He nodded.“I like it.”It wasn’t the bestest movie ever, but he was always going to have his little girl’s back.
“You should watch it,” Delilah pushed.“You can come over and watch it.Cody’s mom, you can come, too.Okay?”
Braden could think of worst ways to spend a couple of hours.Watching a movie with Maggie?And Cody, too.He kinda liked the sound of that.So far, he liked Maggie.Something about her had definitely caught his attention.He liked the idea of spending more time with her—to really get to know her.
“Let’s go, class.”Mrs.Peacock’s announcement had Delilah hopping into line.
“Bye, Cody.Bye, Cody’s mom.See you water.”His little girl grinned and waved.
The disappointment tightening Braden’s stomach was a surprise.
“I hope you have a happy birthday, Delilah.”Maggie leaned down to whisper, “And I like your knee socks.”
“You do?”Delilah lit up like a Christmas tree.
Maggie nodded, then stood.“I do.”And then she smiled.
It must have been that smile that had Braden asking, “Would you… Would it be too forward of me to ask for your number?”
First, her eyes went round.Then she blinked—a lot.
Well, hell.What was he doing?He barely knew thiswoman, and now he was asking for her phone number?But she was smiling again as she rummaged through her purse and fished out a pen and a scrap of paper.The smile was a good sign, wasn’t it?
“Anyone ever tell you that you’re real easy to talk to?”He winced.He’d just said that.Out loud.He forced a chuckle and said, “I guess it’s my turn to start throwing clichés around.”Shut up, man.
When she held out the piece of paper, she seemed…hesitant.
Why?It took a minute, but then it clicked.Once it did, his disappointment doubled, slamming into him, hard and fast.
I’m an idiot.He’d always thought he’d have a wife and partner long before he became a parent.Just because he was single didn’t mean she was.And now he’d gone and made things awkward by asking for her phone number.“Your husband probably wouldn’t approve of some single guy calling you.”Of course, she had a husband that was head over heels in love with her—and a good father to Cody.That’s the way it should be.“Sorry about that.”
“She doesn’t have a husband,” said Cody.
“Thank you, Cody.”Maggie took a deep breath and pressed the paper into Braden’s hand.“We single parents need to stick together.”
Well, hell.
Single parents.Maggie Cooperwassingle.He stared down at the paper in his hand—her name and phone number clearly written.
The weight of disappointment fell away and, in its place, was pure anticipation.There was no stopping the smile on his face or the uptick of his pulse.He couldn’t explain why he was reacting this way or make sense of the feelings rushing in on him.
Even better, the way she was looking at him.
“Daddy?We gotta go.”Delilah’s little voice was as effective as having a bucket of ice water dumped over his head.And he needed it.Delilah and Cody were watching.Acting like nothing out of the ordinary was happening was the best option.But as he followed his little girl back to class, Braden couldn’t deny the truth.For him, something was happening and it was anything but ordinary.
Chapter Three
“Pizza for lunch and pizza for dinner.”Maggie rinsed off the plate and loaded it into the dishwasher.“It used to be chicken nuggets.Cody’s favorite, I mean.He couldn’t get enough of them.Right?Or did I get that wrong, too?”She regretted that last bit the minute the words were out of her mouth.
“You’re right.”Mike nudged her.“Try not to take it so hard, Mags.”
She shot her brother a look.Was he being serious right now?
“Fine, I admit it.It was bad.”He drew her into his arms and gave her a tight squeeze.“He’s testing you, you know that.”
She closed her eyes and, for just a minute, leaned on her brother.“I do.But I’ve been back for months now.When will the testing stop?”
He patted her back.“It’ll get easier.”
