by Erica Penrod
But with a marriage and a divorce behind her, she knew things weren’t always black and white in a relationship. She’d been wrong to push Blake away without giving him a chance to explain, but by then it was too late and she’d committed herself to a life with Ted. In her heart, even though Blake messed up, she knew he was good on the inside and yet she’d walked away.
Kade pulled free from her hand and ran, or at least performed a two-year-old’s rendition of running, towards the entrance. “I guess he wants to go.” Mandy grinned and walked a little faster to keep up with her son.
Blake stayed right by her side. “He’s quick for a little guy. He didn’t get that from you.” He laughed as they walked into the maze.
Kade veered left and led the way. Mandy scowled over at Blake. “Running was never my strong suit.”
“Those long legs are misleading.” He checked her out, and Mandy’s face matched the red scarf hanging around Blake’s neck. She saw him swallow.
“Just because you’re short and speedy—” Mandy bumped him with her shoulder. “—doesn’t mean you should make fun of those of us who aren’t.”
“Oh, sure. Bring up the height issue.” Blake narrowed his eyes, but his dimple gave him away.
“You worry too much.” Mandy thought he was perfect the way he was. When they were a couple, their lips had met perfectly, and they’d stood eye to eye. But the Blake she knew would’ve given anything for another two or three inches. “Your height isn’t your kryptonite.”
“I’d have to agree with you there.” Blake glanced at her, then smirked.
“What?”
“Nothing.” But his dimple sank into his cheek, and something flickered in his eyes. Mandy liked the way he watched her and the easy way they moved around each other, and suddenly she didn’t need all the answers right now. She just wanted to enjoy the moment.
They stopped in front of a scarecrow dressed in overalls, a straw hat, and a big, happy smile. One arm pointed left and the other arm pointed right, offering no help at all when it came to direction.
“Momma, look.” Kade was enthralled but slowly stretched out his hand to touch the stuffed man.
“He’s cool, isn’t he?” Mandy knelt beside her son and pointed to the bright patch on the scarecrow’s knee. “He has a pumpkin on his leg.”
Kade giggled as she wrapped her arms around him. “You’re my little pumpkin.” She kissed him on the cheek. She looked up as Blake took a step back. “Is everything okay?”
His smile was gone, replaced by a straight line across his lips, and a notch appeared between his brows. “It’s fine.” Blake stared at the scarecrow as the muscle in his jaw flexed.
Mandy stood up and brushed her hair over her shoulder. A tremor shook through her body. She didn’t know what, but the mood had shifted.
* * *
Blake scratched his head. “I forgot about something I was supposed to get done yesterday at work and didn’t.” If it were ten years ago, Mandy might’ve known that wasn’t the truth, but he wasn’t sure if she believed him now or not. He couldn’t tell her that watching her with her son nearly tore him in two. Blake knew she’d be an amazing mother, but witnessing her tenderness up close and personal made him angry. Kade should’ve been his son. Blake should’ve been the one to give her a child.“Sorry.” His anger subsided into a quiet resolve. All he’d ever wanted was to have Mandy back in his life, and he didn’t want to blow that now. He couldn’t change the past, but he could get to know her son. Kade was a part of Mandy, and he was a cute kid with his momma’s dark hair and big smile. “I’ll take care of it later.”
“Okay.” Her brown eyes searched his. “If you need to go, that’s fine.” She looked at the ground, and hope rose in his chest at the disappointment in her voice.
“No.” He offered her a smile. “How about we get some hot apple cider after this?” Man, he was a sucker for this woman. He’d spent years trying to get over her, and now it was like he’d strapped himself to a target with a bull’s-eye painted on his chest, begging her to hit him one more time.
“Yeah, that sounds delicious.” Mandy reached for Kade’s hand. “If we can find our way out of here.” She laughed and took the left turn. “If worse turns to worst, I guess we can climb the stacks and find our way home.”
