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Jamie waited on customers while Clara rearranged the small area. The look on Zeke’s face was worth the effort.
“I love it, Mom,” Zeke said.
Zeke was very good about taking the puppy out every hour to make sure that it did its business outside and not in the coffee shop. Reno was an instant hit with all of the customers.
About noon, Dillon came over. He had a kid’s table and chair to add to the nook.
“Zeke told me about his special room. I asked him if he had a table to color at and he said no. I happened to have one at the store and thought that he might like to have it,” Dillon said.
Clara was touched that Dillon would do that for Zeke.
“Thank you. That is very sweet of you,” she said.
“I brought a little treat over for Reno, too,” Dillon said, handing the puppy a tiny dog biscuit.
Zeke asked Dillon if he wanted to hold the puppy. Of course, Dillon did and Clara thought that seeing the huge man with the tiny dog was the most adorable thing that she had ever seen in the entire world.
“I have to get back to work, Buddy,” Dillon said, handing Reno back to Zeke.
“Okay, Dillon. Thank you for the table and for the treat for Reno,” Zeke said.
As Dillon walked away, Clara thought,The way that Dillon treats Zeke is very sweet. Of course, treating him nicely as a friend is one thing, but treating him as a father figure is something completely different.
Clara gasped at her own thought.
Where in the world did that one come from? One night of sex doesn’t make a relationship.
12
Dillon
Dillon went back to his store with a huge smile on his face. Zeke was so polite. He seemed to be very good with the puppy.
If I were to ever have a son, I would want him to be like Zeke,Dillon thought.
The thought took him by surprise. Although he had a couple of long-term girlfriends in the past, the thought of settling down and having a family never once occurred to him. He had never considered the idea that he might have a wife and son. Of course, it wasn’t as though he was ready to settle down with Clara.
About an hour later, Dillon was taking the trash out when he saw Zeke playing ball. Zeke was kicking the ball around and the puppy was hot on his heels.
“Can I play, too?” Dillon asked.
“Sure,” Zeke said. “We can play soccer. Me and Reno against you.”
“That sounds like you have the advantage,” Dillon said.
Zeke just puffed up his chest and smiled.
The three of them ran back and forth in the yard behind the café and the general store. Dillon was conscious of the fact that Clara was watching them the entire time.
“I do believe that you are the winner,” Dillon said after they played for about half an hour.
“Mom said that she knew before I was born that I was going to be a soccer player,” Zeke said. “She said I kicked her hard, a lot, when I was in her tummy.”
Dillon laughed and said, “I believe that.”
Zeke skipped over to Clara, holding Reno.
“I think that he’s tired,” Zeke said.
