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“I know you don’t know much about me. I’ve been told a bit about the two of you,” Avery said. “Are the kids upstairs and out of earshot?”
“Yes,” Seth said, frowning. “They can’t hear us down here.”
They were in a formal living room where they’d moved and sat down. She could tell Ava needed to get off her feet.
“I’ve been on a few dates with Carter Bond. I don’t want you to think that I do that. Move somewhere and start dating or anything. It kind of started by accident, but I don’t want Josie to know.” She lowered her voice. “She has a crush on him. Or maybe on his dogs and him with the dogs. Not sure and I’m rambling. But he knows Josie and Adele are friends. He vouched for you guys. Said it was okay to let you know about him or us.”
She never felt so unsure about things in her life as she did right now.
The minute it was out of her mouth that she’d had a few dates with Carter she started to wonder if she’d be judged for that.
For moving to this island and then looked at as hooking up with someone.
Ava was grinning at her though.
“I’m not sure I’ve known of anyone Carter has dated personally,” she said. “He’s pretty quiet about his life.”
Now she didn’t know what to think at all.
“I’m glad to know that you wanted to know about us,” Seth said. “Aside from everything Adele has told us about Josie and what Josie has said about you, knowing that you are seeing someone in the family means a lot too. You can never be careful enough.”
“I’m learning all these things,” she said. “Back in Danbury, I knew a lot of Josie’s friends in her life. I’ve been in Josie’s life from the minute she was born. She’s never met her father, in case you’re wondering.”
“It’s fine,” Seth said. “Adele has said that. Or that Josie was only with her mother and then you. We assumed the rest. That he wasn’t in the picture.”
“No,” she said. “It’s been the two of them, Colleen and Josie. And now the two of us.”
“Three with the dog,” Seth said.
“Or six if you count Carter and his dogs,” Ava said, smiling.
She wouldn’t comment on that though it did cause Seth to laugh. She wouldn’t ask what that was about either.
“He was over for dinner one night. More like Josie invited him, as she wanted Dopey and Doc to play with Betty.”
Seth and Ava burst out laughing. “Who does that remind you of?” Seth asked his wife.
“What am I missing?” Avery asked.
“I met Seth at the bank while he was helping me with something. We ran into each other at the grocery store shortly after and I had my hair in a braid. Adele was with him chattering away and wanted to know if I could teach her father how to braid her hair.”
“She invited Ava over to teach me,” Seth said. “For lunch too. Then Adele bared all my secrets about cooking and watching instructional videos about braiding her hair and not being able to do it.”
“That’s so sweet,” she said. “I mean you trying to braid her hair.”
Seth flushed and Ava laughed even louder. “I thought so too. So yeah, I get it. Adele asks a lot of questions and not once has she said there was any guy in Josie’s life. I had to assume since she lived with you, that meant no one in your life either. So I’m not worried but glad to know too.”
“I’m trying to be careful,” she said. “And I was dating someone for years when Colleen died. Josie did meet him a few times prior, but then after everything happened...things didn’t work out and it’s for the best.”
“No need to explain,” Seth said. “I was a single parent for years and it’s not an easy situation. Not everyone is accepting.”
“No, they aren’t,” she said. “And though Josie has met Carter and likes him a lot, for now I’m not saying much more. I don’t know what will happen and it’s best not to get her too used to something or anyone until we know more.”
“Especially if she likes Carter. I know that too,” Seth said. “I felt it with Adele and Ava, so I get it.”
They heard the feet come running down the stairs at that point and the conversation about her personal life had to end.
“Daddy,” Adele was yelling as she ran into the room. “Josie gets to write and paint on her walls.”
