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“Yes, the aspens are amazing. But I love the color changes out here, as well. Some of the red oaks are stunning.”
The doorbell rang, and Sage looked up in surprise. Then she glanced at Adam. “Did you invite someone over?”
Adam shook his head, barely glancing up from his book.
“Excuse me,” she murmured, rising from the table.
Brian stood with her and nudged Adam. “Let’s start clearing the table while your mom gets the door.”
Adam closed his book, and they started cleaning things up. Brian took directions as the boy showed him where things were, and how Mom liked the dishwasher loaded. When Sage returned, she held a single red rose in a glass vase, and there was an odd frown on her face.
“Adam, have you seen anyone around recently?”
Adam cocked his head, frowning. “Here? No, not really. Like who?”
Sage shook her head, her glance skimming over Brian. She set the flower on the counter and turned to help them clean up.
Brian was curious as to what she was thinking. He also was a little concerned. It was obvious she didn’t know who the flower was from. When Adam went back to his book, he caught her gaze. “Are you okay?”
She smiled for him, but he could see it seemed forced. “I’m good. Just odd. There’s no card or anything, and the delivery driver had no info. I’ll call my family later and see if they sent it.”
Brian gave her a nod, wondering if she would let him know if it wasn’t from her family.
What business was it of his?
With thoughts of creating distance in his mind, he crossed to Adam. “You’ll have to let me know how you like the book, later. I’m going home.”
Adam looked up, his face crumpling into disappointment. “But you just got here,” he said.
Brian laughed. “No, I just got here almost two hours ago. I have some work to do at home before I can go to bed.”
“Okay,” Adam sighed. Walking close, he gave Brian a hug around the waist. “I’ll email you tomorrow.”
“Okay, buddy,” Brian patted him on the shoulder and let him go, then he headed for the front door. Sage followed along.
“Thank you for being patient with him,” she murmured softly. “Adam struggles with anxiety sometimes and it’s been a big change, coming out here. I don’t think he’s made a lot of friends, yet.”
“He’s a good kid, Sage. He’ll find his footing. And he’ll find friends.”
She stared at him for a long moment. “I want you to know I enjoyed you being here, as well,” she said softly. Stepping close, she leaned up and pressed a kiss to his cheek.
Brian wanted to turn his head to catch her mouth like he did in Cheyenne, but he didn’t. Distance, he reminded himself, though it took everything in him to not pull her close. “Thanks for having me, Sage. It was a good meal and good company. Have a good night.”
Then, before he could do anything reckless, or call something else ‘good’, he walked out the door.
9
Sage didn’t know what to think about the dinner. Yes, she’d repaid Brian for feeding her kid an expensive steak, but she’d kind of been hoping for more of an end-of-night goodbye. When they’d kissed in Cheyenne, she hadn’t mistaken the enthusiasm in his kiss. There was no way. But tonight, he’d seemed… distant.
For the first time, she wondered if he was attached. Maybe that was why he hadn’t responded the same way. If he had a girlfriend, this could be hard to explain to her, coming over to hang out with a single mother and her kid. A single mother and kid who had followed him home from Wyoming.
The thought of him being taken didn’t sit well with her and she shook her head. Why the hell was she so interested? She hadn’t been interested in a man for a very long time, and the two of them had done very well without a man in the picture. She knew that Adam would be all for the two of them getting together, though.
Maybe there was another reason why he hadn’t shown interest.
Huffing softly at herself, she locked the door and gave him a minute to cross the grass before she turned out the porch light and set the alarm. She turned and leaned back against the door, her body humming. Having him in her home had been stimulating and now she had to come down off the buzz.
What would have happened if he’d actually kissed her?
