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That disappointed look that didn’t quite reach the level of a pout, almost had Sandra changing her mind, when David nodded quickly and once again smiling, faced Paxton. “Will you read my bedtime story to me?”
“Sure can.” Paxton looked to the night table and the books piled high. He flipped through a few and turning to her asked, “Do you not have any chapter books?”
As much as she hated it, she had to shake her head. All they’d brought from home was what fit in her car and they’d never had a lot of extra money for new books.
Paxton’s eyes danced with an idea as he leveled his gaze with her. “Didn’t your dad read a lot of Louie L’Amour?”
“He loved those books.” Her father reading to her as a little girl from his favorite books brought back warm memories.
“All in hardback. I still have them.” Her mother bobbed her head sharply and snapped her fingers. “That’s a great idea, I’ll be right back.”
A few moments later, David was tucked under the covers, had said his prayers with Paxton, and was now listening to the man read the first chapters of an old western. It didn’t take long for her son to drift off to sleep.
Paxton pulled a receipt out of his pocket, stuck it on the pages he was reading, and closed the book. “That’s why I thought prayers first. We always fell asleep when Mom or Dad read to us.”
“Thank you. I could tell he really loved listening.”
“These are not exactly children’s books, but they’re good clean fun and will do wonders for building his vocabulary.”
“Like I said, thank you.”
He nodded and handed her the book. “If it’s all right with you, I’d be happy to come by tomorrow night and read the next chapter or two?”
And once again, her heart did that little flutter thing it did so often around Paxton. That the man showed so much interest in her son, more than his own father, was enough to make her cry. How blessed was she to have a man like this in her life. In her life. She had no idea what the future held for her, or Paxton, or her son, but right about now, she’d pay big bucks for this moment in time to never end. And wasn’t that silly wishful thinking?
Chapter Eighteen
Almost a week had gone by since Paxton and Sandra had met with his cousins Grace and Declan after she’d received her ex’s text. The thing that Paxton couldn’t figure out was why—despite Sandra having responded that she’d make arrangements for a visitation—David’s father had yet to respond.
All Paxton could figure was that the man was a bigger jerk than what even Sandra had described. Having spent every night after finishing up at the job site working with David on his baseball, then joining the family for dinner, and finally tucking David in and reading to him, all Paxton knew is that Ed had been given the gift of a wonderful family and the guy had foolishly discarded it as easily as yesterday’s trash.
“How deep you planning on digging that hole?” Glaring at the hole in the corner by the front porch, Quinn sighed.
Pulling his mind back from his thoughts of David and Sandra and her jerk of an ex, Paxton glanced down at the hole he’d been digging for the Chinese Fringe flower shrub. So distracted by his thoughts, he’d dug a hole big enough to transplant a small tree. “Thinking about putting a Japanese Maple here instead.”
Quinn lifted one eyebrow at his brother. “Right.” His brother shook his head. “Planning on selling beachfront real estate in Vegas too?”
Busted. Why did he bother trying to hide things from his siblings? They all knew each other too well. Even though the special connection that everyone had noted was heightened between him and his twin Owen, they could all read each other like a proverbial book. “Digging helps clear the mind.”
“You keep up this kind of digging and you won’t have a mind left to clear.”
“Ha, ha.” He flashed a forced smile.
“Seriously, dude. You’re not going to be able to fix anything by messing up your lady’s landscape.”
“She’s not my lady.” Not that he wouldn’t love that, but his gut had told him that Sandra needed him to take things slow. Even though some days it killed him, slow and steady was his plan.
“Right.”
“She’s not.”
“Fine. She’s not. But that doesn’t change things. Stop overthinking and over digging.” Quinn stepped in closer. “Listen, it’s going to be okay. Declan and Grace are on top of all this. If the lady matters to you, then she matters to the whole family. We all have both your backs.”
“I know.” Resting his hands on the top of the shovel handle, Paxton nodded. “I appreciate it.”
Quinn pulled the shovel out from under him. “You go get the plants out of the truck. I’d better do the digging.”
A smile tugged at his cheeks. Of all his siblings, Quinn was the Sour Patch Kid. At first sour on the outside then sweet and chewy on the inside. No matter his expression, or gruffness, the whole family knew that Quinn had a heart of gold and would be the first one at their side in a moment of need.
