Love You, Baby

by Stacey Joy Netzel

  Chapter 23

  “That’s the last one, Scoob, then it’s bedtime.”

  Merit relaxed in his lawn chair next to Mae’s, watching as Ian speared another marshmallow on the roasting stick. It was a little after nine p.m., and after pizza earlier, he and Ian had washed dishes while Mae was supposed to take a nap. She’d ended up doing laundry.

  Then he and Ian had cut the grass before the three of them tossed a football back and forth, kicked the soccer ball around, and finally relaxed to roast s’mores over the campfire.

  “Aw, come on, Mom. Why do I have to go to bed when Merit’s still here?”

  “I’m heading home soon,” he said right before leaning over to stage whisper behind his hand, “But for now, roast that marshmallow slow.”

  Ian grinned and lifted the treat away from the flame.

  Mae glared at him, but he saw the corner of her mouth twitch with humor. She was so beautiful sitting there in those sexy short shorts and sweatshirt, the firelight playing over her happy features and golden hair. After that kiss in her kitchen, it sucked not being able to touch her and kiss her at will, yet he knew that wasn’t an option in front of her son.

  Not yet, anyway.

  Hard to believe the first half of his day had been complete shit, and the second half of the day was the best he’d had in years. Well, other than the night of Asher’s wedding, and last Saturday. The only dark spot was that he hadn’t worked up the nerve to tell her he’d lied about a job to shut his dad up.

  He’d made an attempt in the kitchen before the pizza, but then she’d grabbed the flowers on the counter, and he didn’t want to fuck up his apology only seconds after being forgiven.

  Wanting to shake off the black cloud, he lolled his head toward Mae’s chair. “I haven’t done anything like this in a very long time. Thanks for letting me stay. It’s been great.”

  “It has been,” she agreed, the joy in her smiling blue eyes echoing her words.

  “We have campfires all the time in the summer,” Ian said as he hovered his roasting stick over the fire, then away, over, then away. “Sometimes we even go over to Uncle A’s for one. He has a huge backyard.”

  Assuming Uncle A was his brother, Asher, Merit had to agree his backyard was a lot bigger than this one. “Uncle A, hey?”

  “Yep. He was gonna build a tree house in the back and said I could sleep in it when it was done, but now he moved into Auntie H’s house and he’s selling his.”

  Merit perked up at that news. “I thought he was going to rent it out?”

  That question was for Mae, and she shook her head. “Honor said they didn’t want to deal with renters right across the street.”

  Huh. He hadn’t known his brother was selling his house.

  “He has the best tree ever,” Ian enthused. “We laid on the grass, and he pointed out all the good branches.”

  “Yeah...that tree would be perfect,” Mae agreed, her commiseration sounding more than a little wistful. They sighed together as Ian swung his marshmallow back over the flames.

  “But…I’ve been thinking, Scoob. May-be we could look at building one here in our tree. The one in the corner.”

  Ian’s head whipped around, his eyes wide as saucers as he gaped at his mom. “Really?”

  “Maybe,” she reiterated. “Merit will have to make sure the tree would work, first.”

  Wait—Merit will have to what?

  She twisted in her chair to look at him. “Would you mind checking it out for us?”

  His heart thumped hard while he shifted in his seat. Now was the time to tell her he didn’t actually build tree houses. He knew absolutely nothing about building tree houses. “I—”

  “Please, Merit? Pretty please?” Ian bounced so hard in his chair, his marshmallow fell off the end of his roasting stick, and he didn’t even notice.

  One look at that excited little face and he couldn’t bear to say no. “Of course I can look at it.” Technically, not a lie, but it still triggered a wave of guilt.

  Mae reached out to squeeze his forearm. “Thank you.”

  One look at her beautiful smile, and he knew he’d be researching tree houses the second he got home. The warmth of her touch made the muted electric buzz between them spark to life—especially when her hand lingered. She trailed her fingers along his skin, back and forth, her thumb tracing the vein on the inside of his arm.

