing?”
“You’re the person who saved the ranch,” Lex said, licking the knife she held, then setting it in the sink on top of three or four other knives. “I can’t help myself,” she explained. “But I don’t double dip, so the cupcakes are safe.”
“Good to know,” Hayley said, glad that she didn’t have to answer the “you saved the ranch” comment. She hadn’t saved the ranch, but she probably helped out.
“If you two are good, then I’ll see what’s shaking at the smoker,” Spence said.
“We’re good,” Hayley said before giving Lex a warm smile.
Lex held up a cupcake with crumbs mixed with the icing. “I messed up and started when they were warm and the icing kind of sank in.” She made a face as she regarded the cupcake. “Grandma had me put them in the freezer and now I’m redoing them.”
“Great. Double icing,” Hayley said, earning herself an approving glance.
“Indeed,” Lex said with a quirky half smile. She opened a drawer and took out two knives, handing one to Hayley. “We’re getting low on knives, so—”
“I get it.” Hayley picked up a cupcake and then dipped the knife into the icing bowl. She’d save her knife licking until the job was done.
“Thanks for coming to my party,” Lex said as she swirled icing over the top of a cupcake.
“Thanks for inviting me,” Hayley said, fighting the urge to lick the icing off her fingers.
