Home is Where the Heart is(62)

“Whatever.” Gabby brushed Nick off. She wasn’t in the mood to banter with him tonight.

“It’s a great game, Aunt Gabby. You can watch us play. It’s a lot of fun.”

Gabby stayed on the couch watching them play the game, and a little while later, the doorbell rang. She answered it, and Jordan entered the house and stood in the doorway between the living room and foyer.

Jake dropped his game controller for a second to run into Jordan’s arms and give him a giant hug, but then he went straight back to his game.

“I see his priorities,” Jordan guffawed, sliding his hands down his straight-cut dark blue jeans. His son was more preoccupied with the game than him. Yep, Jake was definitely his son all right.

Gabby had to admit—he polished up okay in his jeans and checkered blue and black western-style shirt. You could take the boy out of the south, but you couldn’t take the south out of the boy.

“Where’s Cassie?”

“You know Cassie—she’s still getting ready,” Gabby answered as she took her position back on the couch.

Jordan rubbed his hands together, standing in one spot. “Same old Cassie as I remember. Always making me wait.”

Jordan couldn’t remember being as anxious as he was right now. He was beginning to think the second time around was more nerve-wracking than the first time he and Cassie got together.

“Yeah, it’s probably why you’re so perfect together,” Nick and Gabby said at the same time, causing Nick to briefly turn his head away from the television screen as his piercing blue eyes locked with Gabby, and for a split second, they shared a moment together. Then Jake’s tiny voice calling his name shook them from their fog and they went back to playing the game.

Jordan wasn’t quite sure what just occurred, but he figured something was definitely going on between his friends.

Cassie soon made an appearance, coming out of her bedroom looking mind-blowingly beautiful.

Jordan was awestruck by the exquisite beauty standing before his eyes. He couldn’t help but notice the brown cowgirl boots she was sporting underneath the pretty white skirt and let out a little chuckle.

“I see you’re wearing your boots.”

Cassie glanced down at her feet, shaking one leg out in front of her. “Yeah, I love my boots.”

“She practically lives in them,” Gabby added with a mischievous smile.

Cassie merely shrugged her shoulders, tossing her loose blonde hair over one. She loved her faithful boots and wore them as often as she could, because they were too damn comfortable to even consider replacing.

“You look pretty, Mommy,” Jake said, looking up at her then turned to his dad, “and you look handsome. Daddy is handsome, because that’s what you say, right, Mommy?”

Jordan and Cassie couldn’t help but smile at their son’s comment. Sometimes neither Cassie nor Jordan could believe how wise their five-year-old could be. He understood beyond his years.

“Thank you, baby, and that’s right.” Then she turned to Jordan, glancing at him up and down and admiring how good he looked. She was glad he still didn’t mind dressing down, opposed to the fancy attire she knew he wore when he went out with Brielle. It was almost like old times between them, and they didn’t care where they went or what they did, as long as they were together. “I’m ready,” she told him.

Jordan gave her one of his trademark smirks. “Jake’s right; you do look pretty.” Well, sexy, but he couldn’t very well say that when their son was presently staring up at him. His comment made her blush, and it didn’t go unnoticed by Gabby and Nick.

“Thanks,” she replied, “you look good too.” Her ex-boyfriend still oozed sex appeal, and she liked it a lot.

Cassie leaned down to give Jake a quick kiss before he quickly went back to his game. Then she reminded Gabby and Nick of Jake’s bedtime at 7:30.

“There’s dinner in the refrigerator. It just needs to be reheated,” she added. Cassie knew how much they dreaded having to cook. She, however, loved nothing more than cooking a lovely homemade meal, and took pleasure in cooking for others.

“I got it. I’ll make sure he gets to bed on time. After all, that’s why I’m here apparently,” Gabby said sarcastically.

“Then why am I here?” Nick inquired with a confused look on his face. His eyes darted between the women.

“For pure entertainment reasons. I’m the real babysitter looking after both of you,” Gabby told him.

Nick scrunched up his face. “Oh well. Whoever is looking after whom, we will both make sure Jake goes to bed on time following dinner, a bath, and his teeth being brushed. I know the drill. Have fun tonight.”