She reached out to ruffle his hair. “You’ll get there, little man. You will get there.”
He ducked out from under her hand with another grin while turning to his mom. “Can I go watch Scooby and Shaggy again?”
“After you put your plate in the garbage, and rinse your cup for the dishwasher.”
Once he was settled back in the living room with his favorite cartoon dog on the screen, Honor commented in an undertone, “You’re wasting no time training him, are you?”
“Gotta start early.” Mae tucked her blond hair behind her ear and snuck a glance at her son while lifting her wine glass. “I’m a single mom who runs a business, I don’t have time to be a maid, too.”
“His future wife is gonna love you.”
“She better.”
They shared a laugh as Honor slid her third slice onto her plate. “Considering what you said before, I think it’s high time you get a man in your life again. I’ll even volunteer to take Scoob since I don’t have to bake at night anymore.”
“You know I don’t have time for a relationship.”
“It’s not like you have to get serious with anyone. You just need to have some fun in your life.”
She shrugged, then her green gaze cut toward her son. “I do have fun.”
“Woman fun. With an adult man.”
“Okay, Kettle.” Mae arched an eyebrow. “Or are you Pot?”
“Hey. I get out. I have fun. I even date.”
“Your fake date with Sam does not count.”
“Even so, it hasn’t been over six years since I’ve had sex.” It’d been about two. And she’d been fine with that until her neighbor had her thinking maybe she wasn’t.
Good God, she had to stop thinking of him.
“Well, me having casual…ah…relations don’t mix with being a single mother, so it is what it is and isn’t going to change.”
Honor held up her hands in surrender. “I can respect that.”
Her friend drained her glass of wine and refilled it about half. “How did things go for Sam the other night?”
Ironically, that question gave her a heat-inducing flashback of the encounter at the cake table. Her pulse beat faster as she recalled amber eyes framed by thick lashes and full sensual lips accented by a dab of frosting.
But Mae had asked about Sam, not Tall, Dark, and Jerky.
“Not so great, but getting better.” She gave her the rundown, then added, “He finally responded late last night. Turns out Penny called him yesterday, and they met for coffee. They’re having dinner Friday.”
“Well, then, all’s well that ends well.”
“Time will tell.” And time told her to change the subject before more wayward thoughts of her wedding photographer neighbor could sneak in to mess with her mind. “Speaking of next weekend, any chance you could be my date for the Governor’s anniversary party? Mrs. Diamond sent me an invite to attend this week. It’s black tie and everything, so we can dress up fancy.”
Mae winced in apology. “As much as I’d love to say yes, Ian has a Scouts meeting.”
Nervousness pinched her stomach at the prospect of going alone. It’d been a long shot asking Mae on short notice, but she’d still held out some hope. “So much for my networking wing-woman.”
“I’m sorry. What about Glory?”
Honor shook her head at the mention of her older sister. “It’s her weekend with the twins.”
“Your mom?”