Page 36 of Contentious

“That sounds good. Thanks for not forgetting about me.”

The comment stopped him short. “Forget about you? Seriously?”

“Lotta people here get no visitors. I’m one of the lucky ones with you kids visiting all the time.”

“Do you have any idea whatsoever what you mean to us?”

“Yeah, I know,” he said gruffly.

“We could never forget about you. Besides, you wouldn’t let us.”

Carson left him laughing.

Spencer had given him a lot to think about.

Chapter Nine

Cresley had dinner with Ty, helped him and Julia with the puzzle, guided him through a shower and the usual bedtime ritual that consisted of at least three stories and a chat about their favorite thing that’d happened that day. Once again, he asked if it was warm enough yet to go surfing with Mr. Carson. She told him she’d check with Carson and let him know before she kissed him good night.

“Mommy is going out for a drink with Miss Marlene, but Julia will be here if you need anything, okay?”

“Okay. Be careful.”

“I always am.”

He’d been there when people got too close to her in public, and it made him nervous. Whenever she was going somewhere without him, he always told her to be careful.

“Love you to the moon and all the way around the world and back again.”

“I love you all the way to the end of the solar system and back again.”

She kissed his face off and tucked the covers in the way he liked them. “See you in the morning, buddy.”

“Night, Mommy.”

He rarely called her that anymore, and when he did, her heart flip-flopped in her chest with overwhelming love for the best thing to ever happen to her. When she’d first realized she was pregnant, she’d gone into a panic, knowing there was no way Marlon was up to the task of parenthood, and with her career on fire, would she be able to handle it on her own? She’d briefly worried about what pregnancy would do to her body and whether she’d still be able to work.

The panic had taken her over for months until the first time she felt a flutter of movement ripple across her abdomen.

From that second on, panic had been replaced by excitement and anticipation. Every minute with him had been pure bliss, from the minute he was born right through to today and every day in between.

Cresley waited until he’d dropped off to sleep, pressed another kiss to his sweet-smelling head and went to finish getting ready. Tonight, she went for casual but hot, with jeans and a Foghat T-shirt that dated back to a concert in high school that her mother’s boyfriend at the time had taken her to. It’d been her first exposure to classic rock, and she’d been hooked. Not that she didn’t also love her some Backstreet Boys and One Direction back in the day, but her first love was classic.

She’d mentioned something about that to Julian once, which was why he’d invited her to see his band, Canyon, which performed classic rock covers—and did so exceptionally well by all accounts.

Marlene texted to let her know she was ten minutes out.

I’m ready!

She grabbed a sweater and her purse, checked herself in the mirror one last time and headed for the kitchen, where Julia was grabbing one of the raspberry seltzers that Cresley kept on hand for her in the fridge. A junior at USC studying marketing, Julia dyed her hair black and wore heavy black eye makeup that, combined with her pale skin, gave her an ethereal vibe.

“You look hot,” Julia said in her typical blunt fashion. “I like that look on you better than the fanciness from last night.”

“I like it better, too. Much more comfortable. I won’t be late.”

“Take your time. I’ll sleep over since I have class in the morning and can go right from here.”

“Perfect. Thanks for always being willing to help me out.”