“We don’t have to have all the answers right now,” she said, reaching for his hand and holding it. “And I don’t want to spend our few precious hours alone arguing. Tomorrow, you’ll go and do your physiotherapy and we’ll talk. Then you’ll go to the doctor and we’ll talk again. But for now, can we just enjoy the time we do have?”
He knew she was right and he didn’t want to waste their morning fighting. Between Lucas’s schedule and Bobby living so far away, chances were it could be a very long time before they had an opportunity for an entire night to themselves again.
Bobby stripped off his boxers and joined her under the sheets, and spent the rest of the morning focusing on the here, and now, and her.
* * *
Dating was a lot more difficult than Teagan remembered it.
For starters, they lived two hours apart. So even if they wanted to see each other, logistics simply weren’t on their side. They talked on the phone every day and she told herself it was enough. Bobby was doing his physical therapy and had met with his primary physician before being referred to a specialist for further testing on the nerve damage in his arm. It had been a lot of back-to-back medical appointments, with very few answers. She knew he was frustrated and she really felt for him.
Then there was Lucas.
When she had picked him up from his sleepover that afternoon, he had been so excited about his adventure. And when Bobby came over to their place later that afternoon and played ball with him again, it had made him hyperexcited, so he’d been a nightmare to deal with. Getting him to bed that night had been a herculean task. Luckily, Bobby hadn’t been there to see it, because she wasn’t proud of being a little short-tempered with her son. Between his behavior and her lack of sleep the night before, it had been a rough evening.
And every day since, Lucas had asked when Bobby was coming back to play.
Something she wondered too.
And to cap it all off, there was her cousin. Somehow Quinn had gotten a whiff of the tension between her and Bobby at the party and was doing his best to warn her away again. While she tried to distance herself from the images of the town playboy Quinn was painting, it was hard.
Okay, it was impossible. Every word Quinn said had her feeling a little sick to her stomach, and so self-conscious.
So how did she handle it?
She lied.
Teagan prided herself on her honesty, but in order to make Quinn stop, she didn’t have a choice. “You’re way off base here, Quinn,” she’d said. “Whatever you think you saw, you’re wrong. Bobby is a friend and I’m not looking to get involved with anyone. I appreciate your concern, but believe me, I’m good.”
He seemed to believe her, but she felt awful about it anyway.
So here she was two weeks later, wondering if maybe…it wasn’t a lie. Bobby hadn’t come back to town. Maybe she had over-romanticized what had happened and they were going to end up being just friends.
Just friends who had a lot of wild sex, one night only.
Ugh…she was a cliché.
Ouch.
It was late Friday afternoon and she was contemplating getting pizza for dinner when there was a knock on her front door. Her mother was supposed to stop by with some clothes she had picked up for Lucas, so she called out a distracted “Come in!” while she searched for the takeout menu.
She heard the front door open and close as she rummaged through her junk drawer.
Strong hands clasped her waist. “You know, it’s dangerous to leave your door unlocked.”
Holding in a scream, she turned to find Bobby staring down at her with a big smile on his face. She launched herself up into his arms and was relieved when he kissed her—long and deep and wet, just the way she liked it.
Slowly, he lowered her to her feet as he broke the kiss. “I’m serious, Teagan. You shouldn’t leave your door unlocked, or invite people in without knowing who’s knocking.”
She swatted him away playfully. “I was expecting my mom. That’s the only reason why I did that.”
He looked at her skeptically but stepped back when she made a move toward the door. “Where’s Lucas?”
“He’s out back playing with a soccer ball.”
“Soccer?”
She nodded. “He wanted to try something new and soccer’s easy to play on his own without hurting anyone. Or himself,” she added playfully.
There was another knock and she was about to call out, but one look at him and she walked over to the door instead, confirming it was her mother before opening it. “Hey, Mom!” she said, giving her a quick hug and kiss on the cheek.
“Hey, sweetheart,” Catherine said, holding up a large shopping bag. “I know, I know. I went overboard. It’s just—” She stopped the instant she spotted Bobby standing in the kitchen.
He walked over and held out his hand in greeting. “Hey, Mrs. Shaughnessy. How are you?”
Teagan had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing. Her mother looked positively stunned.
“Oh, um… Bobby, hi,” she said, shaking his hand. “It’s good to see you.” Then she glanced at her daughter briefly before returning her attention to him. “I didn’t realize you were back in town.”
He nodded. “Just for the weekend.”
For a minute Teagan had to wonder at what her mother was thinking. No doubt she was wondering why Bobby was there, but how close was she to figuring it out?
