Just Like That (The Kings)

The somber clouds surrounding Outtatowner had just barely started to lift. Whispers about Maryann King had only intensified after it was confirmed that she had finally been found. After I read an exposé on her and saw the photograph of her smiling, I would catch myself thinking about JP’s sweet little face and feel a sad tug of emotions.

He often carried that same sullen expression on nights he came home from work and I would find him staring off into space.

Maybe the guy really did need a friend.

Sadly, I did not want to be his friend. I wanted something . . . different. I just didn’t know exactly what that was yet.

I exhaled, shaking my fingers and bouncing on my toes to bring more-positive life to my body. Stagnant energy wasn’t serving anyone, and it was on me to find a bit of happiness every day. Getting out of JP’s house and breaking my routine of stressing about Teddy was exactly what I needed.

I turned from behind the steering wheel of the skoolie to look at my nephew. “Ready to roll?”

Teddy bounced in his seat, clutching his overnight bag. “You bet!”

He was out-of-his-mind excited for his first sleepover with “big kids” Ben and Tillie. He’d even picked out a tuxedo T-shirt to wear after I’d convinced him an actual tie was a little formal for a sleepover.

The tires of the skoolie groaned as I pulled an awkward, eighty-seven-point U-turn in the driveway. “I don’t know, kid. Maybe I need a daily driver if we’re going to be here for a while,” I joked as the bus struggled to make the wide turn, trampling some of JP’s manicured lawn in the process.

“Yeah,” Teddy agreed. “Gas mileage on the bus is terrible too.”

I barked out a laugh. “You’re a pretty weird kid, you know that?”

We shared a cheesy grin as I pulled out onto the road and headed toward town.

“Only a few more days before school starts. Excited?” I asked over the bouncing rhythm of the radio.

“Yes.” Teddy tapped his fingers against his knees. “Dad said he also had Mr. Fromidge as a teacher, and even though he smells like cheese, he’s really smart and nice.”

Dad.

My chest still pinched every time Teddy called JP that. I worried my lip between my teeth. “You know, until we find out for sure . . . um . . .” I glanced at him again and Teddy’s brows were pitched down. A nervous laugh tittered out of me. “You know what? Never mind. So the guy smells like cheese, huh?” I pinched my nose. “Pee-yew.”

“Dad said they called him Mr. Fromage—it’s a fancy type of cheese.” Teddy’s eyes went wide with glee, and we both dissolved into a fit of giggles.

“Aww.” I tried to breathe between bouts of laughter. “That’s really mean. Poor Mr. Fromage!”

“You mean Mr. Velveeta!” Teddy squealed.

The joke was silly, but he was seven, and I had the sense of humor of a child, so we laughed again.

My mood was so much lighter by the time we pulled into the parking lot of Abel’s Brewery. I positioned the bus out of the way on the far end of the parking lot, put it into park, and turned toward Teddy.

“Come here, kid.” I gestured with my hand before pulling him into a tight hug on my lap. “You’re pretty great. You know that?”

He nodded and squeezed back. “You too.”

I gave him my most serious expression. “Now, I want you to have fun tonight. Stay up late. Eat too many sweets. Get into trouble.” I booped him on the nose. “Just not too much trouble. Nothing super illegal.”

“I’ll try.” The seriousness in his voice almost sent me over the edge again, and we giggled.

“Fair enough.” I squeezed him one last time and pulled the lever to open the school bus door. “You’re a good kid.”

“Thanks.” Teddy walked down two steps before turning back. “You’re a good mom.”

I stared. My eyes instantly watered, emotions overtaking me.

Mom.

A title I didn’t ever know I wanted. A title I wasn’t entirely sure I deserved or was ready for. It was ridiculous how a child could so flippantly say one little thing and you felt like you’d been struck by a Mack truck.

I continued to stare, full of love and awe, as Teddy hiked his little red duffel bag onto his shoulder and carefully crossed the parking lot.

When he realized I wasn’t behind him, Teddy turned to look at me and slapped an impatient hand on the outside of his thigh. “Are you coming?”

I laughed, wiping the tears from my eyes, and climbed out of the skoolie. I smoothed the gold fabric of my dress and pulled the atrocious sweater across my chest. “Let’s do it!”

I gasped softly as I really took in the brewery for the first time. It was nestled into a large sand dune at the edge of Lake Michigan. The dune overlooked the lake, and huge garage-style doors opened to allow a breeze to float through the brewery. The building was masculine and upscale with its large wooden beams and iron accents. The soft beach grass swayed in the wind, beckoning me to enter.

We walked inside and it was even more stunning. There were double-sided fireplaces, high-top tables, and patrons flowing in and out between the indoor and outdoor spaces. On the exterior, there was ample cushy seating nestled around cozy firepits.

Beyond the patio, Ben and Tillie were playing tag and squealing in the sand. Teddy tugged at my sweater. “Can I go?”

I nodded, patted his shoulder, and watched him take off like a bolt. “Remember,” I called, “nothing super illegal!”

I laughed to myself and sighed, looking around for a familiar face.

