Chapter 12
Pictures of the new reigning champions of the Pine Valley Fall Fling were flooding Facebook. Evelyn and #RumorHasIt were tagged in every single one. Kinley was beside herself with excitement over their win. The real excitement was over the realization that she may have found the person she was meant to be with, not the large, gaudy, gold-toned Championship Dance Cup.
Standing among their group of friends and family, receiving her congratulations, the chatter around Kinley faded, as did the people while she pinned her stare on Jace Detweiler. He stood several feet away, taking a call from the babysitter, smiling at her while he spoke to the teen charged with JT’s care. Jace looked different to her in that moment. She even felt different. There were a hundred fluttering butterflies dancing in her belly.
His smile didn’t fade when he made his way back to her. If anything, it grew. “You okay?”
“Ye-ye—yes,” she stuttered. “Why? Everything okay with JT?”
He chuckled at her response. “Just the way you’re looking at me. Are you staring at me…or through me…or…?”
“I’m just watching you.” Kinley’s eyes scanned him from head to toe, taking in every inch of her handsome man before meeting his eyes again.
His eyebrows raised, his voice dropped to a low, sultry tone. “Like what you see, twinkle toes?”
A long, steamy pause stood between them. Neither had eyes for anything but each other until the sound of awkward throat clearing and giggles reminded them they weren’t alone.
Giving her head a quick shake to clear her thoughts, Kinley asked, “So, everything okay at home? With JT?”
“Oh, uh…no,” he said with a cringe. “JT seems to have some sort of stomach bug and I’ve been called home to…uh…clean it up. Apparently, the teen can’t…poor kid was gagging just telling me about it.”
A sense of urgency sparked in her at the idea JT wasn’t feeling well. She grabbed her purse, and said, “Oh, geez, let’s go.”
“Are you sure? I would completely understand if you want to stay,” Jace said.
“Nope, I’m with you. My car is at your house anyway, and the sitter needs to be driven home. You can’t do that with a sick boy.” Her matter-of-fact declaration, and how natural the choice seemed with genuine concern for JT, surprised not only her, but Jace as well.
He tilted his head as he sized her up, giving her an endearing look of something she couldn’t quite put her finger on before he smiled, and said, “Let’s go.”
“Becky, I’ll take you home, hon. Doc’s going to…clean up and tend to JT. Car’s unlocked. I’ll be there in a minute.” Without hesitation, the teen bolted out the door without collecting her wage, her t-shirt still covering her nose.
“Well, she’s ready to go.” Jace handed Kinley a few bills folded in half. “Would you mind giving her this?”
“Got it. Want me to come back, help you out? I’ve cleaned up my fair share of…this over at the dance studio,” she offered.
Leaning in, he kissed her forehead. “As much as I would love that — and finish up where we left off on that dance floor — I would hate for you to catch whatever he has. There’s a twenty-four-hour flu going around and I have a sneaking suspicion it’s JT’s turn with it.”
“Oh no! His birthday party is tomorrow!” she cried, disappointment in her words.
“Oh geez. Yep. I think I’m going to have to cancel,” Jace said, running his hands through his hair. “I am supposed to pick up the cake in the morning too. May not need that now.”
“Well, it’s too late to call everyone and cancel tonight. I’ll pick up the cake in the morning, bring it by, and check on you guys. Maybe it’s not a bug and just a long day of rich food and fun catching up with him.” Kinley’s arms crossed over her chest while she tried to find a hopeful resolution that didn’t include canceling JT’s birthday party the next evening. “Maybe this can be salvaged? We’ll figure it out tomorrow. Give him a kiss from me.”
“Sounds like a plan, twinkle toes.”
Feelings. That’s what she was having. Deep, warm, fuzzy feelings she never thought she would, or could, have. Kinley woke the next morning before the sun, chirps of nature, and half the town. She hadn’t slept well, spending half the night going over the whirlwind of emotions she had experienced the past several weeks — the previous night, most specifically.
Something had changed, a shift in the wind, planets aligning, the universe cooperating…she didn’t know. It was complicated as much as it was simple. Jace was easy, caring, devoted…and that’s what made it complicated. She didn’t know what to do with that. She loved how it felt in the moment, but feared how it could feel should it all fall apart. Her plan to move back to Pine Valley and avoid men until she was an old maid with a dozen or more cats so no one would want her had failed her.
Ready for her day — it was finally a decent hour and Savory Sweets would be open — Kinley had a cake to pick up and her guys to check on. The size of Pine Valley had bothered Kinley when she originally returned, but having everything in town within a five to ten minute radius was making small town USA a lot more appealing. Everything was becoming more appealing.
Cake in hand, among a few other things she picked up from Savory Sweets, like soup, crusty bread, and a few different pasta salads, Kinley made an awkward attempt at knocking on the door, avoiding the doorbell in the event JT was still sleeping. To her surprise, the jingling sound from the door unlocking led to a three-year-old on the other end.
“JT, where’s your dad, du…” she didn’t have to finish. Dad was found standing behind him, pale, disheveled, wearing the look of death. “Oh no. You got it too?”
“It appears so. Hit early this morning. Seems it doesn’t last in the three-year-olds nearly as long, though,” Jace said, nodding toward JT.