“I have a suspicion that we’ll make it.” He came beside her. “Come here, Kade.” He picked up the boy as he let go of his mother, and Kade giggled as Blake set him on his shoulders. Mandy grinned, and her eyes lit up. He held on to Kade with one hand and took her hand in his. “Is this okay?”
Her brown eyes brightened with a familiar flirtatious glow. “Yeah, but is this a friend thing?”
Blake cocked a brow. “For now.”
* * *
They weaved through the maze, and Mandy couldn’t recall the last time she’d felt so content. She squeezed Blake’s fingers, and he glanced over at her. The look in his eyes seemed to mirror the happiness in her own. He winked at her before he pointed to the right. “Look, Kade, we made it. We found the exit.”
Kade spotted a child holding a balloon. “Lalloon, lalloon.” He wiggled, and Blake let go of Mandy’s hand to support Kade with both arms.
“What’s he saying?” Blake swung Kade off his shoulder, and once his little feet touched the ground, he took off as fast as his two pint-sized legs could manage.
Mandy laughed. “He wants a balloon.”
Blake took her hand once more. “Well, come on. We’d better get the kid a balloon.” They took off, and in two strides they caught up to Kade.
They found the booth with the balloons, and Blake bought Kade the biggest one they had.
“Aren’t you worried this thing might carry him away?” Mandy bent down and tied the string around Kade’s wrist.
“Go big or go home.” Blake grinned, and his dimple flashed.
Mandy stood up. “I’m not sure that should apply to two-year-old kids.”
“Ah, come on.” Blake tucked his wallet into his pocket. “Look how cute he is. He loves it.”
Mandy watched Kade toddle around with a huge two-tooth smile on his face. She laughed. “Yes, he does.” There was nothing as sweet as her little man when he was happy, except for maybe the big man beside her with a huge grin on his face. She stared at Blake, in awe of his expression. His eyes, focused on Kade, were all aglow, like he was mesmerized by the adorableness of her little son, and her heart melted.
Oh man, was she in trouble.
* * *
“My parents are going out tonight, so I need to get back to the B&B in case the guests need anything.” Mandy buckled Kade in his car seat. His eyelids were closed by the time she finished talking over her shoulder. She climbed out of the back seat and stood face-to-face with Blake, who leaned on the car door. The day in the farmer’s market was the most fun she’d had in a long time. Seeing Kade experience the sights, sounds, and tastes of the fall season was a treat, but sharing that with Blake made the afternoon feel as warm as the colors of the leaves that continually floated down from the trees.
“I had a good time.” He reached up and brushed a curl from her face. There was a calmness about him and his touch brought her serenity, which she hadn’t felt in a long time. “Kade is awesome.” Blake held her gaze.
“He is a pretty amazing kid.” Mandy didn’t want the moment to end. Her divorce papers came to mind, along with the resolution to live her life the way she wanted. “If you’re not busy, would you like to come over? Maybe watch a movie or something?”
“I’d like that.” He chewed the corner of his lip, and Mandy tried not to giggle. “What?”
“You used to bite your lip when you were nervous.” She tilted her head and gave him a playful grin. “Do I make you nervous?” She wanted to be the flirty girl with the coy smile Ted always said made her look silly.
Blake took a step back, and Mandy moved towards him. “Um, yeah, just a little bit.” He stuffed his hands in his front pockets and gave her a coy smil
e. “It’s a lot pressure, this whole friends thing.”
Mandy exhaled and put her hands in the air. “No pressure.”
“Maybe for you.” He kicked at a pebble on the pavement and avoided her gaze.
She went to him and lifted his chin with her hand. “I think maybe we should save ourselves some stress and forget about the friendship thing.”
Blake’s eyes widened. “Yeah?”
Her body zinged with excitement. “That, or we should redefine the term. Why don’t you come over and we’ll come up with a definition?” She dropped her hand and saw him swallow. “I’ve got some ideas I’d like to work on.”
He stared at her lips, then glanced into her eyes. “Will I like your ideas?”
Mandy shrugged her shoulders. “Let’s just say you used to be a big fan back in the old days.”
