Page 32 of There I Find Wisdom

“I see.”

“I think gifts are good, they show that you are thinking of her.”

Ryan snorted. All he did was think about Dakota. Pretty much for the last three days solid. And he hadn’t come up with any of the things that Griff had.

“You know you can’t account for human feelings, but if she’s looking for someone solid and dependable, someone who will take care of her, someone who will make time for her, and take care of her girls, there are a lot of things you can do to show her you’re that guy.”

“I don’t know why I couldn’t think of these things on my own. But I couldn’t,” Ryan said. They seemed obvious now, and he could hardly wait to get started.

“But you know, all women are different. Maybe you could just ask her what she likes.” Griff grunted, and then he straightened. “I better get back to work. My wife likes it when I do that.” He grinned, then turned, and walked back into the diner, leaving Ryan standing at the rail, thinking hard.

He had been impressed with Dakota’s sacrifice, but there was nothing that he could do that would match that. But thanking her for it seemed so...not good enough.

Chapter 12

Ryan pressed his lipstogether as he walked around the front of the shop, using the key his mother had given him to let himself in.

Dakota looked up from where she was working behind the counter that he’d installed, surprise on her face. There was a cash register sitting on it that hadn’t been there the day before.

She glanced both ways before she backed slowly away.

“I didn’t realize you were here,” she said.

“I wasn’t, not until I just walked in the door.”

“Right,” she said, tripping on something that was lying on the floor and catching herself before putting a hand on the wall.

“You okay?” he asked, hurrying forward. Knowing she wasn’t on her deathbed. But using it as an excuse to get closer.

“Yeah. I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?” he asked, feeling stupid. She tripped, caught herself before she hit anything, and used the wall to steady herself. Of course she was fine.

“Yeah.”

“I wanted to know if it would be okay if I took the girls after school today?”

---