“Just not super illegal, huh?” JP’s voice startled me, and my laugh lodged in my throat. My fingertips grazed my lips as I turned toward him.

A laugh sputtered between my lips, and my eyes went wide.

JP was dressed in an ill-fitting polyester tracksuit. The black sweatpants clung to his narrow hips, and a white stripe ran down the outside of each leg. His feet were tucked into a pair of white sneakers. On top, his hooded sweatshirt had the words Big Bad Wolf scrawled across it.

My eyes went wide. “Is that . . .” I coughed through a laugh. “A gold chain?”

JP’s arms went wide to show off the cheaply made gold chain and the gigantic crucifix dangling from it. “It’s a part of the ’fit. But you didn’t even see the best part.”

With his hands tucked in the front pockets, JP turned. Sprawled across his back was a lone wolf, howling at the full moon.

“Oh, wow.” I choked on my laugh.

JP smirked and my insides went mushy. “You should talk, Grandma Hazel.”

We grinned at each other and my smile pinched my cheeks. This was a new side of JP—a silly, carefree side that I hadn’t known existed.

“What are you even doing here?” I asked with a playful smile.

JP’s face scrunched. “It’s my family, interloper.”

I crossed my arms. “Well, I was invited. Were you?”

JP pressed a hand to his chest. “Words hurt, Hazel.”

A laugh burst out of me, and the corners of his eyes scrunched as he laughed along with me.

“Nah, you’re actually right.” JP’s smile was striking and my breath hitched. “I was a last-minute addition.”

I swallowed down the hit of desire that creeped up, and I looked around for Veda, Sloane, anybody. “So . . . where’s the group?”

He lifted a brow. “You mean Mr. Attwater?”

My eyes went wide and my voice was nowhere to be found. Was he . . . jealous?

The muscles near JP’s jaw flexed, and I could have sworn he was biting back a wicked smile. “He couldn’t make it.” JP shrugged. “I subbed in.”

I narrowed my eyes at him—there was more to that story—but a heady rush of relief flooded my system. To be honest, I’d been dreading the idea of having to endure a night with Charles. Everyone swore it wasn’t a date, but with the rest of the group paired up, it was hard to not feel like it wasn’t, at least in part, a setup.

“Huh, that’s too bad,” I teased, discreetly eyeing him again and chuckling at how the universe is always a tricky minx.

After everything, I still ended up paired with JP. Go figure.

Royal’s cheerful laugh boomed behind us. Together we turned and collectively lost our composure.

He was dressed in a pair of floral swim trunks that were several sizes too small. His tattooed thighs stretched the leg openings, and they were so tight that he was walking funny. On top, his shirt was a ratty fisherman’s vest with nothing underneath but muscled, inked skin. He even wore a bedazzled pink, child’s-size cowboy hat.

Behind my fingers, I whispered to JP: “Did you pick that out?”

He shrugged and grinned. “It’s not my fault there wasn’t anything that would fit him. Plus, he deserved a little payback.”

Royal pulled us both into a hug. Veda walked up behind him. She was stunning, of course, even in a Christmas-themed sweater vest on top of what looked like a prom dress from the nineties.

Sylvie’s laughter quickly followed them. Duke looked sufficiently grumpy in a snug, baby-pink T-shirt and a pair of too-short, pink plaid pajama pants. With a giggle, Sylvie grabbed his broad shoulders to turn him around. We all laughed when we read Heartbreaker in pink glitter letters across his backside.

Sylvie was in the outfit I had picked out for her—a floral muumuu with matching shower cap and fuzzy slippers.

“Oh my god, I have to get this.” A flash caught our attention as Sloane laughed and took another picture. She motioned with her hands. “Go on, stand together.”

Royal stepped forward, stretching out his arms, and when he spread his legs to lower himself into the front row, he ripped the seat of the swim trunks. We doubled over in a fit of laughter as Sloane captured the moment. The gaping hole in his swim trunks revealed neon-green boxer briefs underneath.

“Do you need to change?” I asked through a giggle.

“Nah.” Veda slapped his ass. “Can’t be any worse than it already is.”

He growled in her ear, pulling her close. She giggled, and whatever he whispered to her made Veda blush.

I could feel my cheeks heat, so I turned to Sloane. “You’re sure you’re okay with Teddy staying the whole night?”

She grinned. “Perfectly. The twins are so excited.”

I exhaled. “Okay. You have my number if you need anything.”

“Go on,” she said. “Have fun. Besides, Abel had to practically keep JP from putting his fist through Charles’s face, so . . . you might as well enjoy it.”

I blinked at her and glanced at JP, who was chatting with Duke and Royal. I moved closer to whisper. “Wait, what? I thought he only stepped in because Charles couldn’t make it?”

Sloane’s eyebrows rose as she pretended to lock a key over her lips. “Have fun,” she singsonged and turned toward the kids. Stunned, I stared at her back as she walked away.

I turned to find JP staring directly at me like his next meal and swallowed hard.

Friends.

Friends.

Friends.