Page 15 of Single Mom's Christmas Wish

“We used to have game nights when Tyler and Kayla were alive,” Reed says. “They’d bring Trevor over, and we’d put together thishuge barbecue in our backyard. Kayla would make one hell of a salsa to go with Tyler’s so-called healthy vegetable chips.”

“Which I’d toss into the trash and replace with actual chips because you don’t experiment during a game night feast,” Archer scoffs, drawing a light chuckle out of Maddox. A rare sight, I’ve realized.

I keep up with the conversation, fascinated by how eager they are to talk about their friends. For the time being, our museum tour guide keeps the kids busy while we walk between glass boxes and admire several models of flip phones from the ’90s.

As much as Maisie tries, she can’t seem to get through to Trevor. More than once, she tries to talk to him, but he keeps turning away and ignoring her. He’s doing it on purpose, and I can tell that Maisie is a little hurt about it, so I gently pull her aside for a moment.

“Are you okay, honey?” I ask in a low voice. Archer inches closer, paying attention to our conversation while also keeping an eye on Trevor.

“Is Trevor mad at me?” Maisie asks, giving me a worried look.

I shake my head. “No, Maisie. Not at all. He’s just sad, baby. He lost his mom and dad a few months ago in a car accident, and he’s still trying to get used to life without them.”

“Oh,” Maisie whispers, lowering her gaze. “That’s really sad.”

“Give him some time. I’m sure he’ll eventually warm up to you, and you’ll become friends.”

“Next thing you know, you’re not going to be able to shake him off,” Archer quips with a playful smile. “Here’s a hint: The kid will talk your ear off if you mention airplanes. You might want totry that as a conversation starter,” he adds with a wink.

“Planes?” Maisie asks.

“All kinds of planes,” Archer replies. “Trevor loves them. He’s more into military jets now, but a couple of years back, he was sure that he’d grow up to become a commercial airline pilot.”

By the end of the exhibit, Maisie is looking pretty tired. I know she is still disheartened by the fact that Trevor is actively ignoring her, but at least they were both paying attention to the tour guide and seem to have similar interests.

“How about we take this to the next level?” Archer says, looking deep into my eyes.

We’re now outside the museum, bathing in the golden sunlight. Above us, the sky is so blue and clear; it’s breathtaking.

“The next level?” I ask, somewhat confused.

“Well, yeah, this isn’t an actual date, you know.”

“It isn’t?”

He laughs lightly, and I am momentarily entranced by his smile. The sunlight is really bringing out his best features, and I doubt I’ll be able to say no to anything he might suggest. “Of course not,” Archer says. “I actually booked us a table at Dante’s for later.”

“I see.”

I know that place. It is ridiculously expensive. I worked the bar there a few times, but I’ve never been there as a patron.

“Well?” Archer asks.

“Okay.”

That’s pretty much all that I am able to muster.

Hours later,I find myself sitting at one of Dante’s best tables, nestled inside a semicircle of potted monstera plants. A soft amber light gleams overhead while the waiter brings us a selection of their best cocktails. Trevor is at home with his babysitter, and I dropped Maisie over at Chelsea’s.

This has to be one of the strangest yet most interesting dates I’ve ever been on.

“You have to try the mojito,” Reed says. “I’m told it’s the best in town.”

“The mojito?” Archer scoffs. “Nah, man, I’m a mint julep kind of guy, you know that.”

“I’ll take the old-fashioned, then,” Maddox mumbles.

All I can do is stare at them with a mixture of excitement and disbelief while a playful bossa nova plays from a ceiling-mounted speaker system. I don’t know when or how this happened, but I am on a hot date with three gorgeous men who look at me like I’m tonight’s main course.

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