Page 70 of The Enemy Face Off

With Beth, not hating someone is averygood sign.

We enter the family lounge. "Daddyyyyy!" Jonah runs up to me. "You stopped da puckeys."

I crouch down, and he launches himself into me. "I sure did, buddy," I say, ruffling his hair. Josie walks up to us. "Did you enjoy the game?" I ask her.

"I liked the nachos. The game was boring."

I'm still adjusting to the unfiltered honesty only an almost-six-year-old can pull off.

I smile. "Yeah. The food here is pretty great."

There hasn't been any progress on theI love youfront, either, but I can wait it out until she's ready and comfortable enough to say it to me. I need to earn her trust, and I will.

Hmm. That seems to be a recurring theme in my life with females at the moment.

I exchange a few words with Patricia, the fill-in nanny, who comments how well-behaved the kids are. When she moves on to general chitchat, I survey the lounge, seeking out—ah, there she is, talking with Evie and Fraser.

Heat surges in my chest.

Beth cuts a striking figure, decked out in a black sweater and black jeans with the scarf now hanging over one shoulder.

As if sensing I'm looking at her, she turns her head, and our eyes meet. I hold her gaze for a solid few seconds, curious what she's thinking about and wondering if missing her way more than expected is a silly one-way thing.

She gives a small wave, and I tip my chin and greet her with what could possibly be one of my scare-children-awaysmiles.I've been making progress on the smile front, but I'm suddenly nervous so maybe I'm reverting to my old ways.

Tapping Evie on the arm, she excuses herself, and of course, Fraser and Evie make no effort to be discreet as they watch her making her way over to me.

Nerves churn in my stomach even more than they did before the game tonight. Why do I care so much if she gets on with my kids, and why am I hoping they both like Beth?

She reaches us, and before I can get introductions underway, she drops down and greets Josie and Jonah with a friendly smile. "Hey, you guys. My name is Beth, and I'm your next-door neighbor in Comfort Bay."

Josie gets a little timid and mumbles a quiet hello, while Jonah bulldozes past Josie and lifts his tiny hand to exchange a high five with Beth. "I wike your hair," he says, and her smile widens.

"Why, thank you."

"It's b'ack."

"Yes it is black," she says, and I'm impressed she didn't miss a beat understanding what Jonah was saying.

I scoop him up in my arms before he can lunge at her and touch it—he's going through a touchy-grabby phase at the moment—and introduce Beth to Patricia, hurrying to explain why Boden isn't with me when her eyes widen in surprise.

After they've said hello, it's my turn, and I don't know the best way to greet her.

A hug? Maybe.

A kiss? Definitely not.

Since I'm hesitating, Beth makes the first move by…sticking her hand out.

"A handshake?" I sputter.

Jeez.

My heart sinks.

I expected her to play it cool—if for no other reason than to not give our friends, who are currently gawking at us from across the room, any ideas—but a freaking handshake? Even the locker-room attendant high fived me after the game.

"Take it," Beth whispers out of the corner of her mouth.

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