“Thank you,” Braden murmured, tugging at the collar of his shirt.Where the hell had that come from?
“What, Ma?”Cody nudged Delilah.“You make a good couple.”
“Uh-huh.”Delilah smiled sweetly.“Go.On a date.”
“Uncle Mike is dating someone and he’s happy.”Cody took a big bite of apple.“You guys could date and be happy, too.”
Braden was still coughing and trying to sort through what, exactly, was going on.This conversation had come out of nowhere… Hadn’t it?Was he missing something?Had Maggie… No.He wasn’t going to read anything into this.This was a kid being a kid.And, as kid-logic arguments went, Cody wasn’t exactly wrong.
“Cody, I’m not sure what’s gotten into you, but let’s talk about something else.”Maggie sounded downright desperate.
“What’s the matter, Ma?You tell me to tell the truth.”Cody was frowning now.“And I am.”
“No wying.”Delilah nodded.“Cuz wying is bad.Wight, Daddy?”
Well, hell.Braden could only answer one way.“That’s right.”He understood where Cody was coming from,butthere was a difference between telling the truth and sharing thoughts and opinions.Cody was nine, so he hadn’t figuredthat out yet.He was saying it like he saw it.And even though Braden didn’t know what to make of it, Cody and Delilah seemed to like the idea of them being a couple.If their circumstances were different, then he’d probably have liked the idea of him and Maggie together, too.He’d have liked the idea a whole lot.
Chapter Six
“Are we done with snack?”Maggie started shoving things back into the backpack, trying to rein in her panic.When she got home, Mike was getting an earful.And Cody?What on earth made him think it was okay to blurt out something like that?He hadn’t meant any harm, but the lingering awkwardness between her and Braden was thick and heavy and all too real.“And don’t leave any trash.”
“Trash makes fishies and aminals sick.”Delilah handed over her granola bar wrapper and half-empty water bottle.“Thank you, Cody’s mom.”
“You are welcome, sweetie.”The more time she spent with Delilah, the more precious she became.“You can call me Maggie if you want to.”
“I can?”Delilah’s grin was blinding.“Maggie, Maggie,Maggie.”She sing-songed Maggie’s name over and over before dissolving into giggles.
Precious.Maggie giggled right along with her.
“You ready?”Cody stood in front of them, watching them.
He’d seemed irritated since she’d shut down the whole dating-Braden declaration.But why?He’d never shown any interest in her dating before so where was this coming from?Did he think she was unhappy?Was that it?She’d make sure to reassure him that wasn’t the case when they got home.
“Ready!”Delilah hopped over to him.“Hi, Cody.”
Cody rolled his eyes.“You are so weird.”He headed for the path.
“Cody is funny.”Delilah was undeterred by Cody’s less than jubilant attitude.
Poor Delilah.It was obvious the little girl had developed a case of hero worship for her son.She wasn’t sure what to do about it, either.Cody would never be outright mean to Delilah—but he wasn’t exactly careful with his words.As was made perfectly clear with the whole dating conversation.
They’d been on the trail for about ten minutes when Cody came to a stop.Delilah, who’d been closely following him, slammed into his back, wobbled, then landed on her rear.
“Ouch!”Delilah reached around to rub her bottom.
“Are you all right?”Maggie helped Delilah stand and swiped at the dust covering the back of her jeans.
“I’m real sorry, Delilah.”Cody’s concern was sincere.
“It’s okay, Cody.”Delilah’s smile was like a ray of sunshine.“Do not worry.”
Braden sighed and shook his head.The minute Braden realized she was watching him, his features smoothed and the corner of his mouth kicked up.And, for the ninety-ninth time that day, Maggie was forced to endure tummy flutters, tingles and heart palpitations.It would get easier in time.She’d become immune to his charm and good looks and he’d never need to know how much he rattled her.
“Ma, look!”Cody called out.
The nervous edge to her son’s voice had Maggie tensing.She did a quick sweep of the area, searching the trees and underbrush for any threat but found nothing.To be safe, she turned to Braden.A bear?she mouthed.
Braden shook his head.But then the corner of his mouth kicked up and time stopped.
