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“Yes.”
“Do you like Paxton?”
“Of course I like Paxton.”
“I like him too.”
That actually made her smile. “He’s a nice man.”
“He plays catch with me, and I really like how he reads bedtime stories. Even more than when you read.”
“Oh, really.” She tickled his tummy, delighted when he giggled at her.
“If you really like him then he’ll keep coming around.”
“Whether or not I like him has little to do with what Paxton does. He’s a busy man.”
His smile slipping, David nodded. “I guess.”
“But as long as we’re building our new house, I’m sure we’ll see plenty of Paxton.”
“Can I go work on the house too? I know how to use a hammer. Paxton taught me.”
“Oh, sweetie, construction sites aren’t safe for children. Even I have to wear a hard hat. But I’m sure one day soon, when the crew isn’t there, we can go look. How does that sound?”
“Is tomorrow too soon?”
That made her laugh. Kid’s sense of time was pretty pitiful, but in this case, she couldn’t blame her son for his curiosity. “Maybe not tomorrow, but I’ll talk to Paxton and see what we can do.”
“Thanks. He’s nice, he’ll say yes.”
“Good night.” Placing the sweetest of kisses on his cheek, she wondered how much longer she’d get away with that, and then she thought about what her son had said. Was it wrong of her to want Paxton to keep coming around as well?
Chapter Twelve
“I like the red one.” Sister bobbed her head at Sandra Lynn.
Sissy, on the other hand, shook her head. “Nope. The blue one. It shows her curves, but isn’t in your face like that cleavage to her belly button red dress.”
Cleavage to her belly button was probably an exaggeration, but it was much lower cut and she didn’t want to give Paxton the wrong idea. On the other hand, she was totally smitten and wanted to put her best foot—or dress—forward. Frustrated with everything in her closet, she finally decided that savings was good, but a new dress for a date with Paxton was better.
Staring at the blue short-sleeve sheath dress with a square neckline that showed just a hint of cleavage, she decided that Sissy was probably right.
Strolling home from Sisters, the blue dress in the pretty pink bag, she realized that she had not missed having a car. Her car was so old, Ned was having a hard time finding one last part she needed, but walking down Main Street she considered if just selling it didn’t make more sense. She’d have a little extra money to stash in her almost depleted emergency fund. That would make a lot more sense. Of course, it helped to have at least one vehicle in case of emergency. Though she couldn’t imagine anything that would require driving, she was too aware that fate had a way of laughing at people when they pretend that all was well with the world.
Turning the corner on her mother’s street, her gaze immediately darted to the old Victorian set back from the curb. As much as she’d hated giving up the ranch land, during high school she had loved living in town. Hopefully, her son would learn to love Tuckers Bluff, and unlike her, wouldn’t be tempted to leave due to young adult wanderlust. Reaching her mom’s house, she turned the knob and stepped into the old house. Expecting David to come barreling across the house to greet her, finding the house so quiet always surprised her. Setting the dress on the chair by the entry table, she started for the kitchen when her mother came trotting down the stairs and scurried right past her.
“Where’s the fire?” she followed after her mother.
“David’s not feeling well. I convinced him to lie down in bed. Now, I’m going to make him my special apple peel tea. See if that settles his stomach.” Her mom was already pouring water into a pan.
Nodding, she took a step in retreat. “I’d better go check on him.”
“Go on up. Maybe seeing his mama will make him feel better.”
Halfway up the stairs, her mother let out a screech muffled with a very unladylike string of words. Unsure of who needed her more, she figured her mom had most likely left David nicely tucked into bed. On the other hand, she had no idea what was going on in the kitchen. “You okay?”
Eyes squinted almost closed, and her arms shoving towels into the sink, her mom appeared to be doing her best to stifle the eruption of Old Faithful. Water was shooting from every corner of the sink. “What the heck?”
