was made of spun glass.
That made her laugh. “He’s not going to break that easily.”
“I’m tough.” Luke puffed out his chest. “Because I’m the man of the house.”
“You are?” Caleb replied lightly.
Luke nodded. “Mama said so on account I have no daddy. Rory and Tatum do. So do Philip and Cory.”
Her son’s unexpected talkativeness caused Caleb to blanch, and he might have squeezed a little too tight. Or her son sensed the weird vibe in the air. Either way, Luke yanked his hand away. “I wanna go play.”
“Stay in sight,” she admonished as Luke ran off and joined Melanie’s boys, who were already leading their mother on a merry chase around the tables set with white linen and covered dishes.
“What are you doing here, Caleb? What are you trying to prove?” With Luke out of earshot, Renny didn’t feel a need to temper her words.
“I’m not doing anything. Just thought I’d go to a picnic.”
“You don’t work for Bittech.”
“Not currently. But Daryl was saying I should apply, seeing as how they’re looking for more guys to beef up their security.”
“If you’re staying, then I am leaving.”
She spun, meaning to grab her son and go, but Caleb stepped in front of her, a brick wall of muscle that once upon a time she would have snuggled.
“Running away, baby?”
She angled her chin. “Merely trying to avoid a scene. What happened to you staying away from me so it wouldn’t be awkward?”
“I changed my mind.”
Excuse me? “Well, change it back. You were right. This is awkward.” And exhilarating. But most of all, it was scary, scary because she didn’t really want to go.
He moved closer, and she automatically took a step back.
“Do I make you nervous?” he asked.
Caleb made her feel a lot of things. Nervous was among them, but maybe not for the reason he thought.
“I don’t want anything to do with you. Was I not clear enough before?”
“You don’t want to be seen with me. Can’t say as I blame you. I’m definitely not as pretty as I used to be.”
No, he wasn’t, but he was definitely sexier, his boyish edge hardened by experience. The scars didn’t take away from his attraction, merely showcased his toughness.
“I am not that shallow, Caleb. I really don’t give a pickle what you look like, but I won’t have you leading Luke on. He’s got it tough enough as it is without you confusing matters.”
“What’s confusing about the fact I’m his father?”
“Not yet you aren’t. That title has to be earned.” Because she was damned if she was just going to let Caleb into her son’s life without him proving he could handle it.
And he had to prove he wouldn’t run off again.
Before Caleb could respond, she walked away, making a beeline for Melanie, who wore a plastered smile on her face and had a death grip on her water glass. A trio of wives surrounded Melanie, cutting off all escape.
Being a good friend, Renny plowed right on through with a murmured, “Excuse me, ladies, but I need to borrow my BFF here for a minute. Girl stuff.” She yanked her friend away from the gaggle and, once they’d gone a few yards, stopped.
Melanie blew out a breath. “Thanks for saving me. My inner kitty was really pushing me to sharpen my claws. I’m pretty sure the tall one to my left is made of plastic.”
“Don’t thank me yet. I’m mad at you. How could you tell Caleb I would be here?”
“That jerk. I can’t believe he ratted me out,” Melanie huffed.
“He didn’t.”
“You tricked me.”
“Telling the truth isn’t a trick, and it was easy to figure out since you were the only one who knew I was coming.”
“Fine. So I told him where you’d be. What else was I supposed to do? He showed up at my place wearing a woebegone expression.” Melanie jutted her lip and batted her eyes.
Renny snorted. “I don’t care how sorry he looks. I’m not ready to deal with him yet.”
“You never will be, which is why you need to suck it
That made her laugh. “He’s not going to break that easily.”
“I’m tough.” Luke puffed out his chest. “Because I’m the man of the house.”
“You are?” Caleb replied lightly.
Luke nodded. “Mama said so on account I have no daddy. Rory and Tatum do. So do Philip and Cory.”
Her son’s unexpected talkativeness caused Caleb to blanch, and he might have squeezed a little too tight. Or her son sensed the weird vibe in the air. Either way, Luke yanked his hand away. “I wanna go play.”
“Stay in sight,” she admonished as Luke ran off and joined Melanie’s boys, who were already leading their mother on a merry chase around the tables set with white linen and covered dishes.
“What are you doing here, Caleb? What are you trying to prove?” With Luke out of earshot, Renny didn’t feel a need to temper her words.
“I’m not doing anything. Just thought I’d go to a picnic.”
“You don’t work for Bittech.”
“Not currently. But Daryl was saying I should apply, seeing as how they’re looking for more guys to beef up their security.”
“If you’re staying, then I am leaving.”
She spun, meaning to grab her son and go, but Caleb stepped in front of her, a brick wall of muscle that once upon a time she would have snuggled.
“Running away, baby?”
She angled her chin. “Merely trying to avoid a scene. What happened to you staying away from me so it wouldn’t be awkward?”
“I changed my mind.”
Excuse me? “Well, change it back. You were right. This is awkward.” And exhilarating. But most of all, it was scary, scary because she didn’t really want to go.
He moved closer, and she automatically took a step back.
“Do I make you nervous?” he asked.
Caleb made her feel a lot of things. Nervous was among them, but maybe not for the reason he thought.
“I don’t want anything to do with you. Was I not clear enough before?”
“You don’t want to be seen with me. Can’t say as I blame you. I’m definitely not as pretty as I used to be.”
No, he wasn’t, but he was definitely sexier, his boyish edge hardened by experience. The scars didn’t take away from his attraction, merely showcased his toughness.
“I am not that shallow, Caleb. I really don’t give a pickle what you look like, but I won’t have you leading Luke on. He’s got it tough enough as it is without you confusing matters.”
“What’s confusing about the fact I’m his father?”
“Not yet you aren’t. That title has to be earned.” Because she was damned if she was just going to let Caleb into her son’s life without him proving he could handle it.
And he had to prove he wouldn’t run off again.
Before Caleb could respond, she walked away, making a beeline for Melanie, who wore a plastered smile on her face and had a death grip on her water glass. A trio of wives surrounded Melanie, cutting off all escape.
Being a good friend, Renny plowed right on through with a murmured, “Excuse me, ladies, but I need to borrow my BFF here for a minute. Girl stuff.” She yanked her friend away from the gaggle and, once they’d gone a few yards, stopped.
Melanie blew out a breath. “Thanks for saving me. My inner kitty was really pushing me to sharpen my claws. I’m pretty sure the tall one to my left is made of plastic.”
“Don’t thank me yet. I’m mad at you. How could you tell Caleb I would be here?”
“That jerk. I can’t believe he ratted me out,” Melanie huffed.
“He didn’t.”
“You tricked me.”
“Telling the truth isn’t a trick, and it was easy to figure out since you were the only one who knew I was coming.”
“Fine. So I told him where you’d be. What else was I supposed to do? He showed up at my place wearing a woebegone expression.” Melanie jutted her lip and batted her eyes.
Renny snorted. “I don’t care how sorry he looks. I’m not ready to deal with him yet.”
“You never will be, which is why you need to suck it
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