Page 70 of Surprised By Love

“I haven’t thought much about it yet, but I think I may stay there for a while longer. She said we can stay as long as we want. Which is nice, but eventually I’ll want my own place and I’m sure having us around is cramping her style.” I laugh.

“I’m sure she loves having you both there.” He picks up a glass and wipes the dishcloth around the rim. “Have you given any thought about starting your bakery?”

Placing my hand in the clear water, I pull out a dish to dry. “I’ve been thinking about it. I need to figure out the money thing, but the shop beside the Diner has potential.”

“Well, if you need any help, my grandpa was an accountant back in the day. I’m sure he’d help you out.”

“Thank you. I’ll think about it.”

With the dishes done and the first movie half over, we return to the great room with two gigantic bowls of popcorn.

All three kids are sitting on the love seat with Amelia in the middle. I place one bowl on Amelia’s lap so they can share. “Mommy, you just missed the part where they finally notice Kevin is missing.” Amelia tells us, not paying attention to either of us; her eyes haven’t left the screen.

I take a seat on the right side of the couch. As much as I would love for Josh to sit beside me so we can cuddle and watch the movies; he was smart to sit on the other side. He smiles at me, his dimples on full display, and places his bowl of popcorn between us.

I lean towards him. “Oh, that part freaks me out. I can’t imagine forgetting your child and not knowing where they are.”

I nod. “Yeah, it’s a good thing stuff like that doesn’t happen often around here.”

We sit quietly watching the movie and Josh’s fingers brush mine as we both reach into the bowl at the same time. Sparks shoot through me and it’s as if he feels it, too. He lifts his eyes to mine and smiles.

Damn his smile, those dimples. I don’t know if I’m glad the kids are here or not, the way he is looking at me. I don’t want to rush things, hell I’m not even sure if he wants more or if this is just fun for him, but his pupils dilate and if I remember correctly, that’s a sign of desire.

Josh gets the second movie started and asks if I want something to drink. I tell him I’m good, lifting my feet, placing them under me so I’m leaning more into the centre of the couch. He gets up and grabs the throw from the back of the couch and opens it up. He sits down a little closer to me this time and lays it over our laps. “I don’t want you to be cold.” he says with a wink.

“Thank you. The fire is nice, but I will never turn down the comfort of a good throw blanket.”

He rests his arm on the back of the couch behind me, and he nudges my shoulder. Looking up at him, he nods. I smile and I lean into him, resting my head on his shoulder. I could definitely get used to this.

This is what I had dreamt of as a young woman, a nice welcoming home, a husband who not only takes care of me but is amazing with our children. I close my eyes, thinking of the future I once wanted and never thought I’d have.

Somehow being back in Sunset Creek and being here with Josh and his kids, it feels like my dreams could come true after all. Even if it’s not with Josh, I have hope again, something I had lost a long time ago.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Josh

Thesmelloffreshlybrewed coffee tickles my nose. I put my hand up to my neck to work out a kink when I realise I’m sitting on my couch with the throw draped across me.

I creep open one eye and the sun shining through the blinds hits me square in the eye. Squeezing my eyes shut when I realize. It’s morning and Max hasn’t woken me up yet.

I inhale, taking in the delicious smell when I remember movie night. I jerk upright, tossing the throw off of me, and look down to see Jake still asleep. He is the craziest sleeper. His legs intertwined with the blanket and he is laying across the bed of pillows on an angle so most of his body isn’t even on them. I hold in a chuckle.

I look over at the loveseat where Emily and Amelia were last seen sitting. The girls are snuggled together, arms around each other and the blanket Emily grabbed from her room covering up the lower half of their bodies.

A pang of sorrow hits me. Emily always wanted a sister and after what happened with Christine after Jake was born, I swore I would never have another child. As much as I would love for her to have a sister, I can’t take that risk. I’m glad she now has a friend her age that she can do all the girly stuff with.

I hear whispering behind me and I turn my head and I lose part of my heart. Sam is sitting on the floor with a coffee in her hand, petting my dog, who has his face on her lap. I shake my head. Okay, let’s not get ridiculous here. I can’t be jealous of my dog. Can I?

I stand and make my way to the bathroom to take care of business as difficult as it is to do sporting morning wood.

Then I realised Sam was on the couch with me last night. Was I like this when she woke up? Did she notice? Would she have noticed? Damn, I was getting harder thinking about her waking up and getting an eye full of me hard in these damn grey sweatpants.

I had woken up in the middle of the night and found Sam wrapped in my arms and damn; it felt good. I didn’t have the heart to move or wake them and send them home, so I took a moment to enjoy the feeling spiralling through me.

Not sure what the hell it was, but I felt content, happy even. I never thought I’d feel true happiness with a woman again. Not this kind of happy, anyway.

Sure, when I met a woman and spent a few hours with her, I was happy. Happy in the moment, who wouldn’t be, but when I got up and left to go home, because I never spent the night. Ever. I felt empty again.

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