“I know a little something about being stubborn. You know that girlfriend I told you about? A few months after I started seeing her, my mom warned me not to get too attached. She thought she had wandering eyes. But I was so arrogant and stupid, I didn’t listen. Everyone fucks up, babe. That’s how we learn. Some lessons are just harder than others.”

Tracey’s stomach growled, and she put her hand over it, laughing softly.

He was glad to see her smiling. He gave her a quick kiss and tried to keep that smile in place. “Speaking of hard lessons. You need to eat, and if you keep sitting on my lap in those skimpy panties, the only thing you’re gettin’ is dessert, right here in this bed.”

She put her arms around him. “Dessert before dinner sounds good to me.”

He made a growling noise, which he’d learned she loved and, in one quick move, shifted her onto her back on the bed and came down over her, both of them laughing.

“Laughing looks good on you.” She leaned up and kissed him.

“Know what looks good on you?” As he lowered his mouth to hers, he said, “Me.”

Chapter Thirteen

BY THE TIME Saturday rolled around, Tracey was a nervous wreck about seeing her mother. Diesel had her home phone number, but Tracey didn’t want to try to reconnect over the phone. She needed to see her mother in person, and she was pretty sure she’d fall apart when she did, which was why she wanted to take this slowly. Diesel found out her mother was working Saturday afternoon, and they planned to stop by the garden center so Tracey could get a glimpse of her. If she fell apart, then once she pulled herself together, she’d talk to her.

At least that was the plan, but her brain wasn’t exactly functioning at full capacity. She’d barely been able to concentrate all week, and working out had been a bust. She’d tried, but she’d been too sidetracked to be productive. She’d talked with Josie and Izzy about seeing her mother, and they’d both offered to go with her, which she’d briefly considered. But Diesel had become her person. She couldn’t pinpoint exactly when that change had taken place, but he’d become the one she trusted with her secrets, her sadness, and her celebrations.