Page 90 of The Calendar of New Beginnings
“Please,” she said, waving her hand. “It’s been a while,but I know what adults who love each other do. Plus, I thought you might be able to reason with Lucy a bit if you were alone together. I’m doing my best with Ellie, but she’s too angry and hurt right now to listen to me. You’ll have your hands full with Lucy.”
It explained why her text had sounded strange earlier. “Thanks for coming over, Mom.”
“I have a bag outside,” she said, giving him a saucy wink. “I’ll just go get it. You might call in tomorrow late if you can.”
The flush spread from his ears to his cheeks. “Could you stop, please?”
She laughed as she went to retrieve her bag. “No way. This is way too much fun.”
He was glad someone was enjoying it. Detouring to the stairs, he took them two at a time. His son was sitting on the floor, pulling books out of his bookcase right and left. What had been a reasonably clean room before had become a minefield of children’s books. Man, they had a lot of books, and while he was glad his son had a healthy appreciation for reading, it was a freaking mess. One he felt a little guilty about leaving for his mother.
“Hey, buddy,” he said, sitting on the floor as his son threw an unwanted book toward the corner near a teddy bear. “Whoa! Watch out for civilians.”
Danny laughed. “You’re funny.” The next book on the bookshelf made its way into the teetering pile between his little legs. “Where’s Grandma?”
“She went to get her bag,” he said, choosing his words carefully. “She realized she couldn’t live without you, so she’s spending the night.”
“Cool!” he exclaimed as the pile of books fell like a row of dominoes.
“And since she wants to do the whole Grandma thing, I’m going to spend the night with my best friend.”
His head shot up. “Lucy? I thought she was coming over. I was going to show her how to play Backyard Football. Blake taught me some new plays, and I’m rocking it. She was so going down tonight.”
There was nothing wrong with a little healthy competition. “Maybe you can play with Grandma.”
He shook his head. “I tried one time. She’s horrible, Dad. She couldn’t even figure out what buttons to push.”
“That’s awful,” he said, trying not to laugh. “I don’t know how you can handle her being your grandma. Okay, give me a kiss. I’ll pick you up after school tomorrow, okay?”
Danny climbed onto his lap for a hug, squeezing him with all his might. “Have fun with Miss Lucy.”
He held his son’s little body against him, inhaling the sweet scent of little boy and enthusiasm. “Will do. Love you. Have fun with Grandma.”
He had risen to his feet and was halfway to the door when his son asked, “Dad, are you going to marry Miss Lucy?”
That question pretty much made his head explode. He stilled and turned. His son was holdingWhere The Wild Things Areto his chest, looking decades older than his age.
“Why would you think that?” he asked, his chest growing tight.
His son clutched the book and shrugged. “My friend, Bobby, said he heard his mom and her friends talking about how much time you’ve been spending with Lucy. I told Bobby that Lucy’s your best friend ever, and she’s really funny and nice. She even took that picture of the camel with the funny face for me,” he said, pointing.
The reminder warmed his heart. Even beforetheir connection had bloomed into romance, she’d supported him and his son in a way few others had.
“She’s a really special lady. Like I told you a few weeks ago, I want to spend lots of time with her now that she’s back home and have her spend time with you because you’re pretty special too.”
Walking back over, he sank down on the floor beside his son.
“I’m your son,” Danny said matter-of-factly. “Of course I’m special.”
Andy smiled. “No one is more special.”
“Even Miss Lucy?” he asked, peering up at him.
Andy pulled him onto his lap. “Do you think you’re any less special to me because I like to go running with Uncle Matt or hang out with your aunts?”
Danny shook his head. “They’re our family.”
“That’s right,” he said, remembering how many times he’d told his son that. “Lucy is my family too. She and I have been friends since I was your age. She’s been away from home for a long time, which is why I want her to come over here and hang out with us. I’d like for you two to get to know each other better.”
