“When are you going to get around to settling down? Or are the Sullivan boys all committed to being bachelors for life?” Abigail asked.
It would’ve taken Cole an hour to give the real answer. Instead, he laughed. “If you ask my mother, we’re all running on borrowed time. She wants grandchildren yesterday.”
“Good to see you, Cole. I’d better get my bride down to the diner. She’s already reminded me a dozen times how hungry she is,” Vaughn said.
Abigail shrugged adorably. “I’m dying for pancakes and bacon.”
Cole clapped Vaughn on the shoulder. “You heard her. Get to it.”
Just as the happy couple walked away, Cole spotted Dani across the street. Unless his eyes were playing tricks on him, she was with two small boys. The street was packed now, and he had to wind his way through the crowd, past folks saying hello or wanting to talk to him.
I’m so sorry. I’m supposed to be meeting someone.
Yeah, hi. I’ll see you later?
Dani and the two boys were turning and walking away from him. He had to hurry. Or maybe just lunge for Dani. Without thinking, he reached past several people and grabbed her arm. The crowd parted and she whirled around.
“Cole? What in the world?” She tore off her sunglasses and nearly pierced his very being with her blazing brown eyes.
His heart was about to pound its way out of his chest. “I’m sorry. I just...”You just what? Saw her and thought you’d wrap your hand around her?“I wanted to say hello.”
“Oh, well, hi.” Dani looked down at the two boys who were right at her hips. One was clutching the skirt of her light blue sundress, the other holding on to her hand.
“Can we talk? Over here?” With a nod, he suggested a bench in front of the Royal Diner.
She pursed her lips tightly. “We said all we needed to say the other night.”
He should’ve known he’d have to put some elbow grease into this. “It’s a hot day. Probably not a bad idea to sit and take a break.”
“I’m fine. Really.”
He pointed down at one of the two boys. “I think he could use some time out of the sun. His cheeks are pretty pink.”
Horror crossed Dani’s face and she leaned down to check on the boy. “Are you okay, honey?”
He nodded. “Just hot. And thirsty.”
“Fine, Cole. But just for a minute.” She took the boys’ hands and led them over to the bench. They both climbed up and sat, swinging their legs. Dani pulled a bottle of water from her bag and offered it to them.
“Who’s this you have with you?” Cole asked.
She hesitated for a moment. “These are my sons. Cameron and Colin.”
Her what?Cole nearly had to pick his jaw up off the sidewalk He was as confused as could be right now. Dani had painted herself as a single woman without a care in the world aside from her career. One would have thought the topic of having two children might have come up while they’d talked the other night. Was this why she’d glossed over part of her time in New York? And if so, what was she hiding? He crouched down in front of the boys, knowing he had to play it cool. Dani had little patience for him right now. “Hi, guys. I’m Cole. Now which one of you is Cameron and which one is Colin?”
The boy in the red-and-white-striped shirt thrust his hand up into the air. “I’m Cameron.”
“So you must be Colin.”
In a blue-and-white-striped shirt, Colin seemed more reticent than his brother. He nodded. “Yes, sir.”
Cole peered up at Dani, who was beaming at the boys. “I guess there were a few things we didn’t have a chance to talk about the other night.”
She cleared her throat. “A few things.”
Cole straightened to his full height. Dani was flat-out stunning today, but he couldn’t allow himself to be distracted by the way she looked in that sundress with the skinny straps, all glowing skin and luscious lips. “How old are the boys?”
She took a step away from her sons. “Uh. Four. About to turn five.”
