Page 19 of Lost and Found Cowboy
“Max, I want you to listen to me,” Mack told him, his voice taking on a serious tone. “Neither you nor your mother are dummies. In fact, you are bothverysmart. Your mom runs her own business and has to keep track of a lot of things at the coffee shop and still take care of you and your sister. And it takes someone with a lot of skill and smarts to be able to build this pirate ship. You’renotdumb. You’re a very bright kid, and I don’t want you to ever let anyone tell you different or make you feel like you’re dumb. That is simplynottrue.”
“Okay,” Max said, but so quietly, Lorna could barely hear him.
“Supper’s ready,” Lorna said, forcing a smile as she walked into the family room. “Max, go wash your hands and get sat up to the table.”
The boy set the pieces down that he was working on and raced toward the ground floor bathroom, calling over his shoulder as he ran. “I’m having two slices of garlic bread tonight.”
“I heard what you said,” Lorna told Mack as she lifted the baby off his lap. “Thank you for that.”
“I meant it,” Mack told her, then lowered his voice. “And if I ever meet your ex, there’s a strong chance I’ll punch him in the throat.”
“I understand the sentiment.”
“How could anyone think Max is dumb? I’m amazed at the way he’s been able to put this Lego thing together. Half the time, I’m still trying to figure out the instructions, and he’s already got the next part built.”
“He was diagnosed with dyslexia earlier this year. His kindergarten teacher recognized the signs, and she’s been a great help in getting us resources and educating us on how to manage it.”
“Oh wow. I never would have guessed.”
“No, it’s not something you can see. And sometimes kids go undiagnosed for years, so we’re super thankful for Max’s teacher and all the support we’ve received from her and the school.”
“I get the first helping ofpasketti,” Max said, bursting from the bathroom, his hands still dripping water, as he raced toward the table. He pulled out the chair next to him. “Mack, you sit by me.”
“Thanks bud,” Mack said, ducking into the bathroom. “I gotta wash my hands, too. Don’t eat all the garlic bread without me.”
Yeah, Mack Lassiter was a good guy. A decent man, and just what she’d said she wanted, a good friend to herandher son.
So why was she checking out his butt when he walked down the hall in front of her and feeling a little jealous that Izzy was the only one who got to sit in his lap?
Chapter Nine
“That was delicious,” Mack said as he pushed away from the table. “Best spaghetti I’ve had in years.”
“You must have liked it—you ate two bowls full,” Max said, slurping a noodle into his mouth.
“I’m glad you enjoyed it,” Lorna said. “The sauce was my grandmother’s recipe.”
“Well, give her my compliments,” he said.
A look of sadness washed over her face. “I wish I could, but we lost her right after I got pregnant with Izzy. I’m sad she never got to meet her great granddaughter. But she adored Max.”
“Who wouldn’t?” Mack said, ruffling the boy’s hair. “Were you close to her?”
“Oh yeah. Leni and I both were. She was an amazing woman. She’s the one who gave me the building for the coffee shop. It used to be a little flower shop that she and my grandpa ran, then she rented it out to a real estate agency after he died, and she couldn’t manage it on her own anymore. I had told her my ideas of opening a coffee shop someday, and she left me the building and a little money to get it up and running.”
“That was quite a gift.”
“You have no idea.” She wet a napkin in her water and wiped spaghetti sauce from Izzy’s cheeks. “Starting that shop saved me. It gave me something positive to focus on after Lyle left, and a way to support myself and my family. We’d moved in with my mom and she helped with the kids while I worked around the clock ordering inventory, researching how to run a business, scouring thrift stores for tables and chairs, and painting and decorating the shop.”
“You did an amazing job.”
“Thank you. I appreciate you saying that. I’m really proud of it and what I’ve accomplished, basically all on my own. I worked really hard to stretch every dollar my grandmother left me, and I applied for and received a couple of small business grants. I also consciously try hard to be innovative and to help other women as well. Like, the majority of my baked goods are made by a couple of single moms, one does the pies and pastries and the other does the sandwiches and egg bites. I sell them on a consignment basis, so I can offer food, but don’t have to pay for groceries or keep inventory or do any baking.”
“That’s really clever. I was just telling Max earlier how smart you are.” Mack liked listening to her share about her accomplishments and really liked the pride he saw as she pushed her shoulders back when she told him about helping other women in the community. “I find smart to be super sexy.”
She barked out a laugh as her cheeks glowed pink. “Yeah, that’s what I usually hear when I start babbling about baked goods, paint colors, and small business grants.”
“If you’re trying to seduce me with your business skills acumen…” He offered her one of his rakish grins. “It’s working.”
