Page 55 of You've Got Male

Something he needed to remember.

“I’m not looking for love, kiddo. Evie and I are just seeing where this thing can lead. We enjoy each other’s company, have a lot in common, and have only been on one date—unless you count the dinner I made her.”

Was this where he told his kid the truth? And how wouldthe truth affect Ryan? He’d just told Jonah he liked Evie and thought Amber would approve, and it was all a lie.

“Maybe you should talk to your therapist about this,” Ryan said. “Because it’s kind of weirding me out. Plus, I’ve got practice and have to get ready.”

Ryan flicked off the television and stood, but before he could leave Jonah grabbed him for a hug. To his surprise and delight, Ryan hugged him back.

“I’ve missed this,” Jonah said gruffly.

“Me too,” Ryan said, then pulled back and walked up the stairs.

Jonah made a note to schedule an appointment with his therapist, then swiped off a text because there was someone else he wanted to talk to first. He knew Evie was at work, saw her speed out of the driveway at six that morning. No doubt she was slammed with customer orders, employee gripes, family drama, and possible suitors with roses and promises of Prince Charming ways.

It was the last one that got him typing.

Jonah: How would you like to show off your landscaping prowess?

He reread the text. Delete. Delete. Delete.

Jonah: You want to smell the roses?

“That’s what you’re going to send?” Ryan asked, startling Jonah. He looked over his shoulder to find his son transfixed on his phone.

“How long have you been standing there?”

“Long enough to know that you’re way out of your league with Evie.”

Didn’t he know it.

“Then what do you think I should write?” he asked, wondering if he was desperate enough to take dating advice from a teenager. The answer was a pathetic yes.

Ryan grabbed the phone. “How long have you been dating?”

“Two weeks.”

Ryan shot him a look. “You’ve been dating for two weeks and gone on one date? It’s worse than I thought,” he said. “Where do you want to take her?”

He wanted to take her somewhere that she could relax, that didn’t put too much pressure on the date. Somewhere that was like a coffee date but without the coffee. And he knew just the place. “The garden store.”

Ryan lifted a brow. “Seriously? You’re going to take her to look at manure?”

“I’m going to take her to look at the roses.” She’d been wooed for weeks by pricks bringing her a single store-bought rose. Jonah was going to give her a whole garden shop full of garden-quality roses. Plus, he saw how often she and her mother spent in the yard, knew that she loved gardening, and knew she’d appreciate an afternoon to smell the roses.

Ryan handed over the phone. “Here.”

Jonah’s gaze flew to the screen at the already sent, no permission asked, text to Evie.

Jonah: We’ve been dating two weeks and have only been on one date.

“That’s it? No question? No asking her out?” Jonah asked.

“It’s to the point without cornering her to accept. Women like to have options. And you want her to go out with you because she wants to, right?”

His brain reminded him that the dating was for show. But the rest of him said he wanted her to say yes because she wanted to spend the afternoon with him.

“You’re right. How long do I wait for a response before I just call her?”

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