Page 113 of Cautious Love

She nods and pours me a cup of coffee and hands it to me.

“So how long have you been married to my son?” she asks.

“Mom, come on, give her a second,” June chides her mother.

I take a burning sip. “It’s okay, really. It’s a fair question. It all happened really fast,” I say and glance at Ledger. I’m not sure what he told them, and I don’t want our stories to be different.

“I broke up with Grey and needed a place to stay because the alternative was my car. Ledger saw me and offered. And then we fell hard and fast, I guess.”

She nods.

“I see, and you’re in love?”

I find Ledger again, and he’s not talking to the guys or looking at the game. He’s watchingme.

“Yes, we are,” I tell her, despite the rocks in my stomach. For some reason, I want his mom to like me. I want another hug.

June sighs. “What she’s trying to say, Shiloh, is that she wants to make sure Ledger doesn’t get hurt because she’s very protective of her kids.”

I nod and take another sip. “I totally respect that, and I would do the same. You have raised a wonderful man,” I tell Dixie, looking her in the eye, but I can’t read her.

She nods once and turns to Tatum. “How’s the morning sickness?”

Tatum groans and rubs her stomach as if she’s about to puke again. “I really hope it’s almost over because I can’t take it anymore.”

Dixie smiles. “I’m pretty sure Fletcher was the worst of them.”

Tatum huffs. “Of course he was. Why does that not surprise me at all?”

“Mae, how is the shop? Did you get those wedding contracts?”

Mae says something, but I tune them out because I’m busy admiring Ledger in the living room. He’s not staring at me anymore. He's watching the game while stacking small Legos with Naomi, building a structure.

I pull my phone out of my pocket and pull up his contact.

Shiloh: I wonder if you’d like to use those nimble fingers on me tonight.

Ledger pulls his phone out of his pocket and opens it. He goes still and slowly drags his eyes from the phone to me.

I grin at him as he struggles to keep his composure. His tongue dips out over his lower lip, and he starts to type.

Mr. Serious: I’d like to use a lot more than my fingers, criminal.

I read the message and look up at him, shocked he responded at all.

With a knowing smile, he slips the phone back into his pocket. And while he goes back to Legos with Naomi, his gaze doesn’t leave mine.

“I know y’all think you’re not being obvious, but we can all tell you’re eye-fucking each other,” Mae whispers.

I cough trying not to choke on the coffee, and look at Mae. She’s so quiet, hearing something like that come from her is more shocking than the words themselves.

I glance at Tatum and June. June and her mother aren’t paying attention, but the small quirk of Tatum’s mouth gives her away.

“Sorry,” I mumble into my cup.

“Nothing to be sorry for. There’s something about Hayes men.” I huff. “You’ve got that right.”

“We’re glad you’re here, Shiloh,” Tatum says gently, looking at me with careful, practiced eyes.