“So let’s see what you bought,” Teagan said, choosing to ignore the awkwardness in the room. Placing the bag on the sofa, she reached in and pulled out several T-shirts, two pairs of shorts, and a red baseball cap. “These are great, Mom. They’re going to be perfect for when he starts school.”
“Yes, that’s what I thought too,” her mother said before looking at him again. “So what brings you over, Bobby?”
Panic gripped Teagan. She hadn’t mentioned her relationship with Bobby to anyone.
As if sensing her thoughts, he replied, “I…um, I just wanted to stop in and say hello. And see how Lucas was coming along with his T-ball practice.”
“Oh.”
If Teagan wasn’t mistaken, her mother sounded mildly disappointed, and that seemed to encourage Bobby.
“But I was hoping to take them both out for some pizza.” He smiled at Teagan. “That is, if you don’t have any plans.”
She was blushing and could feel her cheeks heating, as well as her mother’s stare. “Uh, sure.” Teagan cleared her throat. “That would be great. I was just looking for the takeout menu to order pizza for us.”
He nodded and slid his hands into the back pockets of his jeans. He looked utterly and boyishly adorable. If her mother wasn’t standing right there, she would have walked over and kissed him.
Nibbling on her bottom lip, she said, “I should go and tell Lucas. He’ll be excited that you’re here.”
She’d made it all of two steps before her mother interrupted. “You know, we were hoping to have Lucas tonight for a sleepover. Your father wants to go see that new Pixar movie and has been talking about it all week. I thought I’d mentioned it to you.”
Shooting her mother a look that said Really?, Teagan had to keep herself from snorting with disbelief. For starters, there had never been any mention of a sleepover. If there had, she would have instantly tried to make plans with Bobby. And on top of that, her father hated going to the movies to see anything, let alone a children’s movie. She knew exactly what her mother was doing and was…well, she was thankful.
Exceedingly thankful.
“Oh, I guess I forgot,” Teagan said awkwardly. “Um… Give me a few minutes to pack a bag for him.” As she walked away, she could hear her mother talking to Bobby.
“I hope you don’t mind me taking Lucas.”
“No. No, not at all. I’m going to be in town for the whole weekend so, um. I’ll catch up
with him and his T-ball skills at some point.”
Peeking out at the living room, Teagan watched her mother eyeing Bobby. “You know, I bet Teagan wouldn’t mind going out and grabbing something to eat. Something that isn’t quite so kid-friendly.”
Oh, dear Lord! Was her mother trying to set her up on a date?
“Kid-friendly?” he repeated.
“Yes. Eating with Lucas means she’s stuck choosing the places he prefers—burgers, pizza, that sort of thing. I’m sure she would love to go someplace for a sit-down dinner where you don’t draw on the placemat, if you know what I mean.”
Yup. That’s exactly what her mother was doing.
Teagan groaned and stepped away. She quickly packed a bag for her son before going out to tell him about this recent change of plans.
“Hey, buddy,” she said, stepping into the backyard. “How goes the soccer?”
“It’s kind of boring with just one person,” he said with a pout. “Of course I can get a goal every time. There’s no one to stop me.”
“Hmm… I see your point. Maybe you can get Pops to practice with you tonight,” she suggested.
“He’s here?” he asked excitedly.
“No, but Meema’s here and she wants you to sleep over tonight and go to the movies! Won’t that be fun?”
He jumped up and down. “Yeah!” Then he stopped. “But if we go to the movies, when will Pops play soccer with me?”
“Maybe before the movie? Or after, since it doesn’t get dark until late. Or maybe even tomorrow before I come and pick you up. How does that sound?”
“It’s the best!” he cried, running into the house.
She knew the minute he spotted Bobby.
“Bobby! Are you here to play ball with me? Do you want to come to the movies with me and Meema and Pops? Then we can all play!” He turned when Teagan walked into the room. “We can have a whole soccer team, Mom! It’s gonna be so cool!”
Thankfully, her mother stepped in before Lucas could plan any further. “Tell you what, let’s get home to Pops and make our plans for pizza and the movie, and then tomorrow your mom and Bobby can come over for lunch and we’ll all play ball in the yard. How about that?”
Teagan hung her head. Her mother wasn’t even trying to play it cool with any of this. What if Bobby didn’t want to have a family day with them? It was totally presumptuous of her, and the last thing she wanted was for him to feel pressured.
“That sounds great, Mrs. Shaughnessy,” Bobby said happily. “How about Teagan and I pick up some sandwiches and salads and bring them over around noon?”
