by heart. Sky blue when he
laughed and a deeper ocean blue when he was angry. She guessed they
were the darker shade right now.
“ He should help you. It’s not right
that you have to work double shifts at the diner while he’s off
having fun as if he has no responsibilities. Or at least none he’d
acknowledge. Let me take you to dinner Friday and for once have
someone wait on you. I’ll even forget the citation.” He dropped her
arms and closed the ticket book he hadn’t written in.
Instantly, she missed the feel of his hands
on her bare skin. “I can’t. Friday is my best shift and then
there’s Angel…” She hated discussing her parenting issues with
Gabe, the man who had loved her since junior high. The brother she
should have been with instead of the loser who knocked her up at
eighteen and split town.
“ Saturday, and Mom will watch her. She
just said she never gets to see Angel.”
“ So you're bribing me and making me
feel guilty to go out with you?”
“ Ouch, do you have to put it like
that? My ego is already bruised.” He held his hand over his heart
as if she’d stomped it. His ego would be fine. And if he’d just
stop looking at her, he’d see how many women in town wanted to date
him.
“ How do I tell a four-year-old,
Mommy’s going on a date with Uncle Gabe?”
“ I’ll pick the two of you up about
five. Tell her she’s going to go see Grandma, and we’re going out
for a bit. She won’t care after she gets to Mom’s. It’s a win-win
situation. Angel gets spoiled, Mom sees her only grandchild and you
get dinner served to you.”
“ And what do you get?” She tried to
smooth down her windblown hair the best she could with her
fingers.
“ I get the date I’ve waited so long
for with the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”
Why did he have to be so sweet? She was a
mess, food caked on her waitress outfit. Her hair pulled back in a
ponytail with stray strands flying loose. Not to mention everything
that had happened between them and he still wanted to be a part of
her life?
What the hell? One little date couldn’t
hurt, right? Didn’t she deserve a night out, to be pampered? She
worked so hard, and she was a good mother. Money didn’t make anyone
a better parent, it just made it easier.
“ Well?” He grinned and shrugged his
shoulders.
How could she refuse him anymore? She wanted
to be with him. And it was only one date. Just a few short hours,
no one would find out. His sexy grin and cute shrug squashed any
resolve she had left.
“ Okay—”
“ Yes!” He smacked his hands together
then cupped her face and planted a quick kiss on her
lips.
“ Slow down. It’s just dinner. No funny
stuff.” Her lips tingled and hungered for another taste of
his.
He raised his fingers in a scout’s honor
salute. “Just dinner. No funny stuff. I get it.” A wicked smile
formed from the corners of his lips.
Funny, she didn’t remember him being a boy
scout, but she’d take her chances anyway.
Chapter 2
Amy shifted Angel to her left arm and
fumbled with the key in the lock. Her baby was growing so fast and
getting too heavy for her to wag around. Pushing the door open, she
noticed the soft glow coming from the table lamp.
Great! She cringed and felt the vomit rising
in her throat.
Struggling to keep her balance, she closed
the door with her foot and dropped her purse. Without a word, she
passed him and took Angel to the bedroom. She laid her down on the
bed and tucked the sheet to her chin. Taking a deep breath, she
slipped off her shoes and headed for the living room. Of all
nights, he would have to show up and remind her why she’d told Gabe
no for so long.
She closed the bedroom door and hoped Angel
wouldn’t wake up. “What are you doing here, Lou?”
“ Do you always have to ask me that
question?” He paused, but she wasn’t in the talking mood. “I’m here
to see my kid. Where’ve you been?”
“ Working, Lou, always working. And you
know
laughed and a deeper ocean blue when he was angry. She guessed they
were the darker shade right now.
“ He should help you. It’s not right
that you have to work double shifts at the diner while he’s off
having fun as if he has no responsibilities. Or at least none he’d
acknowledge. Let me take you to dinner Friday and for once have
someone wait on you. I’ll even forget the citation.” He dropped her
arms and closed the ticket book he hadn’t written in.
Instantly, she missed the feel of his hands
on her bare skin. “I can’t. Friday is my best shift and then
there’s Angel…” She hated discussing her parenting issues with
Gabe, the man who had loved her since junior high. The brother she
should have been with instead of the loser who knocked her up at
eighteen and split town.
“ Saturday, and Mom will watch her. She
just said she never gets to see Angel.”
“ So you're bribing me and making me
feel guilty to go out with you?”
“ Ouch, do you have to put it like
that? My ego is already bruised.” He held his hand over his heart
as if she’d stomped it. His ego would be fine. And if he’d just
stop looking at her, he’d see how many women in town wanted to date
him.
“ How do I tell a four-year-old,
Mommy’s going on a date with Uncle Gabe?”
“ I’ll pick the two of you up about
five. Tell her she’s going to go see Grandma, and we’re going out
for a bit. She won’t care after she gets to Mom’s. It’s a win-win
situation. Angel gets spoiled, Mom sees her only grandchild and you
get dinner served to you.”
“ And what do you get?” She tried to
smooth down her windblown hair the best she could with her
fingers.
“ I get the date I’ve waited so long
for with the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”
Why did he have to be so sweet? She was a
mess, food caked on her waitress outfit. Her hair pulled back in a
ponytail with stray strands flying loose. Not to mention everything
that had happened between them and he still wanted to be a part of
her life?
What the hell? One little date couldn’t
hurt, right? Didn’t she deserve a night out, to be pampered? She
worked so hard, and she was a good mother. Money didn’t make anyone
a better parent, it just made it easier.
“ Well?” He grinned and shrugged his
shoulders.
How could she refuse him anymore? She wanted
to be with him. And it was only one date. Just a few short hours,
no one would find out. His sexy grin and cute shrug squashed any
resolve she had left.
“ Okay—”
“ Yes!” He smacked his hands together
then cupped her face and planted a quick kiss on her
lips.
“ Slow down. It’s just dinner. No funny
stuff.” Her lips tingled and hungered for another taste of
his.
He raised his fingers in a scout’s honor
salute. “Just dinner. No funny stuff. I get it.” A wicked smile
formed from the corners of his lips.
Funny, she didn’t remember him being a boy
scout, but she’d take her chances anyway.
Chapter 2
Amy shifted Angel to her left arm and
fumbled with the key in the lock. Her baby was growing so fast and
getting too heavy for her to wag around. Pushing the door open, she
noticed the soft glow coming from the table lamp.
Great! She cringed and felt the vomit rising
in her throat.
Struggling to keep her balance, she closed
the door with her foot and dropped her purse. Without a word, she
passed him and took Angel to the bedroom. She laid her down on the
bed and tucked the sheet to her chin. Taking a deep breath, she
slipped off her shoes and headed for the living room. Of all
nights, he would have to show up and remind her why she’d told Gabe
no for so long.
She closed the bedroom door and hoped Angel
wouldn’t wake up. “What are you doing here, Lou?”
“ Do you always have to ask me that
question?” He paused, but she wasn’t in the talking mood. “I’m here
to see my kid. Where’ve you been?”
“ Working, Lou, always working. And you
know
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