Page 64 of Just One Spark

I'd ruined whatever good grace I'd received for those deeds last night by failing to show up.We hadn't even had sex last night.That had to be a first.I couldn't remember a night when we weren't intimate.In bed was the one place that we were completely compatible.

She grabbed a few pancakes and poured syrup over them."Are we going to your parents later?"

"That's the plan.We always head over sometime in the afternoon and have a big meal.McCoy might be there for a bit and then go to his mom's."I cut into my pancake, preferring the sweetness of the berries to the syrup.

"That's nice that McCoy sees both of his parents on Christmas day."

"Yeah, they get along good, and it seems to work for them."

She speared a piece of pancake with her fork."Do we have plans for this morning?"

"I need to head over to the brewery?—"

She looked away from me.

"I'm not working.It's a surprise for you," I rushed to explain.

She lifted her head."Oh?"

"Remember I said I wanted to do something special tonight?"

Her nose wrinkled."Yeah, but that's not necessary."

"I want to."I wanted to make up for last night.But this was part of my plan to win her over.To convince her that what we had was real.

"I'll stop by my mom's.Take her some food I picked up for her."

"You want to invite her for dinner?"

"She's more comfortable at home," she was quick to say.

My throat tightened."How's she doing?"

"She was doing a little better when I visited the other day.She was happy for me."

"Because you started a business?"I asked.

"No," she said, dragging out the word."She was happy that I'm engaged.I didn't want her to be upset when we broke up, so I told her the truth."

"It's fine."I'd never tell her to lie to her mother.

She nodded and took another bite."I love blueberry pancakes."

"I prefer them over chocolate chips.That's usually what Mom makes these days for McCoy.They're his favorite."

"You ever thought about having kids?"she asked.

"I assume I'll have kids one day.After the brewery is established.What about you?"I asked her.

She cupped her mug."I didn't exactly have the best childhood."

"You won't be anything like your father."She didn't appear to have an addictive personality, except maybe when it came to my body.But I wasn't saying that out loud.

"I'm not avoiding alcohol, but I'm aware of how much I drink.I never want to fall into addiction."

"And you won't."I'd never been surer of anything.She knew the consequences.

She smiled at me."Thanks for believing in me."