Page 21 of Romancing My Grumpy Goalie

She squeezes us into her sides. “I could get used to this. Anabelle, isn’t it fun to bring him along?”

“Yes, a blast,” she says sweetly from the other side of Aubrey.

“Yeah!” Nolan says. “Can I get three scoops of ice cream, Mom?”

“You can’t even finish two,” Anabelle points out as we walk together toward the car.

“I’d say the boy’s earned it,” I say a little too quickly.

Where did that come from?

“Aww, that’s the cutest! He’s standing up for Nolan,” Aubrey gushes.

Well, that backfired.

I was just trying to keep the kid from sulking, but now they’re all looking at me like I’m soft. Even worse, Anabelle is beaming, like really beaming, as though I did something good, and I don’t know what to do with that.

Not when I’ve been trying so hard not to get attached.

SEVEN

ANABELLE

“I’ll have vanilla,”Lucas tells Sully, not even bothering to browse the myriad of selections she carries in her shop.

“Would you like any toppings on that, sir?” Sully has her long, jet-black hair twisted back into a bun.

“No.”

My eyebrows shoot up. “You come to Scoops, and all you order is plain vanilla?” I say incredulously.

Lucas turns to me, his expression serious. “What’s wrong with that?”

“What about praline pecan, black walnut, or rocky road?” I wave my hand in front of the display while Sully’s eyes sparkle in amusement as she looks between us, her scoop hovering over the container of vanilla like she’s not sure what to do.

“I don’t like nuts,” he explains.

“So would you like the vanilla then?” Sully asks.

“Thatiswhat I said.” He’s not exactly rude when he says it. Just matter-of-fact.

Now that I think about it, a basic bowl of vanilla does make sense for him. He’s a simple guy—in some ways. In others, he’s more of a layered ice cream cake. Mysterious until you cut into it to see what’s inside.

Lately, I’ve been wanting to solve that mystery. Which is foolish of me. I don’t have time for a man in my life, and the last man I should be pursuing is the one mentoring my son.

“Two scoops.” He points at Nolan and me and circles the air over us. “One check, please.”

“That’s not necessary,” I protest.

Aubrey is grinning ear to ear. She’d better wipe that smile right off her face. She’s in big trouble. Lucky for her, she’s already paid for her ice cream.

“Mom, just let him. You know money is tight,” Nolan says.

“Not that tight,” I say through gritted teeth.

“Then why did you say soccer camp is too expensive?”

Lucas’s gaze snaps to us, and his jaw tightens.

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