up, and we can have a lesson while we eat dessert," Beth suggested.
Alana signed for Caden to help collect the plates. She could tell that he didn't want to but as soon as Justin stood up and started to help, Caden's reluctance disappeared. He moved around the table stacking the plates, his gaze on Justin. When the table had been cleared, Justin turned to Caden and held out his fist, knuckles up. With a wide grin, Caden made a fist and bumped it against Justin's. The man might not know sign language, but he definitely knew how to communicate with her son.
Dessert was an assortment of homemade cookies and brownies. Thrilled to be able to indulge her sweet tooth, Alana ate more than she probably should have, but they were just that good. Partway through, Genevieve began to get restless so when Beth took her out of the high chair, Alana asked Caden to go play with her for a bit.
She felt Justin's gaze on her as she went through a few signs. Beth and Daniel were quick to imitate her motions, but Justin just watched. His dark blue eyes tracked her every movement, but his face didn't give away what was going on in his mind.
"C'mon, Justin," Beth said. "You need to practice the signs or you won't remember them."
His gaze flicked to Beth before looking back at Alana. "I'll remember them."
Alana shifted on the padded cushion of the chair she sat on, her hands in her lap. It was one thing for him to watch her while she was showing them signs but quite another when she wasn't doing anything. She could feel warmth spreading across her skin as she wondered what he saw when he looked at her.
It had been a long time since she'd really made much of an effort with her appearance. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had a haircut. The mass of curls nearly reached her waist if she left it down—which she rarely did. There had been no money in the budget for makeup and the lotions she'd once used, so she'd settled for a very basic skincare routine and left off the makeup.
Up until this point, she hadn't cared what people—men in particular—thought of her appearance. And she needed to keep that mindset. Wondering what Justin might think of how she looked was heading down a dangerous road. One that would, no doubt, lead to hurt. Even if she didn't have the past she had, Justin didn't strike her as the type of man interested in marriage and a family of his own. And she wasn't the type to get involved with a man just because he was attractive.
Because, man, if she didn't find Justin just a teeny, tiny bit attractive.
After what had happened with Craig, Alana never thought she'd be attracted to a man who had the same focus on building muscles as her ex. All it had taken was for Justin to be nice to her son and she was ready to ignore everything else. Stupid. Yeah, that's what she was. Stupid. She needed to pull her focus back to the reason she was there and ignore the muscled man sitting across the table from her.
"Can I give you and Caden a ride home?" Justin asked when they had finished their lesson for the evening.
It was tempting—oh, so tempting—but given how her emotions and thoughts were already running, taking him up on his offer would definitely be the wrong move right then. "Thanks, but we're fine."
"Are you sure? It's no trouble," Justin said, his head bent as he looked down at her, his gaze intent.
"I'm sure." Alana was glad right then that Caden couldn't hear their conversation. No doubt he would have been trying to convince her to reconsider. He liked Justin's truck almost as much as he liked Justin.
Apparently Justin realized she wasn't going to change her mind, so he straightened and stepped back. After saying good-bye to Caden and Genevieve, he gave Beth a hug, shook Daniel's hand and left.
Once he was gone, Alana got Caden's attention and signed that they were leaving. As he guided Genevieve to pick up the blocks they'd been playing with, Alana helped Beth clean up in the kitchen.
"I'm glad Justin
Alana signed for Caden to help collect the plates. She could tell that he didn't want to but as soon as Justin stood up and started to help, Caden's reluctance disappeared. He moved around the table stacking the plates, his gaze on Justin. When the table had been cleared, Justin turned to Caden and held out his fist, knuckles up. With a wide grin, Caden made a fist and bumped it against Justin's. The man might not know sign language, but he definitely knew how to communicate with her son.
Dessert was an assortment of homemade cookies and brownies. Thrilled to be able to indulge her sweet tooth, Alana ate more than she probably should have, but they were just that good. Partway through, Genevieve began to get restless so when Beth took her out of the high chair, Alana asked Caden to go play with her for a bit.
She felt Justin's gaze on her as she went through a few signs. Beth and Daniel were quick to imitate her motions, but Justin just watched. His dark blue eyes tracked her every movement, but his face didn't give away what was going on in his mind.
"C'mon, Justin," Beth said. "You need to practice the signs or you won't remember them."
His gaze flicked to Beth before looking back at Alana. "I'll remember them."
Alana shifted on the padded cushion of the chair she sat on, her hands in her lap. It was one thing for him to watch her while she was showing them signs but quite another when she wasn't doing anything. She could feel warmth spreading across her skin as she wondered what he saw when he looked at her.
It had been a long time since she'd really made much of an effort with her appearance. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had a haircut. The mass of curls nearly reached her waist if she left it down—which she rarely did. There had been no money in the budget for makeup and the lotions she'd once used, so she'd settled for a very basic skincare routine and left off the makeup.
Up until this point, she hadn't cared what people—men in particular—thought of her appearance. And she needed to keep that mindset. Wondering what Justin might think of how she looked was heading down a dangerous road. One that would, no doubt, lead to hurt. Even if she didn't have the past she had, Justin didn't strike her as the type of man interested in marriage and a family of his own. And she wasn't the type to get involved with a man just because he was attractive.
Because, man, if she didn't find Justin just a teeny, tiny bit attractive.
After what had happened with Craig, Alana never thought she'd be attracted to a man who had the same focus on building muscles as her ex. All it had taken was for Justin to be nice to her son and she was ready to ignore everything else. Stupid. Yeah, that's what she was. Stupid. She needed to pull her focus back to the reason she was there and ignore the muscled man sitting across the table from her.
"Can I give you and Caden a ride home?" Justin asked when they had finished their lesson for the evening.
It was tempting—oh, so tempting—but given how her emotions and thoughts were already running, taking him up on his offer would definitely be the wrong move right then. "Thanks, but we're fine."
"Are you sure? It's no trouble," Justin said, his head bent as he looked down at her, his gaze intent.
"I'm sure." Alana was glad right then that Caden couldn't hear their conversation. No doubt he would have been trying to convince her to reconsider. He liked Justin's truck almost as much as he liked Justin.
Apparently Justin realized she wasn't going to change her mind, so he straightened and stepped back. After saying good-bye to Caden and Genevieve, he gave Beth a hug, shook Daniel's hand and left.
Once he was gone, Alana got Caden's attention and signed that they were leaving. As he guided Genevieve to pick up the blocks they'd been playing with, Alana helped Beth clean up in the kitchen.
"I'm glad Justin
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