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“You do?”
“Yeah. On tater tots nights we don’t have any vegetables. And I know that sounds terrible, but tater tot nights happen once every blue moon. I promised Isla them tonight because she did so great in her play. But if you like, I can peel some carrots or something?”
She looked so earnest, he couldn’t help but laugh. “What do you think I am, the food police? You should see what we eat when we’re on a shift. And at home, come to that. I don’t know any doctor or nurse that eats well. We just stuff whatever we can find into our mouths when we have a spare minute.”
“I just didn’t want you to think I’m a bad mom.”
The smile slipped off his lips. “I would never think that,” he said, his voice low. From the corner of his eye he could see Isla entranced by the television screen. “I’ve never met a better mom than you, and that’s the truth. Isla’s lucky to have you.”
Meghan pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, still staring at him with wide eyes, and damn if he didn’t want to kiss her.
“You look beautiful, by the way,” he murmured. “I should have told you that the moment I saw you.”
She glanced down at her dress. “Thank you. It felt nice being able to dress up, even if it’s just for tater tots.”
“Did you wear it for me?” he asked, his voice low.
Her eyes flickered to his. “Yes.”
Warmth rushed through him. For a moment they said nothing, just stared at each other as though there was nobody else in the room. And yeah, if they’d been alone, he’d probably have kissed her. But they weren’t.
So he’d have to wait.
The timer went off again. “Okay, they should be ready this time.” She grabbed three plates and laid them out on the counter. “Isla, go wash your hands please.”
Isla hopped off the sofa. “Rich, you need to wash yours, too. Who knows what you’ve been touching.”
He swallowed down a laugh. “You’re right. Can I share your soap?”
Isla nodded, her expression serious. “Of course. Come on, we have to sing Happy Birthday three times to clean them properly. Even though it takes forever…”
“That’s exactly what we were taught at medical school.” He stole a glance at Meghan, who was watching them with soft eyes. When she realized he’d caught her looking, she turned away, busying herself with taking the food out of the oven.
“Come on then, let’s go,” Isla urged. “It’s tater tots night!”
Isla was so excited to have Rich at the table with them, she barely tasted her food, wofling it down between breaths as she regaled him with all the details of her play. “And that’s why we made a model for Ursula. Nobody wanted to play her. She’s mean and horrible and everybody hates her.”
Rich was nodding as she talked, though he clearly had no idea about The Little Mermaid or Ursula or any of the gang. “She sounds like a medical director I used to work for.”
Isla giggled. “Was she mean?”
“Yep. She used to roster me on eight nights in a row. Everybody knew she hated me. It wasn’t my fault I put a banana in her exhaust pipe for a dare.”
Isla’s mouth dropped open. “You were naughty?”
Rich’s glance caught Meghan’s and she felt it to the tip of her toes. He dwarfed their small dining table, his legs barely fitting beneath the surface. And yet it felt so weirdly natural to have him here. He was just so easy to be with. He made Isla giggle, and Meghan smile, and she was enjoying it all a bit too much.
Rich put another tater tot into his mouth. “These are delicious. I can’t remember the last time I ate one of these.”
“Why don’t you have kids?” Isla asked him.
Rich shifted in his seat. Meghan sent him a sympathetic glance, but was interested to hear his answer.
“I guess I never met the right person to have children with,” he said carefully.
“Would you like to have some?” Isla wasn’t taking any prisoners. She was worse than Meghan’s father. And it was so amusing to watch Rich squirm.
“I guess so.”
