Tonight? Meg took a shaky sip from her water glass. What had she gotten herself into?
“Tonight?” Joe set down his coffee mug. “We’re talking about tonight?”
Meg focused steadily on Davy’s hope-filled eyes, and her insides melted. She hadn’t the heart to disappoint him. “Tonight’s okay with me.”
“All right!” Davy’s fist punched the air.
Staring at her, Joe picked up his fork, laid it down and then picked it up again.
As if reading his son’s mind, Bill spoke up. “I’ve known Meg for months. Love her to pieces. She not only babysits for your cousin Reyna’s kids, but she cleared the background check for school and the church.”
“What’s a background check?” Davy looked to his grandfather, but Meg responded.
“It means I’m a certified good person to be around kids.”
Davy considered that for a moment before turning to his father with a doubtful look. “Are you certified to be around kids, Dad?”
Bill chuckled, and she bit back a smile.
“Not yet. But I will be. Soon.” Joe cut into a fish stick. “And certification has nothing to do with being a mom or dad. It’s only for when you have a job with kids that aren’t your own.”
“Might not be a half-bad idea, though.” Bill sent a wink in Meg’s direction.
“So, can I go, Dad? Please? Because Miss Meg’s certified?”
Joe cleared his throat. “Let’s eat while I think about it.”
Davy wiggled in his seat, then dived into the pirate food with gusto.
Still baffled at her own willingness to host a sleepover for a child she hardly knew, Meg cast a furtive glance in Joe’s direction before turning her attention back to her meal.
Chapter Three
Joe didn’t like it. Not one bit. But with the three of them ganging up on him, what was he to do? It was clear Davy had his heart set on a sleepover. But even though his dad vouched for her, he didn’t want his kid imposing on Meg—or getting attached to her or any woman for that matter. Not right now. They needed more man-to-man bonding opportunities. Needed to make up for lost time.
He and Davy had been together only a few weeks, much of that time at the home of his wife’s parents in San Diego as he attempted to regain his land legs and get reacquainted with his son. They’d been in Canyon Springs but a week, and now the little guy was already making off with the cutest chick in town—and leaving Daddy in the dust without a backward glance.
Okay, so it wasn’t surprising his son would be drawn to her. Maybe he did miss his mom. His grandmother, too, with whom he’d lived the past two years while Joe was halfway around the world. But not long ago Davy’s grandmother contacted him with troubling news that the situation was about to change, and Joe needed to come home.
Immediately.
He closed his eyes for a moment as a fist gripped his heart, determined not to think about that tonight. About his sister-in-law’s scheming intentions to take Davy away from him. Yeah, there was plenty of time to get to know the neighbors later. He and Davy needed uninterrupted father-son time.
Listening to the chatter around the table, it struck him that Meg’s interest in everything Davy had to say seemed genuine. From the Pacific beach he loved to romp on, to the puppy he was convinced he needed, she talked to him like he was a grown-up, not a baby.
But he’d picked up mixed signals on the sleepover deal. When Davy made his bold suggestion, he didn’t miss the sudden stillness that came over her expression or the hand that froze as she reached for her glass. Did she want a little kid she didn’t know bunking with her? Once she recovered from Davy’s rude proposal, though, she seemed to support it. Women. Go figure.
Okay. He could handle this. It was only one night, right? Tomorrow, in private, he’d deal with Davy—and his own interfering dad—about putting people on the spot. He stood to clear the table, taking a deep breath as he prepared to give the sleepover his reluctant blessing.
“You know what I think we ought to do, Davy?” Meg leaned forward, her gentle eyes on his son.
“What?”
“Instead of a sleepover, I think you should come to my place for dessert tonight. Then you and your dad can decide when you can stay overnight another time. Maybe when you can stay longer.”
Joe’s grateful eyes met Meg’s.
“But I want to come tonight.” Davy’s lower lip drooped.
“I know, but it’s already getting late. Probably almost your bedtime, right, Dad?” She glanced up at Joe. “If you stay tonight, all you’ll do is sleep, and we won’t get to play.”
“How about it, bud?” Joe prodded. “I bet Miss Meg makes a mean dessert.”
A frowning Davy pushed back in his chair and focused a challenging glare on his father. Joe braced himself.
Meg leaned forward as if oblivious to the father-son standoff, her tone playful. “Guess what I have, Davy.”
Eyes still clouded with disappointment, the boy turned. “What?”
“I have a blue fish named Skooter.”
“Blue?” Davy’s eyes brightened. “Is it real?”
“Yep.” She glanced down at her watch. “And I bet he’s getting hungry right about now. Should we go feed him?”
Davy turned back to his father, this time with a smile. “She has a blue fish.”
“You can see it if you go get your shoes,” Joe instructed, relieved the issue could be so easily resolved. No arguments. No tears. No tantrums.
On either of their parts.
The boy slid out of his chair, then with a bouncing gait headed to the hallway.
Joe focused again on Meg. “Now you’re sure you’re okay with this? If it’s not convenient—I mean, it is Saturday night. You probably have plans.”
“Hot date?” Bill teased.
Joe frowned.
Meg shook her head. “I was going to do laundry, but that can wait until tomorrow.”
“Okay. But I don’t like him inviting himself like that.” Joe cut a look at his father. “Or third parties aiding and abetting.”
Bill pushed back from the table and waved him away. “He’s five years old. If he was eighteen and invited himself to a sleepover at Meg’s, then you could have a serious talk.”
Joe responded with a sneer but couldn’t ignore the gut-punched sensation in his midsection. He didn’t want to think about Davy turning eighteen.
“An RV’s kind of an exciting place to a kid,” Meg pointed out. “Like a tree house or a tent. A dessert night will let him get a taste of adventure.”
He looked down at her. “Well, if you’re sure.”
“She’s sure, Joe, or she wouldn’t have suggested it.”
Davy appeared in the room again, arms laden with a huge stuffed bear.
“Hey, mister, you don’t need to take that thing.”
Davy clutched the plush creature. “He’s not a thing. He’s Bear.”
Joe took a step toward Davy, intending to confiscate the animal, but his son clasped the fuzzy critter tighter and spun away.
“Excuse me.” He held up his hands in defeat. “Fine. Whatever.”