is dumb.”
This time when Bryce met her gaze, he looked suitably chastised. So he should, roping Sergio into his underhanded plot to get her to agree. Which she now basically had to, if she didn’t want to upset Sergio.
“Cilla, you need to pinkie-promise Doc Madden that you’ll have dinner with him,” Sergio said, his solemn expression tugging at her heartstrings. “Now.”
With a resigned sigh, Cilla held up her little finger and glared at Bryce when he intertwined it with his.
“Yay.” Sergio clapped. “You two will have dinner and tell me what you ate.” His eyes brightened. “If you go to that cool burger place on Main Street, do you think you could bring me some fries? And a banana split? And one of those giant brownies?”
“I’m not sure where we’re going yet, pal, but you know that stuff isn’t good for you at the moment,” Bryce said.
Sergio rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I know, because maybe I’ll vomit.”
Cilla knew Sergio enjoyed her plain butter cookies and they didn’t disagree with his stomach, which was fragile from the chemo drugs. “How about I bring in some of those cookies you like instead?”
“You’re the best,” Sergio said, his grin infectious.
“I agree,” Bryce said, and when their gazes locked, it was her stomach that roiled and tumbled and flipped.
She was going to have dinner with Bryce Madden.
She wasn’t just crazy.
She was certifiably insane.
14.
J ake hadn’t stayed long, thank goodness.
They’d had coffee on the back deck overlooking the garden that sloped away toward the back of the property. Made small talk mostly. Trivial stuff about the town and the weather.
Sara liked that he hadn’t delved further. He hadn’t asked about Lucy or her old job or her past. While curiosity had urged her to ask him about why he’d taken custody of Olly, and how he could take a few months off work to care for him, she hadn’t.
If she wasn’t willing to talk about her life, why should she expect that of him?
It had been oddly comfortable, sitting with him on the back porch. While their chatter had been inconsequential, his presence made her feel safe, in a way she hadn’t in a long time.
She didn’t need a guy to complete her life. Wouldn’t go down the marriage path again. But for a brief time, allowing Jake’s deep voice to wash over her, savoring his spontaneous laughter, she’d felt good having a man around.
As for the way he’d comforted her when she’d broken down over Olly’s card, that had felt beyond good. She’d been mortified at first, but when her sobs had petered out, she’d become more aware of something more disturbing.
How good it felt to have a guy hold her.
His body had been hard. Strong. Muscular. And as he’d pulled away, she was pretty sure she felt his erection pressed against her hip.
Surprisingly, her body had reacted on a visceral level, a low persistent throb reminding her that while her head and heart weren’t interested in anything remotely sexual, her body was having a hard time sticking with the program.
Ignoring the way her pulse raced at the memory of being pressed against him, she headed back inside, rinsed the coffee cups and stacked them on the sideboard.
Her gaze fell on Olly’s card and she was instantly ashamed.
Olly was a kid and she’d hurt him. Not intentionally, but if he felt like he was responsible for making her sad and had made an apology card, she’d done wrong by him.
She had to get a better grip on her emotions. Had to be able to control her grief. It had been over twelve months since Lucy had gone and while she’d never get over it, she had to ensure that her emotional fragility didn’t impact those around her. Especially other kids.
Maybe she’d done the wrong thing, deliberately shunning anything to do with children. And with Olly next door for the next few months, she couldn’t keep avoiding him.
As she opened the card and glimpsed the sea pictures he’d drawn, her heart
This time when Bryce met her gaze, he looked suitably chastised. So he should, roping Sergio into his underhanded plot to get her to agree. Which she now basically had to, if she didn’t want to upset Sergio.
“Cilla, you need to pinkie-promise Doc Madden that you’ll have dinner with him,” Sergio said, his solemn expression tugging at her heartstrings. “Now.”
With a resigned sigh, Cilla held up her little finger and glared at Bryce when he intertwined it with his.
“Yay.” Sergio clapped. “You two will have dinner and tell me what you ate.” His eyes brightened. “If you go to that cool burger place on Main Street, do you think you could bring me some fries? And a banana split? And one of those giant brownies?”
“I’m not sure where we’re going yet, pal, but you know that stuff isn’t good for you at the moment,” Bryce said.
Sergio rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I know, because maybe I’ll vomit.”
Cilla knew Sergio enjoyed her plain butter cookies and they didn’t disagree with his stomach, which was fragile from the chemo drugs. “How about I bring in some of those cookies you like instead?”
“You’re the best,” Sergio said, his grin infectious.
“I agree,” Bryce said, and when their gazes locked, it was her stomach that roiled and tumbled and flipped.
She was going to have dinner with Bryce Madden.
She wasn’t just crazy.
She was certifiably insane.
14.
J ake hadn’t stayed long, thank goodness.
They’d had coffee on the back deck overlooking the garden that sloped away toward the back of the property. Made small talk mostly. Trivial stuff about the town and the weather.
Sara liked that he hadn’t delved further. He hadn’t asked about Lucy or her old job or her past. While curiosity had urged her to ask him about why he’d taken custody of Olly, and how he could take a few months off work to care for him, she hadn’t.
If she wasn’t willing to talk about her life, why should she expect that of him?
It had been oddly comfortable, sitting with him on the back porch. While their chatter had been inconsequential, his presence made her feel safe, in a way she hadn’t in a long time.
She didn’t need a guy to complete her life. Wouldn’t go down the marriage path again. But for a brief time, allowing Jake’s deep voice to wash over her, savoring his spontaneous laughter, she’d felt good having a man around.
As for the way he’d comforted her when she’d broken down over Olly’s card, that had felt beyond good. She’d been mortified at first, but when her sobs had petered out, she’d become more aware of something more disturbing.
How good it felt to have a guy hold her.
His body had been hard. Strong. Muscular. And as he’d pulled away, she was pretty sure she felt his erection pressed against her hip.
Surprisingly, her body had reacted on a visceral level, a low persistent throb reminding her that while her head and heart weren’t interested in anything remotely sexual, her body was having a hard time sticking with the program.
Ignoring the way her pulse raced at the memory of being pressed against him, she headed back inside, rinsed the coffee cups and stacked them on the sideboard.
Her gaze fell on Olly’s card and she was instantly ashamed.
Olly was a kid and she’d hurt him. Not intentionally, but if he felt like he was responsible for making her sad and had made an apology card, she’d done wrong by him.
She had to get a better grip on her emotions. Had to be able to control her grief. It had been over twelve months since Lucy had gone and while she’d never get over it, she had to ensure that her emotional fragility didn’t impact those around her. Especially other kids.
Maybe she’d done the wrong thing, deliberately shunning anything to do with children. And with Olly next door for the next few months, she couldn’t keep avoiding him.
As she opened the card and glimpsed the sea pictures he’d drawn, her heart
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