Page 15 of Made for Wilde
“A weekend at some bed and breakfast in Laramie. Spent three hundred dollars on it.” He laughs, shaking his head. “But it worked. She agreed to go with me.”
“That’s great, man. I’m happy for you.” And I am. Jason deserves happiness more than anyone I know.
“Thanks,” he says, relief evident in his voice. “It’s still new, but it’s good. Really good. She’s patient with me, you know? Understands that I’m still figuring out how to do this again.”
“Charlotte know?”
His expression clouds immediately.
“Not yet. I’m trying to find the right time to tell her.” He stares down at his drink, swirling the amber liquid. “Charlotte loved her mom more than anything. They were so close. I don’t want her to think I’m trying to replace Elaine or erase what we had.”
“She’ll understand,” I assure him. “Hell, she’ll probably be relieved you’re not sitting alone in that house every night.”
“You think so?”
“I know so. She’s a good kid. She wants you to be happy.”
Jason nods slowly, some of the tension leaving his shoulders. Then he shifts gears.
“What about you?” He asks. “Anyone special in your life these days?”
I snort, draining my glass.
“No.”
“Come on,” he presses. “It’s been what, three years since Vanessa?”
“Something like that.”
I signal to Charlotte for another round, trying to ignore the way my pulse jumps when she nods in acknowledgment.
“Vanessa was...” he searches for the right word, “a mistake. But not every woman is like her.”
“Being alone works for me,” I reply. “I’ve got my fighters, the cabin, Dana when she’s not being a pain in my ass. That’s enough.”
He doesn’t push, but I can see he wants to.
But before he can, Charlotte appears a minute later with fresh drinks.
“How’s everything over here?” she asks.
“Everything’s great, sweetheart,” Jason says.
She places my drink in front of me, her fingers brushing mine as she withdraws her hand.
The contact is brief but unmistakable.
“Ready to order some food?”
“I think so,” Jason says, picking up his menu. “What do you recommend?”
“The burger’s really good. So are the wings.” She glances at me. “What about you, Koda? You look like a burger guy.”
There’s something in the way she says it. Casual but with an undertone that makes my skin warm.
“Burger sounds good.”
“Same for me,” Jason says. “And maybe some of those wings to share.”
