Determined to make her point, she forged on. “Between being a mom, working at the shop, and creating my freelance designs, I don’t have enough free time for anything too involved.”
“Perfect,” Brogan said; then he backtracked. “Not that you’re so busy—I didn’t mean that. Sounds like you have your hands full.”
She backtracked, too. “I’m not too busy to … have an acquaintance.”
For some reason, that made him frown, but he looked more bemused than annoyed. “You’re young and attractive. I was concerned that I’d be cutting into your date time.”
“Ha!” Hearing that obnoxious sound leave her, Pixie slapped a hand over her mouth. Good grief,sheshouldn’t sound so incredulous. Brogan couldn’t know that she’d ruined any chance for romantic socializing. “That is,” she said, her tone now more moderate, “I don’t really date.” Going for a blasé attitude, she added, “No time, you know. Like I said, busy, busy.”
His penetrating gaze moved over her face, those gray eyes seeming far too perceptive until he finally gave a nod. “Well, I should get Sugar home. The way the sun’s setting, it’s going to be tough to keep it out of her eyes.”
She kept her smile pinned in place. “Same here.” Theyturned together to walk, and the mom in her fretted. “You put sunscreen on Shayna, of course.”
Nodding, he said, “I found some made for babies.”
“Good.” They walked on, but Pixie had nothing else to say. Not that her silence mattered.
Andy kept up a steady stream of conversation with Brogan. They discussed animals, Shayna, and friendship. He spoke to Andy in a no-nonsense way. Not baby talk, but not complicated adult talk, either. He kept his sentences simple, like, “A bluebird,” and “You saw deer?” along with, “Your baby, huh?”
Andy loved it and chattered back—until Shayna sneezed. That drew all his attention. He said, “Oh! My baby.”
Brogan fought a laugh, which had his mouth twisting in a funny way. “Just a sneeze, bud. She’s okay.”
He kept pointing. “Baby … seez.”
“Sneeze,” Brogan enunciated slowly for him.
“Seez.”
“Yeah, good job.” He ruffled Andy’s hair, then leaned around to check on Shayna, and said, “Oops, she’s drooling.” He used the edge of her blanket to clean her chin.
She was such a happy little baby, making noises and moving her legs and smiling with joy. Seeing her made Pixie happy, too. When it was time to go down their driveway, Andy insisted on hugs for Brogan, and kisses for Shayna.
Brogan was great, of course. Now that he wore his shirt, he took Andy from his stroller—with permission from her first—and held him close to Shayna so the little boy could kiss her head. Then he carried Andy against his shoulder while pushing Shayna’s stroller one-handed until they reached her front door.
He didn’t linger after putting Andy down. “Have a good night, you two.”
“You as well,” Pixie said.
“I’ll see you tomorrow?”
Her day off was reserved for him. “Noon. We’ll be there.”She kept hold of Andy’s hand so he couldn’t race after Brogan as he left. It was going to be a problem, how much he liked Brogan and Shayna.
Could she, in good conscience, let him get even more attached?
But at this point, did she really have it in her to deny him … or herself? Probably not.
It was a sad realization, but she was starved for male attention. Until Brogan had smiled at her, she hadn’t even considered it. She’d been a shy girl in school, horribly backward and unfashionable. If a teacher called on her, she blushed. Getting her first job was an ordeal, but she’d made herself do it because there’d been no other option. Day to day, she’d gotten by—feeling awkward, mostly invisible.
Until Dylan.
Andy’s father had opened the doors to a whole new world, and she’d gloried in every moment of the attention, the generous gestures … the joys of sex. She couldn’t say if she’d really loved him, but she’d certainly loved the idea of him. Of them.
And then she’d gotten pregnant, found out he was married, and her entire world had crashed down around her.
Her perfect relationship had been one giant, earth-shattering, humiliating lie. He hadn’t loved her. Probably hadn’t even liked her. All he’d done was use her—and she’d allowed it, because she’d been a fool.
Pixie realized she had tensed up and her stomach felt twisted, as it always did when she recalled what a panicked, lost, humiliated person she’d been. Slowly, she inhaled, blew out her breath, and flexed her shoulders.
