Page 142 of When Ben Loved Jace

This rouses a smile out of Jason. We end the meal the way it began—in high spirits. After the sizable bill is paid (being a parent is expensive!) Michelle and I step outside while the others use the restroom.

“What do you think?” she asks.

“I really like him,” I admit.

“So do I,” she says with transparent fondness. “He’s one of my favorites.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t snatch him up for yourself.”

“I might have,” she admits. “He was in a really good placement when we adopted Preston. I thought Jason had already found his people. And now…” Her hand moves to her stomach, which is elegantly round. “It’s going to be a full house.”

“You could always give us the baby and adopt Jason,” I suggest, but only jokingly. I’m over the idea of needing a younger child.

“I’m half-tempted,” Michelle murmurs before covering her mouth. “That sounds terrible! I want this baby. Of course I do! I just worry about stepping away from my career after giving birth. Even for a little while. Too many kids need my help.”

“You’re awesome,” I tell her. “I’m sure you’ll find a way.”

She smiles. “Thanks. You can help me by taking one more troubled teen off my plate.”

“Trust me,” I say, watching as my husband walks toward us with Jason at his side, his green eyes filled with pride. “I’m already sold on the idea. We both are.”

— — —

“You know what we need?” my husband asks before leaping up from the kitchen table. “A list!”

“Can’t it wait untilafterbreakfast?”

“There’s still so much to do.” Jace rifles through a drawer, apparently not having heard me. “And I do love a list.”

“I love pancakes,” I murmur. After taking a sip of my coffee, I add, “Which you promised to make.”

“Oh right!”

My expectations soar. Then they plummet when my husband sits across from me again.

“We’ll need to go grocery shopping,” he says before writing something at the top of a small notepad. “What do you think Jason likes to eat?”

“I bet he’s crazy about pancakes. We should practice making them before he gets here.”

Jason is coming to stay with us tomorrow. Just for a sleepover, but it’s a test we’re both eager to pass.

Jace shakes his head. “You better let me do the cooking this weekend.” He glances up apologetically. “Or we could keep it simple. Cereal, for instance.”

“At this point, I’ll take what I can get.”

“He mentioned wanting a television in the trailer,” Jace says, still lost in a blissful vision of parenthood.

I set my hunger aside to join him there. “Yeah, but I don’t want him watching TV by himself. Not on his first night. We should go out and do something fun.”

“But he has to decide if he likes beinghere,” my husband counters. “We should make that as appealing as possible.” He grimaces and rubs the back of his neck.

“Do you want a massage?” I ask, perking up, because if I’m not going to get breakfast, there are other appetites I wouldn’t mind satisfying. “We won’t have as much privacy in the future.”

He smiles. “Maybe later. I woke up with a headache.”

I sigh. “Maybe it’s hunger-induced.”

“We should do something as a family,” Jace says, returning to his favorite subject as of late. And admittedly, mine as well. “Are board games lame these days?”