“Daddy, can I help?” Jayden came wandering out, half-smiling, half-scowling.
“Of course. Wash your hands. I’ll get you to help with the eggs. We’re having Reese and her wife up for supper.” Early always acted like the boys were welcome in the kitchen.
“Are those the dog ladies?”
“Nope. You know how Demming is moving to California? Reese is going to be the foreman, and her wife is coming to live in the house. She’s a schoolteacher.”
“Does she teach at our new school?” Jayden washed up but dried his hands off on his T-shirt.
“We have towels,” he reminded his son with a sigh.
Jayden rolled his eyes.
“She’s interviewing there.”
“Is she pretty?”
Early shrugged. “I guess we’ll find out this evening. You’ll have to tell me.”
Jayden nodded. “I totally will. I know your cuteometer is a little screwy.”
He snorted a laugh. “Aren’t you a little young to judge someone’s cuteometer?”
Jayden crossed his arms. “Nooo. Jennifer Hugh wanted to be my girlfriend.”
“Redhead Jennifer?”
“Uh-huh.”
“You’re kind of young for a girlfriend.” Way too young. His boys could date when they were thirty.
“Da-a-ad! I said she wanted to. I didn’t say yes.”
Early’s lips twitched. “What did you say, son?”
“Ask me when school started. I want to see the other girls.”
He knew he shouldn’t do it, but he couldn’t stop himself. He laughed out loud and leaned against Early. “Gotta keep those options open.”
“That’s my boy. You never know what you want until you see what’s there.”
“Right? I mean, what if I’m Jennifer’s boyfriend and I find a girl who likes to swim more? Or who’s better at math and can help me with my homework?”
Connor was going to die.
Jayden looked at Early perfectly seriously. “So, you needed help with the eggs?”
“I totally did. Are you comfortable with trying to peel? They don’t have to be perfect.” How did Early do that? Just be straight-faced like Jayden wasn’t the funniest kid on earth.
“I can do it, I bet.” Jayden picked one up and tapped it on the counter.
Connor just kept on giggling as he washed the spinach, hoping the running water would cover the sound. He didn’t have Early’s self-control.
“So, did I like to…swimmore?” Early whispered to him, teasing wildly.
“No, you liked to fuck more,” he whispered back, not helping his case of giggles at all.
“Boy howdy.” He got a wink, a happy chuckle, and then Jaxson was there.