  His pulse sped up as he watched her movements and imagined her tracing a vein somewhere else on his body. With her tongue. Her gaze rose to his, and he wasn’t sure if the flame in her eyes was a reflection of the campfire or the blaze gathering steam inside him.

  “Aw, man—I lost my marshmallow.”

  Ian’s exclamation made them both jump. Merit jerked his arm away at the same time Mae yanked her hand back. Heat swept through him from head to toe and settled smack dab in the middle of his body. Worst time ever to be thinking those kind of thoughts.

  “Can I do another one?”

  “That’s enough for tonight,” Mae said, her voice a bit breathless as she rose to her feet. “How about you grab the hose to put the fire out?”

  And douse me while you’re at it, Merit thought.

  Ian sighed, but he didn’t argue. Merit understood a moment later when he used the hose like a gun and shot the fire in little bursts while making explosion noises to go with each spray of sparks. When the last coal was black and the hose put away, they all went inside.

  He ruffled Ian’s blond hair before offering a knuckle bump. “Thanks for a fun night, Ian. Sleep tight.”

  The kid surprised him by wrapping his arms around his waist in a hug. “Goodnight, Merit. I wish you could stay.”

  His chest squeezed as he hugged him back. He was falling for Ian as much as he was falling for Mae.

  The thought drew him up short. Was he falling for Mae?

  Well, duh, dipshit. You got down on your knees for her—and it wasn’t about sex.

  He wasn’t falling; he’d already fallen.

  He gave the kid one more hair ruffle. “I’ll see you soon. Promise.”

  “This weekend?” Ian let go and looked up at his mom. “Can Merit come to our birthday dinner?”

  Her gaze met his over her son’s head. “If he wants to,” she said softly.

  He wanted to. Definitely. “How about if I take you guys out? Then no one has to cook or clean up.”

  “Can I pick where we go?” Ian asked. “I’m gonna be seven.”

  Merit raised his eyebrows for her approval. Her palm up shoulder lift came with a warning. “He’s going to be seven, but we might still end up at Chuck E. Cheese.”

  “I don’t care.”

  “I’m gonna pick someplace great,” Ian promised. Then he gave his mom a hug and kiss, hollered good night, and ran to the bathroom.

  Mae stared after him, and when the sound of running water reached them, she swiveled toward Merit. “Wow. I didn’t even have to remind him to brush his teeth.”

  “Progress?”

  “More like a miracle. And most likely a one-off.”

  Merit laughed before reluctantly glancing toward the front door. “I suppose I should get going.”

  She glanced toward the hall. “Ian? I’m going to walk out with Merit. Get in bed, and I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  “Okay!”

  Merit’s pulse kicked up as she walked with him to door. The porch light was on, but as she stepped outside with him, she flipped it off. “Nosey neighbors.”

  “I wasn’t planning to get down on one knee again,” he teased.

  In the dark, she moved forward to flatten her hands on his chest. “Pity. You looked good on your knees.”

  The husky suggestion in her voice conjured up earlier imaginings and wrung a low groan from his throat. “Mae.”

  He heard her smile a second before she drew his head down and kissed him breathless. He was hard again in no time and wishing she didn’t have to go back inside so he could get down on his knees for he
r right now.

  She left him happy, but hard, and he drove straight from her place to his converted warehouse studio suite to paint his sexual frustration away. Or take the edge off, anyway. But first, he sent a text to his brother.

  Merit: You suck.

  Grayson: Did she say yes?

  Merit: Fuck you.

  Grayson: ☺

  By dawn, he returned to his huge, empty house and fell into bed with an idea from the night before growing roots in his mind.

  Chapter 24

  Saturday, Mae closed the back door of Merit’s green SUV while Ian fastened his seatbelt. She turned around to find their handsome chauffeur holding the front passenger door open for her.

  With his jaw shadowed by stubble, he looked particularly gorgeous in a black, button up shirt with the sleeves rolled past his thick forearms, and a pair of not quite so worn as usual jeans. Her heart beat a little faster when he blocked her way and discretely laid his hand on her hip.