Blake shook his head. “That scares me.”
She gave him a slanted look and winked. “It should.”
Chapter Seven
Blake was as anxious walking up the steps to the B&B for a quiet evening in with Mandy as when he’d picked Mandy up for their first date. If Kael and Jeremy saw him now, with his shaking knees and moisture collecting on his forehead, they’d never let him live it down. What was his problem, anyway? He wasn’t an immature kid; he was a grown man, and there was no need to act otherwise. He’d done quite a good job of giving himself a pep talk and was feeling confident.
Until Mandy’s father opened the door to the B&B.
“Hey, Blake.” Jim offered his hand, which Blake pumped up and down at a nervous pace.
“Hello.” Blake had seen Jim around, but not since Mandy had been back in town. Before, Blake chose not to think of Jim Brown as Mandy’s father, and that made interacting with him easier. He’d pushed aside the fondness he’d felt for the man when Blake was with Mandy. He’d been like another father to him. But now, since he was here to negotiate the terms of his friendship with the man’s daughter and maybe seal the deal with a kiss, that changed things.
“Come in. They’re all in the kitchen.” Jim gestured for Blake to enter. There was no need for directions since Blake had helped remodel the house, but he waited for Jim to lead the way.
“How are things going with the new B&B?” Jim asked.
“Good.” Blake inspected the staircase as they passed, still pleased with the way it turned out. “Jeremy would like things to be going a little faster, but we’re on schedule.”
“In your line of work, that’s a pretty big accomplishment.”
Blake laughed. “Yes, it is.”
Kade’s giggle echoed from the kitchen, and as they entered, they found Kade in his booster chair, holding a miniature fork in one hand and shoving noodles into his mouth with the other. Red sauce covered his face and bib.
“Who knew eating spaghetti could be so much fun?” Linda walked over and hugged Blake. “It’s so nice to see you.”
Blake’s face warmed with her welcome.
“Thanks, it’s nice to be here.” He glanced over at Mandy, who stood at the kitchen sink, washing dishes. Her hair was piled on her head and he had to ignore the curve of her neck. Blake wasn’t the poshest man when it came to manners, but he was smart enough to know that thinking about nuzzling Mandy’s delicate skin wasn’t the politest thing to do. “The place looks great. I hear it’s doing well.”
“It is.” Linda went over and put her arm around Jim. “We’re booked through the holidays, so that’s exciting.”
“I guess Thanksgiving is right around the corner.” Blake watched Mandy from the corner of his eye. He didn’t know a woman washing dishes could be a work of art.
Jim cleared his throat. “What are your plans for Thanksgiving?”
“I’m not sure. My parents are going on a cruise and my sisters will be with their in-laws, so it will be pretty low-key, whatever it is.”
“You should come eat with us.” Linda smiled.
A dish hit the counter. The crash of shattered glass jolted him as they all glanced at Mandy.
Kade looked around, his eyes wide with confusion. His grandma quickly reassured him. “It’s okay, buddy.” She rubbed his back.
“Sorry, it slipped out of my hands.” Mandy’s eyes widened as she gawked at her mom and then over at Blake.
“I don’t want to impose.” Blake’s heart accelerated. He was totally fine to amp up his friendship with Mandy and steal a few kisses, but spending Thanksgiving with her and her family seemed way too much. He’d spent a lot of time in the Brown home when he and Mandy were together. There was always a place set at the table for him, and he’d grown to love her parents. When he and Mandy broke up, the pain of losing them too hurt almost as badly as losing her. If things didn’t work out with Mandy, he’d have to walk through that hell all over again.
“You won’t be. I insist.” Linda glanced over at Mandy. “Right?”
“Um, yeah. Of course.” Mandy dried her hands on a towel. She looked at Blake. “You should. You know what kind of cook my mom is.”
“I can’t argue with that.” Blake searched Mandy’s face, trying to decipher if that was what she really wanted.
“Then it’s settled.” Linda smiled. “Come on, Jim. We’d better get going or we’ll be late for our movie.”
