So for now, she wasn’t thinking on that too much. She was a lady of leisure, and enjoying the hell out of it.
Vince came home for the next bunch of nights from one of his two jobs, to more goodies on the counter than he’d ever seen in his life. And that was saying a lot, considering the cook and baker that Ellen Sothard was. He teased Lace that he was going to get fat, loving the way she tackled, kissed, and tickled his abs every time he made that comment.
Whatalwaysfollowed was extraordinary sex, and Vince wasn’t complaining about that, one bit.
Just a week later, on a Sunday, he and Lace had picked up a grill to celebrate. They’d had the entire Sothard bunch over for burgers and dogs, and in the middle of the festivities, Bobbie had gone into labor. The whole party had then shifted to the hospital.
Buck and Bobbie were now the proud parents of seven-pound, ten-ounce Justin, and everyone was happy and healthy.
On the following Tuesday, he’d joined both his females—yes, he was already considering Inez as part of the pack—for their infusions, once again without his costume.
Inez seemed unphased by that, and completely embraced their company.
By the time things wrapped up—with Lace promising to see her on Friday, and both he and Lace joining her again next Tuesday—Inez was exhibiting a spark he hadn’t witnessed in her before. It was almost like she was intuiting that something was up; that he and Lace were going to become more to her than just random visitors.
Upbeat and arriving back at the house from the hospital where Lace hadnotpuked this time, she and Vince had run around like headless chickens getting the house ready for the DHHS lady who had been put off a week.
They scrubbed things that didn’t need scrubbing, picked up nearly non-existent dust bunnies, and Lace had even made an apple pie to make the house smell “homey”.
At two o’clock on the dot, Midge Berlotti from DHHS had been knocking at the door.
Vince remembered sucking in a deep breath, plastering a smile on his face, and opening it up…
“Ms. Berlotti. I’m so glad you could make it.”
“Of course I made it,” she huffed. “You’re on my calendar.”
“Yes, well…”
“Hi,” Lace said from behind Vince. “I’m Lace Heiger.” She stepped to the forefront and stuck out her hand. “You must be Ms. Berlotti. I’m so pleased to meet you. Won’t you come in?
Ms. Berlotti walked through the door, glanced at Lace’s outstretched hand, then took it in a limp grasp before quickly bringing her fingers back to the strap of the over-large pocketbook that was slung across her chest.
Lace wasn’t deterred.
“We’re very excited,” Lace admitted. “And I’ll admit I used a little of my enthusiasm to bake an apple pie. I also have coffee brewed if you’re interested in either or both.” Lace beamed.
Vince glimpsed the first spark of any kind coming from the taciturn woman. It actually did wonders for her jaded face.
“Do you bake?” Midge asked.
Lace laughed, a lovely tinkling sound. “Do I bake?” she repeated. “Too much, if Vince is to be believed. But I love to have something sweet on the counter,withingredients I’ve curated myself to make sure they’re not full of additives or preservatives.”
It was like a switch went on in Midge’s head.
Suddenly she was all…engaging.
It no longer mattered if Vince even existed. The two women began talking recipes, and for the first time since he’d spoken to the uptight woman on the phone a few weeks prior, Vince felt his shoulders relax.
Lace had this.
His smart lady was not only greasing the squeakiest wheel imaginable by being her own, enthusiastic self, she’d even spun the whole, under-construction bathroom as a huge positive. She let Midge know that it would be used exclusively by any foster children who entered the home; a brand-spanking-new, bright, and welcoming place where they’d feel like their presence actually mattered enough for them to have something special.
When asked for a completion date on the project, Vince was able to tell Midge—with all certainty as per Statler’s assurances—that it would be ready for use in no more than a week and a half.
Throughout the entire interview and inspection process, Midge typed copious notes on the tablet she had in her bag, but as she did so, her lips were no longer pinched, and she’d even chuckled a few times.
Vince had tried not to crack any lame jokes, only managing with help from Lace. Every time he heard a line that screamed for a humorous retort, she’d put a restraining hand on his arm or his thigh.