A Sweetheart For The Single Dad (The Camdens Of Colorado Book 8) by Victoria Pade Page A

urges to fix and rescue, I’m trying to make sure that people don’t agree to things they don’t really want to agree to.”
    “That’s something you’ve run into a lot?”
    “Enough.” He didn’t expand, though. Instead he went on to lecture her again. “Like I said over the candy bars, when it comes to the kids at the center, watch and listen and ask questions, but
don’t
leap before you look. Or before you talk to experts and explore options and make sure you aren’t doing yourself or them a
dis
service. When it comes to your trying-not-to-fix-and-rescue thing, try a little harder, would you? Taking on four kids is not the same as taking on four dogs—although four dogs is a
lot
of commitment, too.”
    That seemed to conclude his lecture because he stood and began to gather the remnants of their dinner to stuff back in the bag. “I should take off and let you recuperate from today.”
    Lindie really was worn out so she had to agree, even though she wished he didn’t have to go.
    “I’m sorry that I kept you from clearing the spot for your chess tables,” she said as she stood, too, and took the bag from him to take to the trash.
    “The work went on, anyway. Marie called to see how you were and said that Eric and Tyler kept at it,” Sawyer said as they headed for the front door.
    “It was nice of Marie to call. And, see, Eric and Tyler weren’t just trying to impress me.”
    “Right...” he said, making the word multiple syllables of sarcasm as they reached the entry, stopped and he turned to face her.
    “One look at me at the hospital or now would change their minds for sure,” she said, still feeling self-conscious about having Sawyer see her this way.
    “Are you kidding? Those guys would have killed for a peek in the back of that hospital gown.”
    “I tried to make sure it was always closed!” she said, alarmed that
he
might have gotten a peek.
    He laughed and she couldn’t help admiring how great he looked when amusement drew lines on his face.
    Oh, who was she kidding? She couldn’t help admiring how handsome he was no matter what.
    “Relax. I didn’t see anything,” he assured her. Then, looking closely at her, he smiled a small smile and added, “Or anything earlier or now that would stop those boys from crushing on you.”
    He’d had the same glint in his eyes the night before just before he’d kissed her. Was he going to kiss her again now?
    Her pulse picked up some speed at that thought but when nothing happened she hurried to say something to fill the gap.
    “I know there’s more work on the park scheduled for tomorrow but I can’t be there,” she said apologetically. “Lang and his wife are joining everybody in Northbridge for the day to see the baby but Lang’s little boy—Carter—is just getting over a cold and they don’t want to bring him around a newborn. So I’ll have him for the day.” Then she thought of something else and said, “Oh, I’ll have Carter but no car—that’s still in Wheatley.”
    “How old is Carter?”
    “Three and a half.”
    “Actually, I’m not working at the center tomorrow, either,” he told her. “Sam’s mom is dropping him off at my place for the day.” He hesitated. Then, sounding tentative, he said, “Since the boys are almost the same age, we could let them have a playdate and I can drive wherever we go. When I take Sam back to Wheatley tomorrow night I could drop you off to pick up your car.”
    A playdate for the boys, not a date-date for the grown-ups.
    But still she’d get to see him.
    And that pleased her in a way that had nothing to do with why she was
supposed
to be spending time with him.
    How could she help that, though, when he was so easy on the eyes? When he was nicer than she had expected him to be? When he was kinder, more understanding and considerate and grounded and caring and intelligent? Not to mention that he was good-natured and funny and so, so much sexier than she wished he was?
    None of that