Page 46 of Scrape the Barrel
But the longer I thought about it, the more I was convincing myself that yes, I was willing to risk it if it meant I got to know Sage a little more.
There was so much I wanted to know about her, and not just her, but Avery, too.
I wouldn’t tell the guys my decision because chances were, I’d chicken out, but for now, I settled on maybe.
Maybe I’d ask Sage McKinley on a date.
17
Sage
“Are you sure you’re okay with hanging out at Mrs. Bronson’s house while I’m at work?” I asked Avery for what had to be the fifth time.
“Yes, Mama. I like hanging out with her,” she said, like the two of them were best friends.
I pulled to a stop in front of the white farmhouse, turning the key in the ignition. I grabbed Avery’s backpack off the passenger seat and got out, handing it to her where she stood.
I’d taken Callan up on his offer for his mother to watch Avery, but today was the first day, and possibly the last. I didn’t want to inconvenience Charlotte in any way—she had to be busy with the rescue. I considered today a test run, though I was well aware she’d insist it was fine. She’d been more than eager when I called her a few days ago to set this up.
“I packed you snacks and your art supplies. There’s also a few ponies in there you can play with,” I told her.
She stepped forward for a quick hug, her voice muffled in my shirt when she said, “Thanks, Mama.” She let me go, then smiled and waved at something—orsomeone—behind me. “Hi!”
“Hey, Avery.”That voice.God, I hated how it made me buzz with awareness. Hated how just two words from him could make me want to fix my hair and double check that I didn’t have any crusted bits stuck to my eyelashes.
Avery turned, bounding up the steps to the porch as I swiveled, finding Callan walking in my direction.
He came to a stop a few feet away from me, but I wished he’d step closer. It felt like forever since he was at our house, and while yesterday was my day off and I tried to be as present with Avery on those days as possible, it was extremely difficult when I kept remembering him standing in my kitchen, or playing in Avery’s room, or cleaning the counter. This man had been to my houseonetime and I was daydreaming of him coming back.
What was wrong with me?
“Are you heading to work?” Callan asked. He was wearing a navy blue striped button up tucked into blue jeans. His boots looked so worn, I swore there had to be holes in the bottom.
“For a few hours. Charlotte’s watching Avery until I’m off. I figured you’d be working, given the time.” I wasn’t sure how he expected to help watch Avery when he worked similar hours to myself, but since he was technically self-employed, I didn’treally know what to expect out of his set schedule. That, and I also felt bad asking him.
“Yeah, no, I am. I’m in between lessons right now,” he replied, reaching up to rub at the back of his neck, which was shaded by his cowboy hat.
“Do you typically work all day?”
“Sometimes. There’s a couple days a week that I have a chunk of free time during the afternoon, and I give myself two days off. I’d work all seven, but my mom insists her kids take a break.” He dropped his hand back to his side.
“It must be nice being able to make your own schedule.”
“It is.” His cheeks flushed as he shifted on his feet and reached up to take his cowboy hat off, running his opposite hand through his hair. “I had a question. And before I ask, let me preface by saying you can say no if you don’t want to. I just, uh…” He glanced at the ground, kicking at a rock with his boot, then pinned those hazel eyes back on me. “I’ll just outright ask. Sage, would you maybe want to go on a date with me?”
My eyes widened as I was unable to hold back my reaction.Did he just… He just asked me on a date.
Callan Bronson just asked me on adate.
“Me?” He couldn’t have meant that.
His lips pursed together, concealing a smile as his cheeks turned a deeper shade of crimson. “There’s not anyone else around, Sage.”
“Right.” A date didn’t mean we were going to get any further than just one date. It wasonedate. There wasn’t any harm inthat. Yet here I was, overthinking it, and he’d just asked me not even a minute ago. “Are you sure?”
He let out a small chuckle, nodding. “I’m sure.”
“It’s just, I’m a mom and I have Avery—”
