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Tristan shifted, his eyes boring into her.
“Mathew, I have other things—”
“Why don’t you stay?” Tristan asked.
She stiffened, unsure of why he would say such a thing.
“I’m not the best cook, but you’re welcome to stay for dinner if you don’t have anywhere else you have to be.”
Mathew reached for her hand and smiled. “Please?”
His large, round, blue eyes were nearly impossible to turn down. How could she deny him when he asked her like that?
Dianna shrugged and let out a sigh. “Why not?”
Mathew’s grin stretched even farther. “And then you can help me make Christmas cookies.”
She let out a laugh. “I don’t think we have time for that. But maybe we can make cookies when I come on Thursday.”
“We’re going looking for a Christmas tree on Thursday,” Tristan interjected. “But you’re welcome to come with us when we do. I’m sure Mathew would love the company.”
The boy nodded. “Will you help us pick a tree and decorate it?”
She could have been knocked over with all the sudden invitations. She loved Christmas and trimming the tree, but her head was spinning and she wasn’t sure how she was supposed to react. His request had her feeling pushed up against a wall. All her life, she’d liked to be able to think about things before taking action or saying yes to anything.
“Mathew, how about we see how dinner goes before bombarding her with all of these other events.”
“Okay,” he murmured. “But I’m still gonna invite her.”
Tristan and Dianna locked eyes and she chuckled. “You’re always welcome to extend an invitation, Matty, even if I can’t say yes.” Dianna pointed to his picture of a horse that he hadn’t colored yet. “You finish up your drawing while I go see if your father needs help.”
Mathew nodded and settled onto his knees.
Dianna’s heart fluttered as she moved across the room and straight for the person who seemed to be making this room more difficult to read. She leaned over the island in the kitchen right as he crouched down to grab a saucepan from a cupboard. He filled it with water and placed it on the stove before turning to face her.
Tristan rubbed the back of his neck and gave her a wry smile. “I hope you know you’re more than welcome to tell Mathew no. He might not like it, but we’ve been able to work through disappointment before.”
She shot a look in Mathew’s direction. “Maybe another time. I didn’t want to jinx the progress we just made.”
“I get it,” he said.
Dianna swung her focus back to him.
Tristan continued, “I can’t believe he spoke to you. It’s unheard of.”
Warmth flooded her stomach and she smiled. “I’m glad he likes me so much.”
“It’s more than that. He trusts and respects you. He thinks you’re worthy of his time and energy. I know it doesn’t make sense or maybe sounds harsh, but—”
She tilted her head and let out a laugh. “I know exactly what you mean, and I don’t think it’s harsh. These kids have such a unique view of the world, and they have to figure out how they fit in it. I would imagine Einstein had similar notions as a kid and no one was trying to make excuses for him.”
Tristan stared at her like she’d sprouted horns.
“What?” She laughed.
“I don’t get how you can understand him so fully. I feel like I have to break every little nuance down into pieces people can grasp. Even his therapists back home have to get used to him and vice versa before they can make any progress. But you make it look so effortless.”
Dianna broke eye contact and turned around so her elbows rested on the island instead. “I guess I just have a specific sort of empathy.”
