Page 29 of Blueberry Cake
“Welcome. Come in, I think Jessica is already popping the wine.”
With his hand on Queenie’s lower back, he followed them into the living area where Jessica was busy filling glasses with a deep red wine. “Ah, the man of the hour.” She set the bottle aside and reached for his hand. “As good looking as I remembered.” That earned her a chorus of groans from the rest of the guests. “Well, someone has to break the ice!”
“Where are Landon and Laria?” Queenie asked, scanning the room.
“Either begging for scraps off Mikey, or we lost them to the trampoline.”
“They’re really spoiled for choice,” Queenie quipped, wincing against the tiny fist yanking her hair. “How did the meeting with the lawyers go?”
Jessica’s smile faltered and though she tried to hide it, her eyes flitted to Boyd. As it was, Queenie had already explained that she was going through a messy divorce, so Boyd took the opportunity to give them their space.
“My cue to introduce myself to Mikey,” he offered, kissing Queenie’s cheek.
Jessica crooked her brow. “A man who doesn’t gossip? Where is the fun in that?” Then she shrugged. “Maybe for the better.”
He gave her a polite smile, allowing Allison to lead him through the house. “She’s just a little on edge.”
“Understandably.”
“Mikey, sweetheart,” Allison said, reaching for her husband who stood at the grill. “This is Boyd.”
Boyd shook the man’s hand, unfazed by the stern gaze. “Ah, yes.”
“Be nice,” Allison warned, biting back a grin. “Should I start setting the table?”
“Yeah, but I think we should eat inside. It’s way too hot out here.”
Boyd’s gaze drifted to a swing set settled in a shady corner of the yard, beyond the fenced-in pool where Jessica’s children were playing. The moment Allison disappeared, Mikey crossed his arms over his chest.
“Let’s get this over with. Don’t mess with Queenie. She doesn’t deserve less than the best. And don’t let me get started on the shit your son did.”
“I can assure you I wasn’t aware of Luka’s behaviour. I’m not here to hurt Queenie and if Luka even thinks about disrespectingmywoman, he’s out the door with my boot up his ass.”
“Perfect, we’re on the same page then.” Mikey pulledthe last steak off the grill and handed Boyd the platter. “Will ya take this inside?”
Boyd nodded and relieved, he returned inside where Jessica was raging.
“…I sacrificed everything to raise our kids. Not mine,ours. Now he just wants to shove me out the house like I’m nothing more than the nanny.”
“And your lawyers will fix that for you,” Allison assured while Queenie reached for the tissues. “This is just the start. Just promise me you won’t relent. That’s just stooping to his level.”
With a sniffle Jessica laughed darkly. “Oh god no. I will take everything I can from him. Bastard doesn’t even know where his kids go to school.”
“That was fast,” Allison said, now noticing that Boyd had entered the room. “You two didn’t even break out in a brawl.”
“We said everything we needed to.”
“Very ominous. Did you render my husband speechless?”
Boyd offered nothing more than a wink and help to set the table. During dinner, Landon and Laria were very eager to meet Queenie’s new boyfriend, hardly letting him chew his food between the assault of questions. But Boyd didn’t mind. At the very least, it gave Jessica—who was still visibly upset—space to breathe.
Once dinner was devoured, Mikey took Maggie to bed while Queenie and Jessica supervised the older two in the pool. Boyd, the only one left, offered to help clear the table.
“You’ll look after her, won’t you?” Allison asked. “Because I would hate to see her get hurt.”
“As long as she lets me, I’m here to have her back.”
“What about Luka? I mean, I know he’s your son and she’s well aware of that, but she doesn’t deserve what he’s made her go through.”
