“We found a big surprise.”Cody was still amped up from their discovery.“Open your eyes and look.”
Delilah’s eyes popped open.“Show me.”
Braden chuckled at how quickly his daughter woke up.One minute she was a limp noodle, the next she was on her feet, waiting for Cody’s directions.
That’s when he saw Maggie jump up and step back—away from him.Like she couldn’t wait to put some spacebetween them.He got it—he was feeling all kinds of eager nervousness along with a healthy dose of awareness for this woman…
But Maggie seemedoff.Tense.Agitated.Like maybe she wasn’t on the same page as he was.
Could he be seeing what he wanted to see?
He’d seen a spark in her big green eyes.And the heat there—it had been enough to knock the air from his lungs.
And, dammit, he was sure there’d been some tug in the space between them.It’d been so strong he half expected to see some sort of rope or string tying him to her so she could reel him in.He wasn’t the best at reading people, but there was no way he’d imagined all that.
And yet, it wouldn’t be the first time.He’d thought he and Phoebe were in it for the long haul—that she’d loved him and seen a future together.He’d believed each and every one of Phoebe’s promises to him.When she said she loved him more than she’d ever loved anyone else, he’d finally offered up his heart.But he’d been working odd jobs back then, going wherever an extra ranch hand was needed—as long as it kept him far from home and more, useless arguments with his father.And when he’d left Florida for Wyoming, it had taken less than three months for her to tell him they were over—and that she was getting back together with her old boyfriend.Hearing that had him sealing himself off once more and swearing off anything that could lead to heartache.
With Delilah around, he couldn’t afford to get caught up in “does she or doesn’t she” drama.As tempting as Maggie was, he had to remember he had real-life, adult responsibilities.He was a father, for crying out loud.He’d grown up with the perfect example of how not to be a good father, so he figured all he had to do was the opposite of what his fatherwould have done when he’d been Delilah’s age.It was sad, but true.While his father wasn’t as intimidating and demanding as he’d been all those years ago, he was still a far cry from father-of-the-year material.Still, seeing his dad with Delilah was like seeing an entirely different person—a gentle and loving grandfather.The grandfather Delilah both deserved and needed.
If his father could become a good grandfather, Braden could be a good father.A father’s duty was to provide stability, love and safety.Fulfilling those duties to his daughter surpassed everything else—including his attraction to Maggie Cooper.Attraction was fleeting, and romantic attachments were fickle.Family and friendships, however, had more longevity and less difficulties.
He had plenty of family, but when it came to friends, they were mostly single drinking buddies that avoided anything related to commitment or responsibility.Meaning, he didn’t have a whole lot he’d want to introduce his daughter to.Delilah adored Maggie—and Cody.Through Maggie, maybe he’d meet more parents—and fathers—to guide him along his parenting journey.Just another item to the reasons-he-had-to-resist-Maggie-Cooper list.
By the time he’d finished his mental assessment, he reaffirmed being friends was the best thing all around.It was a good thing she wasn’t interested in him—even if it didn’t feel that way.
“I guess a monster bear could be that big,” Cody was explaining to Delilah.“If they were real.But they’re not so it can’t be a monster bear bone.”
Braden sat back on his heels, thankful Cody had the others so engrossed in his name-that-bone debate they hadn’t picked up on anything else.He took a deep breath, put a smile on his face and leaned in to join the conversation.
Delilah pressed her hand against the object in question.“Humongous.”
“You can’t say dinosaur but you can say humongous?”Cody scratched his head.“You are so weird.”
Delilah giggled.“Okay.”
It was her laugh that eased the final knots from his neck.Whatever emotional game of tug-of-war he was having with himself, hearing his daughter’s delight overshadowed all else.“Look at how tiny your hand is next to it.”
“If it was a dinosaur, it’d step on us and squish us like a bug.”Cody cocked his head to one side, likely imagining, before he shuddered and shook his head.“Glad they’re extinct.”
“Me, too.I wouldn’t want to get stuck between some dinosaur’s toes.”Maggie laughed.
This statement had Delilah giggling all over again—which led to them all having a good laugh.
“We’re takin’ it home, right, Ma?”Cody stared at his mother expectantly.“We gotta find out what it is and all that.I gotta know.”
“Me, too.”Delilah mimicked Cody’s stance and expression, staring up at Maggie with wide eyes.
“Like I can say no to those faces.”Maggie’s smile grew as she glanced between the two of them.“We’ll find someone to identify it.”
“Take it for show-an’-te-ll, Cody.It’d be the bestest show-an’-te-ll ever.”
Braden had to grin at how hard his little girl was working to say her l’s.
“Only kindergartners have show-and-tell, Delilah.”Cody eyed the bone.“But you can take it if you want.”
Over the course of the morning, Braden thought Codyhad warmed up to his little girl somewhat but he was still pleasantly surprised by the boy’s offer.
“I can?”Delilah’s eyes had never gone so round.“Reawwy?”
