Page 44 of Mechanic’s Christmas Match

Ana looked up to see who was the second-earliest to story time and was thoroughly surprised when it was Rory with his little nephew on his hip. Leo was a toddler now, with chubby cheeks and a big smile on his face as he looked down at Ana and Theo.

And with the little one in his arms, Rory looked bigger and stronger than ever.

“Hi,” Ana said. “Look, Theo, it’s Rory and Leo.”

“Leo?” her boy echoed.

“Yeah, Theo and Leo,” Ana laughed. “That’s pretty funny.”

“Theo and Leo,” he repeated, chuckling. “Leo and Theo.”

Baby Leo laughed like he was in on the joke and banged his hands on the floor for more.

“Kind of like your two best friends,” Rory said, lowering himself to the floor beside her. “Mallory and Valerie.”

“Well, Mallory always goes by Mal,” Ana said. “But yeah, I guess you’re right.”

Theo offered the kangaroo to Leo, and Leo reached for it, his eyes wide with excitement.

“I’m jumpy,” Theo made the kangaroo say.

Leo barked out a funny little laugh and half fell over onto his outstretched hands.

“He likes it,” Theo said to himself in a pleased way.

Ana watched the two little boys fondly for a moment.

“He’s one-and-a-half?” she asked Rory.

“Fifteen months,” Rory told her with a smile. “But he loves story time, at least that’s what Evangeline tells me. She couldn’t make it today.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Ana said. “They usually get here a bit later, so the boys don’t sit together. But she brings him every week.”

“She loves being a mom,” Rory said. “It’s going to be wild with two under two though.”

“She can handle it,” Ana predicted. “She’s always so calm with Leo.”

“Yeah, she is,” Rory agreed.

Theo offered Leo the kangaroo and he started banging it on the floor.

“He’s jumping it,” Theo crowed, delighted.

Leo grinned at him happily.

Rory glanced down at Ana, and her heart ached.

She didn’t want to ask, and she didn’t want to know. But it was going to come up, so Ana decided to just get it over with and ask about how his date went.

But before she had a chance, more people began filing in. Faith Cassidy sat beside Rory with her son, Connor, and asked Rory how it was going at the shop.

The next thing Ana knew, Miss Caroline was seating herself at the head of the circle with a stack of picture books in front of her, and everyone was settling down and scooting out a bit to allow for latecomers as they arrived.

Before long, Ana was pressed so close to Rory that their shoulders touched. He was still chatting with Faith, but Ana was suddenly too aware of the warmth that radiated from his big body.

Beyond how handsome he was, there was something so comforting about being here with Rory. Would it really be so bad if they were here together as a couple?

I have to stop this, she told herself. I can’t keep letting my imagination run away with me.