  She hadn’t seen him since he left Tuesday evening, but they’d texted throughout the week, and he’d called her each night before bed. She was a little behind on her sleep, but hearing his voice and learning all about him was more than worth it.

  “I really do love that dress,” he murmured.

  Mae met his gaze with a small smile. “So you’ve said twice already.”

  But she’d be okay if he said it a few more times. She’d picked the blue mini summer dress with tiny white polka dots because it made her eyes look super blue. The snug fit smooshing her boobs together was a bonus Merit had visually appreciated a few times since he’d knocked on the door with birthday roses for her, and a roll of Bottle Caps candy for Ian.

  “And those sandals…man, do they do great things for your legs.”

  The white sandals with little blue flowers across the toe strap had three inch heels. After every day all day in steel-toed work boots, she loved wearing fun shoes to go out—although, she’d tucked a pair of white tennis shoes into her bag for mini-golf after dinner.

  She reached up to lay a hand against his cheek, and his dark stubble scraped against her palm. “I am partial to the scruff,” she whispered. “I like the way it feels on my skin.”

  His eyes darkened, and his nostrils flared. “You’re mean.”

  She dipped her head and looked up with a dramatic flutter of her lashes. “Whatever do you mean?”

  “You know exactly what I mean.” He shot a glance toward the back seat as his fingers flexed on her hip, and he lowered his voice. “It’s killing me I can’t drag you into your bedroom right now and give you a proper happy birthday.”

  Her core clenched in reaction to the rough, gravelly growl of his voice. “Maybe later.”

  His surprised, hopeful expression made her laugh, and she gently pushed him out of the way so she could slide into her seat.

  On the drive to Ian’s restaurant pick—Nick’s Pub—she had to ask, “What’s the criteria for green versus red?”

  “What?”

  “What makes you decide to drive your green vehicle instead of the red one?” She was especially curious since the red Jaguar was much nicer than the green Ford they were currently riding in. Not that she cared, she only wanted to know what made him tick.

  “I don’t actually have two vehicles. I sold the Jaguar and bought this instead,” he said quietly. “A crash course in paying bills convinced me to downgrade.”

  “Something else new for you?”

  “You could say that.”

  “Well, that was a very mature move. Welcome to being a grown-up.”

  “It was advice from my brother that wasn’t a set up to make me look like an idiot.”

  She laughed as he pulled into the parking lot at Nick’s. “I think I need to get to know Grayson better.”

  “Good luck with that.”

  They made their way inside where the hostess asked, “Table or booth?”

  “Booth!” Ian answered before either of the adults could.

  He bounced onto the seat on one side, and when she sat opposite, Merit slid in beside her. His thigh pressed against hers, and she relished the warmth of his arm against her bare shoulder.

  The pub wasn’t overly crowded at five-thirty, but then again, they were eating earlier so they could mini-golf afterward. As Merit and Ian discussed what they were going to get, Mae noticed the redheaded server at the booth next to them sneak glances their way.

  At first, she thought the girl was simply keeping an eye on her section, but a moment later, she felt Merit stiffen beside her. When she shot him a sideways glance beneath her lashes, he was definitely looking at the redhead.

  Pretty, tall, and curvy, she looked to be in her mid-twenties. It was obvious they knew each other, and Mae’s stomach twisted as she wondered who she was to him. One-night-stand? Previous girlfriend? Current girlfriend? She hated that her mind went there, but all her insecurities about his playboy past rushed forward with a vengeance.

  Suddenly, she wasn’t quite so hungry anymore.

  Their server arrived—a brunette who was most likely still in high school. After they gave their orders for burgers and fries, Merit and Ian kept up a steady stream of back and forth until the food came. Mae managed to toss in a comment every so often, but mostly she was hyper aware of how Merit tensed every time the redhead passed near their table. She battled sharp little nips of jealousy all the while she picked at her dinner.

  “Everything okay?” he asked after their plates were cleared.