“I can see that.” Kinley winked. “Feeling better, buddy?”
JT nodded his head. “I just feel a little yucky tired, but my tummy isn’t mad at me anymore.”
“Good to know,” she said, looking between an exhausted Jace and JT. One was looking greener by the minute, and the happy little boy had his eyes on the cake and box of cupcakes Kinley was holding. “How about I keep this little guy company and you go back to bed?”
“Kinley, I can’t ask you to do that,” Jace mumbled. “The house needs to be burned to the ground and de-germed before we have company.”
“You aren’t asking, I’m offering. Move over and let me in. My arms are getting tired.” Kinley pushed her way past the door and went straight for the kitchen despite Jace’s protest.
Big, strong arms wrapped around her waist from behind, a gentle kiss landing on her neck. “How did I get so lucky?”
“I don’t know, but don’t forget it. Now, get to bed before you breathe on all the food.” She turned in his arms to face him, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Party?”
“Ugh, I need to cancel.” Jace dropped his head. “He is doing better, but not great, and there’s no way I’m up to that many three to six-year-olds full of cake.”
“Got it. Get to bed, Doc. I’ll take care of it,” Kinley said as she moved on to unloading the groceries she brought. “I’ll be in to check on you in a while.”
Jace didn’t need to be told twice. He was gone in a flash with his hand over his mouth, headed straight to the bathroom. Kinley went back to unloading the food into the refrigerator, and then went about calling all the parents to cancel JT’s birthday party. The look on JT’s face broke her heart in two. They’d have to find a way to make it up to him.
The next several hours were spent snuggling on the couch with soft, cozy blankets, watching every single one of JT’s favorite movies and shows. Kinley tried coloring, Play-Doh, and games, but JT was content snuggling, so snuggles he received. Kinley didn’t mind — she kind of liked it.
Each time Kinley had checked on Jace, he had been asleep. She hadn’t heard him rustling around, rushing to the bathroom for a few hours, and had to assume that was a good sign. It must have been passing.
It was getting late. The sun had since retired for the day a few hours before when she heard a rumble in JT’s tummy. “Hungry, buddy?”
He nodded his little head, placing his hand on his tummy. “Can we have cake? Pretty, pretty please?”
Laughing at his innocent plea for the good stuff, she briefly contemplated just how bad of an idea it was before giving in. “You know what? How about we start with a tiny bit of soup? Then we can try a tiny bite of cake and see if your tummy likes it.”
“Okay!” Before she could get to her feet, JT was long gone, pulling containers from the refrigerator.
While Kinley went to warm the soup, JT was working on something else behind her. Over her shoulder, she said to him, “I’m not sure cake this soon after a yucky tummy is the best idea, but…”
A crashing sound behind her interrupted the thought quickly, grabbing her attention. Cake and cupcakes were all over the floor, a teary-eyed JT standing in the middle of it all.
“I broke the cake,” he whimpered.
“Oh, buddy.” Kinley’s heart broke at the sadness he wore. First his party was canceled, now his cake was ruined. “We can get you another cake tomorrow. Okay?”
With his arms and legs crossed, he sat on the floor to continue his pout. Kinley joined him, the cake and cupcake mess between them. Unsure what possessed her to do so, she grabbed a handful of cake from the top of the pile and took a bite.
JT watched her in awe, grabbing his own handful, and giggled. A couple bites each, Kinley took the next handful and launched it at the little boy. Eyes wide, he smiled brightly and returned the favor with a handful of cake aimed for her. The exchange carried on, along with their deep belly laughs. That was…until a scolding, throaty sound interrupted them, drawing their attention to the entry of the kitchen. Jace stood, leaning against the doorway, arms crossed with an amused expression.
At a loss for words, all Kinley could do was look at JT and begin to laugh. The mess was fairly isolated to a two to three-foot radius around them, but they were each covered in cake and bright colored frosting. JT’s adorable little belly laugh kicked back in and Jace joined them.
“Bud,” Jace said, “let’s get you in the bath! I better carry you or this is going to get everywhere.”
The tot got to his feet, but before leaving the kitchen for his much-needed bath, he ran to Kinley, launching himself into her arms. “This was a good cake, Ms. Kinley. It tasted good dis way. I’m gonna take a bath. Can we still snuggle when I’m done?”
Hugging him back, her heart felt full, leaving her speechless, her eyes filling when he cheered at her nod. Kinley had no idea why or how he was having such an effect on her, but he did…he had a little piece of her heart. There it was again. Kinley hadn’t just fallen for the dad…she was falling for the kid too.
Kinley warmed the soup and had it waiting when her guys made their way back to the living room where she was resting on the couch. “There you are. You guys hungry?”
“Actually,” Jace said, “I am. Hey, aren’t you eating?”
That was all it took to boost her to her feet, jetting to the bathroom. The flu had its hooks in her now.
Jace insisted she stay with them, where he could keep an eye on her, and JT did the same. With cool rags on her head, pillow fluffing, and plenty of kisses, they took care of her until they all crashed for the night. Jace held Kinley close while JT camped out at the foot of the bed.
Flu be damned, they were happy…