“Hey.” Noah pointed to Mr. Harrison. “Your skin is like mine and daddy’s.”
The man nodded. “Why, yes, it is, Noah.”
“Wow.” Mrs. Harrison smiled. “You are very observant.”
Noah frowned. “What’sservantmean?”
“That you notice things,” she replied.
His son straightened his shoulders and nodded. “Yeah. I do. Oh, you have eyes like Miss Amanda.”
Mrs. Harrison grinned. “See how observant you are?”
Noah turned to Dante and pointed to his little chest. “Daddy, I’mservant.”
Sometimes too observant.
“You sure are,” he said. “So, tell me, what did you do while I was gone?”
“Feddapigs anddakitties,” his son replied, excitement bright in his gaze. “But notdagoats, cause I like whendeyjump on Miss Amanda’s back.”
She laughed and tickled Noah’s belly. “I like that too.”
He giggled. “But when I get bigger,deycan jump on my back.”
Smiling, she nodded. “Yes, they can.”
“Ah, now I know why you get my jokes.” Her father grinned.
He nodded, returning the grin. “Yes, it’s a dad thing.”
***
It was the last day in March, a Friday evening, and Amanda wondered where the month had gone. The old adage about time flying was true, because she’d had fun since meeting Dante and Noah, and now four weeks were gone.
But the fun wasn’t over.
The day after she had dinner with her sisters, Amanda had noticed a change in Dante, for the better. It was as if he’d made up his mind about something and knew what he wanted…her.
Amanda’s heart swelled and a thrill shot through her chest, upping her heartbeats with that knowledge. He didn’t keep his feelings for her a secret from his son anymore. No, Dante held her hand and hugged her in front of Noah, and even kissed her—not one of his mind-blowing kisses—but he did kiss her on the cheek and sometimes quick ones on the lips.
Like now.
She sat in one of his patio chairs next to Christa as her son played with Noah in Dante’s backyard.
The gorgeous man approached and set a hand on the back of her chair, kissed her quickly on the lips, then took a drink from his bottle of water on the table before he returned to play Falcon and Captain America with mini-Ironman and mini–Black Panther.
They’d all just finished another amazing barbecue with Dante at the grill. Tonight was chicken and barbecued ribs.Amanda currently wondered how the men were even able to move after the feast.
Christa smiled at her. “It’s nice to see you two settling into each other.”
Amanda bit her lip and lifted a brow.
The woman laughed. “Not that way. I mean relationship-wise. I remember the beginning days with Hunter. I was afraid to involve Dillan because I didn’t want him to be disappointed or hurt. But it turned out I had no reason to worry. They took to each other immediately, and Hunter loves Dillan as much as I do. And I can tell you’d do anything for Noah.”
She nodded. “Absolutely. He’s something special.”
Over the past week, Noah had insisted she be a part of his bedtime ritual with his father. Amanda hadn’t wanted to take anything away from Dante, but he was just as enthused about the idea as his son.
