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He grinned, stirring up all kinds of butterflies in her stomach. “She’s cute.”
“I think the feeling is mutual.” She gave him an approving smile. The last couple of times Steph had been around Cal, he’d been dressed down, doing a bunch of labor. But his button-down shirt was a very nice look on him. She decided she liked all of his looks, and especially whatever subtle cologne he wore. She was pretty sure it wasn’t aftershave because the dark scruff on his face told her that he hadn’t shaved that morning. She found herself wondering if it was soft or bristly.
He stepped close to her. “What’s in your hair?”
“What’s not in my hair?”
He plucked out a clump of cookie dough.
“Oh, we were making cookies.”
Cal glanced about the kitchen. “Well, that’s an understatement.”
Maren was making a move to climb up on the counter, and Steph hurried over to her. “Here, I’ll hand you the bowls, and you can take them to Cal.”
Miraculously, she didn’t protest.
Within a few minutes, they were all seated at the table, eating dinner as Maren peppered Cal with questions, such as:Where do you live? How old are you? Do you like horses? How fast can you run?
He answered each one, and Steph tried not to laugh. Maren hadn’t even asked her those questions, and by the look in the little girl’s eyes, she had a mini-crush on Cal. Steph sighed inwardly. She might, too.
After they finished dinner, Maren promptly ate her cookie, then said that she was ready for her mom to come home.
“I thought your charm would last a lot longer,” Steph told Cal after they got her distracted again by helping her get the blocks out and build towers.
“Can we take her to see her mom?” he asked quietly.
“Um, maybe? I wasn’t sure if I could manage tearing her away from her parents and taking her home sobbing … but maybe if you’re with me?”
“I’ll come with you.”
“Okay, let me text Julie and see what she thinks.” She grabbed her phone and texted Julie about Maren’s new attachment and repeated requests to see her mommy. A few minutes later, Julie replied that she’d be thrilled if Steph could bring Maren and Cal to the hospital.
Cal can wait in the lobby,Steph clarified.He doesn’t want to intrude.
He’s already in my house, so bring him, too,Julie texted.
Funny. All right. We’ll be there in about half an hour.
Steph had grossly underestimated the chore of getting Maren ready to visit the hospital, what with all the negotiating of what she’d wear and what she wanted to bring—not to mention that Steph didn’t have a booster seat in her car.
“Your mom said you can ride in my car this one time without your booster seat.” It was a complication that Steph had forgotten to bring up with Julie—so she was going on an assumption here. Otherwise, she’d have to ask Dave to drive back home. Would that defeat the purpose in helping with Maren?
But Maren stood her ground, arms folded, legs in a wide stance as she stood outside of Julie’s car.
“Do you have any friends on this street?” Cal asked Maren.
“Ryan.” She pointed a stubby finger to the house across the street. “He’s four.”
Ah, the kid who saiddummyon the regular. Steph met Cal’s gaze.
“Maybe we can borrow his booster seat?” she suggested, wondering if Maren would go for it.
“Okay,” the little girl said.
The answer was so simple that Steph wasn’t prepared. “Okay?”
“Okay.”
