Page 105 of Cougar

I cup his cheek. “It’s only been six weeks. Give me time.”

“I told you, I’m a patient man.”

* * *

We’re at the end of October already, and my baby girl is turning eighteen. What do you buy for a girl who has everything but asks for nothing?

Memories.

For Jay’s eighteenth birthday weekend, I booked the entire top floor of the Hard Rock Hotel in Orlando for Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios and chartered a bus for Jay and her friends. I’d say this is about as close to normal as I could get aside from throwing her a pool party, which I suggested—she was quick to remind me that she wasn’t five anymore.

“Where’s the birthday girl?” Lucas sings into the microphone. Jay’s head snaps toward the stage. She blinks, and it takes her a moment to wrap her head around what’s happening. Her mouth falls open and she quickly gets to her feet. Lucas hops off the stage and walks toward her. In one swoop, he has her wrapped in his arms. This is the longest Lucas and Jay have ever been apart. They grew up together, and they’re as close as a brother and sister could get. My eyes move to Alex, who’s watching their exchange, and my heart hurts for him. I know how much he wants to have this with Jay.

One day soon, he will.

* * *

“Hey, Em.” Lucas throws his arms around my shoulders and hugs me to his chest. “Can I talk to you for a second?” he whispers in my ear.

Pulling back, I look up at him with concern. “Of course.”

We move over to a table in the corner away from the chaos.

“My dad told me you got an email from Molly.”

My eyes widen briefly, but I school my features to hide the fact that I want to punch Andrew in the throat. He could’ve warned me.

“Don’t be mad at Dad. He told me he asked you not to tell me because he was afraid it would affect my performance on the tour.”

“We were both afraid of that, among other things,” I admit.

Lucas sighs and leans back in his chair. “I know.”

“I still have the email if you want it.”

He shrugs and drops his gaze to his lap. “I don’t know. Maybe one day. It’s just… I’ve never wanted anything to do with her. Then Marcus died and Jay got sick, and it made me realize how life is short. How quickly people can disappear from our lives.”

“I understand. And you don’t have to explain. She’s your mother.”

He jerks his head up. “She’s not my mother. You’re the only mother I’ve ever known. Even when Dad got with Lilly, I never looked at her as a mother. She’s cool as hell, but you’re the only mother I have.”

“You’re gonna make me cry.” I fan my face.

Lucas smirks. “Sorry.” He stands from his seat and leans over to hug me. “I love you, Em. Mean it.”

“I love you, too, dude. Mean it.”

“Emerson,” Marcus whispered.

The bed dipped as he crawled in behind me and curled an arm around my waist, resting his hand flat against my pregnant belly. I sighed, content as I snuggled into the mattress.

Marcus had been working in the studio into the late hours, and being eight months pregnant, I’d been too tired to do much of anything lately.

“I missed you.” He pressed a kiss to the soft skin where my neck meets my shoulder.

“I missed you, too, Marcus.”

“Cam.”

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