“Have fun.” Mandy waved as her parents left. She turned to Blake when the door closed. “Sorry about that. If you don’t want to come dinner, I’m sure I can come up with an excuse. I know you were put on the spot.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’d like to come, if that’s okay with you?”
“I’d like that.” Mandy touched his arm.
Blake smiled. “Even though we haven’t figured out our friendship yet?”
“Give me about twenty minutes to get this little guy cleaned up and ready for bed. Then we’ll get down to business.”
Blake cocked a brow.
“You know, figuring out the friendship thing.” Mandy shook her head and laughed.
“Out.” Kade chucked his fork.
“And I guess he’s finished. Are you hungry?” She glanced over her shoulder as she undid the strap and lifted Kade out. “My mom made enough food for an army, and none of the guests will be eating here tonight. In fact, we pretty much have the place to ourselves for the next couple hours.”
If she was trying to tempt him, she was doing a pretty good job of it. “I’m not hungry, but thanks.” Actually, he’d forgotten about food until she mentioned it, and he wasn’t the slightest bit hungry—at least for spaghetti. “Is there anything I can help you with?”
“Nope. If you want to look through the movies and see if there’s something you’re interested in, the remote control is in the basket on the coffee table.”
“Okay.” Blake took off his jacket and draped it over a barstool. A movie was the furthest thing from his mind, but he’d give it a shot. He had to do something to occupy his mind until she got back. He’d go crazy if he let himself think about her business proposition. Oh, he prayed they had the same plan in mind.
A half hour later, Blake sat on the couch and wondered if Mandy had changed her mind. His toe tapped the floor as he second-guessed the situation. Maybe he’d misread her signals, or maybe he should check on her. He wasn’t sure what to do. His palms sweat, and he wiped them on his jeans.
He was just about to get up when Mandy appeared from the hallway.
“Sorry, that took a little longer than I thought.” She sat down next to him on the couch. “But Kade’s in bed and fast asleep. He had a big day today.”
Blake perked up. “That was fun.” He sat close to her, and she smelled like a mixture of strawberries and baby lotion. He’d become familiar with the lotion scent when Tori had her little boy, and the strawberries must’ve been a shampoo. He inhaled, letting the aroma in, and longed to pull her close.
“So, do you want to start the movie, or would you like to talk?”
Neither.
“Maybe we should talk first.” Mandy took his hand.
“There’s a lot to catch up on.”
Blake wasn’t sure how far he wanted to go into the past several years. He wasn’t ready to think about why things ended between them when he felt like things were just getting started. “So how often does Kade’s father see him?” There was so much he didn’t know of her life, like what her relationship was like with her ex, or if she still loved him in anyway.
“Since I moved to Milwaukie, he hasn’t seen him much. Ted still lives in Eugene and says he’s busy with work and can’t get out here that often.”
“What does he do for a living?”
“He’s an accountant for an investment company.” She stroked his hand with her thumb.
Blake thought there was usually alimony or child support with a divorce and wondered about Mandy’s move to Milwaukie and run a B&B on her own.
She must’ve read his mind. “But Ted didn’t think I deserved half of our assets. He changed over the years, acquired different priorities, and let’s just say that I wasn’t one of them.” Mandy got closer, and they sat shoulder to shoulder.
“I’m sorry.” Blake didn’t know what to say, since he’d once ruined things between them himself.
Mandy smiled. “It’s all good, because I got Kade, and even though Ted didn’t think I deserved my fair share of everything else, the judge did.”
“I bet that’s a relief.”
“More than you know.” She squeezed his hand. “So, what about you?”
“What about me?”
“Tell me about your work, your life, any divorces?”
Blake smiled. “No divorces, and I love my job and I love my co-workers, but that said, Brianne and Tori can be a challenge sometimes. They tend to forget I’m not a woman and that I don’t want to share my feelings all the time.”
Mandy giggled. “I bet they’re good for you. Sometimes it’s good to let others know how you feel.”