  “Yeah. Fine.” But how about you? she wanted to ask. Why are you so nervous whenever that waitress comes by?

  When Ian announced he needed to go to the bathroom, she jumped at the chance to escape the booth. Merit stood and offered his hand to help her out. She gave him a tight smile of thanks while averting her gaze, only to see the redhead watching them from over near the bar. The woman turned back to her drink tray the second she saw Mae looking her way.

  Yeah, there was definitely something going on between them.

  She clenched her jaw so tight on the way to the bathroom her teeth hurt by the time she and Ian made their way back out. He spotted a row of four, quarter candy vending machines, and pressed his hands against the glass of one of them with a gasp. “Mom, look! Scooby Doo super balls!”

  “Very cool. That has to be meant to be, don’t you think?”

  “Yep. Can I get one?”

  She dug some quarters from her purse and dropped them into his hand. “It’s your birthday, Scoob. You can get two.”

  His happy grin would’ve been worth ten dollars in quarters. As he fed the machine and twisted the lever, Mae glanced across the dining area of the pub. Her heart skipped when she saw Merit at the bar talking to the redhead. She should feel better that neither of them looked happy, but she didn’t. Not one damn bit.

  He frowned as he turned away. His gaze darted toward the bathrooms, and his expression stiffened when he saw her watching him. She didn’t look away.

  Yeah, buddy, you’re busted.

  The back of her eyelids burned. It was too early to be this invested in the man, and yet here she was, battling the pain trying to rip her heart to shreds. She had wanted so badly for him to be different—for him to not be that guy.

  Merit returned to their booth to toss some bills on the table, then made his way over to her and Ian, his expression grim.

  “Merit, look at what I got!”

  He shifted his gaze from her to her son and gave him a genuine smile while taking one of the super balls in his hand to look at it closer. “These are awesome.”

  “Can you believe they have Scooby Doo on them?”

  “And Shaggy, too.”

  Ian grinned.

  Merit handed the ball back. “You both ready to go?”

  “Yep!”

  Mae was ready to go home, but when Merit’s cautious gaze met hers, she simply gave him a stiff nod. Much as she wanted the night to be over, it was Ian’s birthday, too, and he was expecting miniatur
e golf and ice cream. No way she’d take that away from him, so somehow, she had to figure out how to get through the next couple of hours.

  Merit moved ahead of them to get the door. “All right then, let’s go play short sticks.”

  “What does that mean?” Ian asked.

  As they walked out to the vehicle, Merit explained that in golf, short stick was a slang term for putter, and miniature golf was also called putt-putt, so…short sticks.

  “I get it.” Her smart little guy grinned as Merit unlocked his vehicle and opened the back door for him. “Let’s play short sticks.”

  “You got it, but is it okay if I talk to your mom for a minute?”

  “Yep.”

  Mae narrowed her gaze at him when he closed the door. She wasn’t so sure she wanted to hear his excuses right now, but he didn’t appear to be giving her a choice as he grasped her elbow to guide her to the back of the vehicle. She pulled away and swung around to face him as he said, “It’s not what you think.”

  “How do you know what I think?”

  “It’s written all over your face.”

  She crossed her arms and shifted her weight back, away from him. “Then tell me, Merit, what exactly is it?”

  “Her name is Carly.”

  She fought to keep from wrinkling her nose at the name.

  “We went out twice before I met you.” He winced. “Well, kind of before I met you.”

  Already he was shifting his story. “That doesn’t even make sense.”

  “We went out the night before my dad’s election, and then again the weekend after the election.”

  They’d first met the night of his father’s election. The night she’d gone along with Honor’s little joke to let him think Ian was her significant other, not her son.

  “I didn’t ask her out again after the second date, because the whole time I was with her, I kept thinking of you. Comparing your eyes and the color of your hair. I never had a preference for blond until you.”

  “That’s a good line,” she muttered as her heart beat faster at the implications of what he’d said. If it was true, it was a really good line. Especially since he’d said something very similar last weekend.