“Nope.” Jesse stood to let them in. “We just finished dinner.”
“We did too,” Brick told him. “A celebratory dinner.”
“Yeah?” Jesse lifted Love to give the chair to Merrily. “What are we celebrating?”
Too excited to sit, Merrily clapped her hands together. “We bought a house.”
Tonya had been about to stand, but that had her dropping right back into her seat.
“I know, I know,” Merrily rushed to say. “You’re a Realtor. But it was for sale by owner and you’ve had your hands full, so we didn’t want to bother you.”
“We paid for a house inspection,” Brick explained. “All good. It can use some updating, but I’ve enjoyed helping you here, and we’ve already got some ideas, so—”
“Count me in,” Jesse told him.
“You’re moving?” Tonya felt Jesse rest his hands on her shoulders. “You’re really moving?”
Bubbling over, Merrily clapped again. “Yes, and I’m sorry because you know I love you, and I love it here, and you’ve been the best landlord ever. But I also love, love, love the house we found. It has more space and a fenced yard and it’s only five minutes from here so we can still visit often and—”
To shush her, Brick kissed her, making Jesse laugh.
Now that she’d subsided, Brick picked up the explanations. “We’re getting married one week after we close on the house. The honeymoon is on hold until Merrily has a break in her classes. It’s going to be crazy enough just getting everything moved over.”
Merrily smiled at Tonya. “Be happy for me.”
“I am!” She jumped up to draw Merrily in for a big hug. “So very, very happy for you.”
“You don’t mind that we’re moving out?”
“I’ll miss you, and no other tenant will ever be as wonderful as you, but all that aside, I’m thrilled to see you so happy!”
Jesse nudged Brick. “To hear them talk with all that landlord and tenant stuff, you wouldn’t know they were friends.”
“The best of friends,” Tonya corrected, and she hugged Merrily again.
Jesse put his arm around Kevin and drew him into the group. “Just let us know how we can help.”
“Thanks,” Brick said. “Because I’m counting on you to help haul boxes and furniture.”
“We’ll be there.”
Merrily smiled at Kevin. “Weeeelll... I was hoping Kevin might help out with the animals while we move and get set up. Not overnight or anything, but of course the front door will be open a lot and—”
“I’ll do it.”
Merrily mussed his hair. “Thank you, kiddo.”
“I’d offer to take you to dinner to celebrate, but we just finished,” Jesse said.
“No need,” Brick assured him. “We’re heading over to see Evan and Cinder next.”
There was another round of hugs that this time included Jesse and Kevin, and then they were alone again. Tonya wanted to get back to Kevin’s earlier comment, that she wasn’t his mother, but Jesse derailed her.
“So.” He didn’t sit at the table with her, choosing instead to stand there, arms crossed and feet braced apart. “You’re going to have the other half of the house open.”
“I’m sure I’ll be able to find another tenant.”
Far too serious, Jesse watched her. “Maybe you could hold off on that.”
Shrugging, she said, “The rent is a big part of my monthly budget.”
Slowly nodding, he turned to Kevin. “Would you mind having me around more?”
“What?” Heart pounding, Tonya pushed back her chair. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m asking Kevin if he likes me enough to have me around more.”
Put on the spot, Kevin hoisted his shoulders. “I like you a lot more than I liked my mom’s boyfriends.” He laughed without humor. “A lot more.”
“No comparisons, okay?” Jesse braced his hands on the tabletop. “Forget all that, and just think about us. About this.”
His ears went red again, but Kevin nodded. “I like it when you’re here.”
Beaming, Jesse turned to Tonya. “I love you.”
“You...?”
“Love you.” He winked at Kevin. “Love him too. And I love the idea of us as a family.”
A million responses went through Tonya’s mind. She wanted to squeal in excitement. She wanted to grab Jesse and kiss him senseless. But she became aware of Kevin’s stillness.
Cautiously, he came out of his seat.
“You want to marry her.”
“Yes, I do.”
Hearing it confirmed sent that jumbled elation spiraling through her again. “Jesse.”
“You’ll get married and have more kids.”
Pretending nothing was wrong, Jesse told them both, “I wouldn’t mind that. We could open up the other side of the house and use all the space. There’d be more than enough room.”
Kevin backed up a step. A kitten clung to his jeans, and he bent to quickly pry the tiny claws loose, then set it aside.
It came right back.
Smiling, Jesse told him, “You’d make a terrific big brother.”
“Cousin.” Face pale, he lifted the kitten again and this time just held it. “I’d be a cousin.”
“Technically,” Jesse agreed. Then he narrowed his eyes, his expression intent. “But mostly you’d be a big brother.”
Kevin shook his head, and his voice went thin. “You’re not my dad.”
“No.” Jesse took a step toward him. “But I wish I was.”
Face crumbling, Kevin took off down the hall and into his bedroom.
Tonya and Jesse both heard the door slam.
When she started to go after him, Jesse caught her to him. “First things first.”
She fretted.
“It’ll be okay, honey. Will you believe that?”
He looked so confident, so strong, that she nodded. “We can make it so.”
Pleased, he lightly kissed her. “Yes, together we’ll make it so.”
Oh God. Hugging him tight, Tonya said, “I love you, Jesse. So much.”
“Finally.” He pretended weak knees, making her laugh while grabbing for him. Just as quickly he straightened, lifted her high in his arms and turned a circle while kissing her. “You ready to go tackle our first priority?”
Tears stung her eyes. Happy tears. She nodded.
Jesse set her back on her feet, took her hand, and together they went down the hall. She knocked on Kevin’s door.
“Go away.”
Hearing the break in his voice, she and Jesse shared a look. But despite her breaking heart, she smiled. “We did tell him it was okay to be mad.”
“That’s something, I guess.”
The cat wrapped around her leg. Tonya looked down to see the other two kittens had also followed them.
“Kevin,” she said through the door, “Love wants in.”
The seconds ticked by and then, reluctantly, he opened the door. Immediately Love pushed her way in, and naturally the kittens followed.
It devastated her to see the tears in Kevin’s eyes.
She started to reach for him, but he turned away, going to his desk and dropping into his chair.
Jesse propped a shoulder in the open doorway. “I know you won’t believe this, Kevin, but it’s okay to cry.”
“I’m not!” He scrubbed both fists over his eyes. “I’m not a baby.”
“No.”
“I’m not a wuss, either.”
“I would never say you are.”
Kevin stared up at him with red eyes and a watery nose. “Mom said only babies cried.”
Tonya loved Jesse even more when he said with conviction, “You’ll never hear me say it.”