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No.
All because Abigail wanted Leif to see her as something other than Birdie Orgeron's staid mother.
And then she'd gone and extinguished the flirty look in Leif’s eyes by bringing up that little nugget her daughter spying on him when he was naked.
It was like farting in an elevator.
"Uh, Birdie told you that?" Leif asked, walking down the steps slightly behind her.
"No. Shelby did."
"Shelby Mackey? The substitute at St. George's?"
"Yeah. She's about to marry my brother John. We were talking the other day and your name came up."
"Oh?"
"She brought up the whole spying thing. I don't think Shelby meant to let it slip. But she caught Birdie doing it."
Leif fell silent, no doubt trying to figure out how to handle the situation. Abigail still didn't know how to handle it. She'd thought about asking Cal but felt he'd overreact, especially since the naked guy had been Leif Lively. If anything, Cal knew who his competition was. Her ex-husband had grown accustomed to being the best-looking man in a room, accustomed to being the golden boy of Magnolia Bend. His shine had worn off, though, and it didn't take long to realize half the women in Magnolia Bend fluttered when Leif passed by.
"So Birdie didn't confess?"
''No, why?"
"Well, she told me the naked part. And I wanted to tell you when the time was right, but I had hoped Birdie would do it herself. Secrets are never a good idea." Something flitted over his face ...as if he knew all too well that secrets led to heartache. Maybe that's what had destroyed his relationship with Marcie.
"So why have neither of you mentioned it to me? It's an important issue."
"It is...and it isn't."
"No, itis.It's one thing to spy on someone. It's quite another to spy on a naked man, Leif."
"Why? Do you really think your daughter is attracted to me?" Leif said as they walked toward her car. His own small Mazda was parked across the street. "Really?"
"I don't think Birdie knows what she is. She hasn't gone through puberty yet."
"But she's a normal kid. Curious. Besides she doesn't have a father."
"She has a father."
"I meant at home. Cal hasn't lived there in a while, right? So the male physique is not something she sees much of. I didn't make a big deal because she was embarrassed... and the human body shouldn't be treated as something to be ashamed of."
The thought of his wanting to protect Birdie warmed her. But still, she was annoyed both he and Birdie had kept this from her. "I don't know... ugh. I'm handling this all wrong. I'm just going to apologize for my daughter. I'm not sure why you were naked, but she had no business spying on you. Makes me feel like a bad parent."
Leif took her elbow, turning her toward him. "Why would you feel like a bad parent? Kids do those things. It’s normal. Didn't you ever do a little looky-loo as a kid?"
Abigail felt her cheeks heat. "I had brothers.”
"So the answer's yes."
Abigail looked at him. He'd gathered his hair into a low ponytail bound with leather and wore a hoodie that broadened his shoulders somehow. In the glow of the moon he became a Nordic warrior. Except for that smile. No fierce warrior had a charming smile that dropped panties.
Abigail squeezed her knees together just in case.
"You're just being nice," she said, noting her mood had shifted. Something in the way he talked smoothed the wrinkles in her thoughts. Relaxed her.
"You think this is me being nice to you?" His eyes dropped from hers to her mouth.
