King of the Court

“Good. So then there’s nothing to compare me to,” I say, bumping my shoulder lightly against hers, trying to coax a smile out of her.

She looks up, and I watch her force a swallow before asking plainly, “So do you see us like that? In a relationship, I mean in the future…”

“Didn’t I already say so?”

For the first time all morning, she lets loose a real genuine smile, white teeth, dimples and all. Before I can help myself, I lean in and kiss her.

“Daddy! Kiss! Daddy! Kiss!” Caleb shouts, taking me by surprise.

I jerk away from Raelynn just as my son leaps into my arms, spilling my coffee all over us in the process. I swear under my breath before I can help it. That’s just what I need: him learning a colorful new curse word and repeating it in front of Shelby.

Thank god my coffee is lukewarm at this point. I’ll take the coffee stains; it’s the burns on Caleb and Raelynn I’m worried about.

“Oh nooo,” Caleb says, pushing out his bottom lip. He leans back and points down to my shirt. “Dirty.”

“You okay, bud?” I ask, checking to make sure he didn’t get any coffee in his eyes or anything.

“Caleb!” Shelby shouts, running around the corner of the house after him. “You can’t just jump on people like that. What if Daddy’s coffee had been hot?”

I glance up to see her come to a sudden halt, her stern mom face slipping, replaced with wide-eyed shock once she sees I’m not alone.

Then quickly, I look over at Raelynn, who’s gone white as a sheet. This isn’t exactly how I wanted this all to go. I wanted her to meet Caleb, sure, but not like this, and maybe not so soon. And she obviously was going to meet Shelby at some point too, but again, not like this.

I meet Shelby’s apologetic gaze, and she mouths, “Sorry.” Then she rushes over to get Caleb off me. “Here, Caleb, let’s go get you cleaned up, and we’ll let Daddy and his friend get cleaned up too.”

Caleb ignores Shelby even as she starts tugging him away.

“Kiss,” Caleb says, puckering his lips and looking between Raelynn and me.

A laugh bursts out of Shelby before she can help it, and then she quickly slaps her hand over her mouth. “Sorry! Sorry! Caleb, let’s go.”

“Cay-yub stay!” he says, trying to wrench himself out of her grasp.

“I think Daddy and his friend might want some privacy. Let’s just go change really fast.”

“No!”

“You want to put on your Spider-Man costume?” she asks, growing desperate now.

Usually that wins him over, but not today. “No! Daddy!”

I meet her gaze and nod to let her know it’s alright. There’s no need to make him more upset.

“He’s been asking about you all morning.” Shelby sighs, letting him go so he can rush back to me. He throws himself against my body like the little wrecking ball that he is. Pure muscle, this kid. He climbs up and on top of my lap, swinging his legs as he looks over at Raelynn.

“Hi,” she says, speaking up for the first time.

We all three look at her in shock.

“I’m Raelynn,” she says to Caleb, offering him a little wave.

“Ray-yin,” Caleb repeats.

She smiles. “Good job.”

“Kiss,” Caleb says again.

I laugh despite myself. “You’re really going to hang on to that, aren’t you?”

Raelynn glances up at Shelby and shakes her head like she’s forgotten something.

“Sorry, I should have introduced myself to you as well. I’m Raelynn. I’m not sure if you remember me from the diner back in Texas or—”

“Yes, of course. Right. I’m Shelby. Nice to meet you again.”

They shake hands and I stand, taking Caleb with me. “Sorry I’m doing such a bad job of mitigating the awkwardness of this situation. Shelby, I thought you weren’t bringing Caleb until closer to lunch time?”

She rocks back on her heels. “Right, but I figured you wouldn’t mind if we were a little early. You’re usually excited if I bring him early. Just today, you were…occupied.”

Raelynn clears her throat and looks away.

“Breakfast for the lovebirds!” Nina singsongs as she pushes open the back door and walks outside, arms laden with plates. Then she glances up, sees Shelby and Caleb, and blanches. “Oh sorry. I didn’t realize you were here too, Shelby.”

“I came around the side yard. Caleb wanted to check on the garden.”

Nina nods. “Right. Well how about I set these plates down then Caleb and I can go out and check the garden while you three talk.”

Caleb wriggles out of my arms to go off with Nina, leaving me alone with my brand-new girlfriend and my ex-wife. What could possibly go wrong?

Chapter Thirty-One

Raelynn

This situation is horrible from every angle. I would never choose to see Shelby again looking like this. I’m not wearing a bra, and my shirt and boxer briefs—which both very obviously belong to Ben—are now stained with coffee and partly see-through. I’ve got massive bedhead, probably some of last night’s makeup still on my face, and I’m about to sit down to breakfast with Ben’s ex-wife—who, by the way, is just as amazingly gorgeous as she was the first time I met her. I can’t even look straight at her. It’s just, god, she’s one of those women who really takes good care of herself. She looks fresh as a daisy this morning, and it’s not just her skin and hair—she’s in great shape too. Her muscular arms put mine to shame, and now I’m really kicking myself for not doing a push-up or two over the years.