Her mother grinned sweetly. Only Teagan noticed the hint of smugness. “That would be lovely, Bobby. Thank you.” Then she looked down at Lucas and reached for his hand. “Sandwiches and soccer! What a perfect way to spend a Saturday!”
Her son readily agreed so Teagan picked up his bag and walked with them out to her mother’s car. Lucas gave her a quick kiss before climbing into his booster seat. Once he was settled, she closed the door and faced her mother.
“Smooth, Mom,” she said quietly. “Could you have been any more obvious in there?” Crossing her arms over her chest, she thought she sounded pretty put out.
Clearly not, because her mother laughed softly. “Please, the two of you have been dancing around one another for weeks. I don’t believe for one minute that Bobby came here to play T-ball, and if that’s what you think, then you need to have your head examined.”
“Mom…”
“Go out and have some fun, Teagan. You’re allowed to! You’re a young, beautiful woman and it’s time you put a little effort into your personal life.”
Where the hell had this all come from? “It’s not that easy. I have Lucas to think about.”
“Lucas is fine,” her mother countered. “And it’s time for you to worry a little more about yourself. Bobby’s a wonderful man and he’s obviously smitten with you.”
Teagan rolled her eyes. “Nobody says smitten, Mom.”
“I believe I just did,” she said with a wink, turning to open the driver’s side door. “And we’ll see you at noon tomorrow.” She climbed in and waved.
Stepping back, she waved and watched them drive away. When she turned back toward the house, Bobby was standing in the doorway.
Was it wrong that she didn’t care if they didn’t eat dinner at all?
From the look in his eyes as she got closer, he was thinking the same thing.
When she was standing right in front of him, she looked up. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming to town?”
He reached for her hand, tugging her through the doorway and shutting the door behind her. “Because I wanted to surprise you.”
“Consider me surprised,” she said sassily. “How long are you here for?”
“That depends,” he said cryptically.
“On what?”
“On you. Well, you and Lucas.”
She looked at him with confusion.
“Next week is the Fourth of July and there’s a lot of great stuff to do around here—there’s a big fireworks show down by the pier, a parade, and a carnival that I know Lucas would love.” He paused, kissing her softly on the tip of her nose. “Only I didn’t know if you’d already made plans or if maybe I could spend the holiday with you.”
“Wow, that sounds like a lot of fun. Anna had mentioned all that, and Aidan and Zoe are hosting a barbecue at their place. So I was kind of on the fence about where we were going.”
Now he wrapped his arms around her waist. “My original plan was to invite the two of you to Myrtle Beach to spend the holiday with me there.”
“Oh?” In that instant she realized she liked the sound of that way more than any of the local activities.
“But then, Riley’s show is only two weeks away and I thought we’d save the Myrtle Beach trip for that. Except… I was hoping it would just be you coming for that one.”
She really liked that plan even more.
“I hate to admit it, but I hadn’t given it much thought.” She grimaced at how bad that sounded. “But I guess I can talk to my folks about babysitting. I mean, it’s just one night.”
Bobby shook his head. “I was really hoping you’d come for the weekend. You know, drive down on Friday morning and not leave until late Sunday afternoon.”
Thoughtfully, she stepped out of his embrace. “Oh wow. I don’t know. I’ve never been away from Lucas for that long before. It’s a lot to ask of my parents. And—and I don’t know if I’m ready for something like that.”
She expected him to tell her she was wrong or that she was overreacting, but he didn’t. Instead he took her by the hand and led her to the sofa. “It’s okay, Teagan. It was just a thought. We can mention it to your parents tomorrow and see if they’re even available to watch Lucas the night of the concert or…you know, if they want to come to the show too. I’m sure Riley wouldn’t mind adding two more people to the list. Three, if we bring Lucas.”
“I think he’s a little too young for it,” she said, resting her head on his shoulder. “And if they really want to go, then I’ll see if maybe Anna wouldn’t mind another kid in the house for a night.”
“Or two,” he added lightly and she didn’t try to correct him.
“New topic,” she said cheerily. “What should we do tonight? This is all new to me, so…”
“So I guess we try that date thing we talked about way back when,” he teased. “You know—dinner, a movie, maybe a walk on the beach. What do you say?”
“I think all those options sound great.” She straightened and looked at him. He was dressed casually—jeans, T-shirt, sneakers—so anything fancy was out of the question. “There’s this seafood place down on the pier everyone talks about. I’m sure you’ve eaten there hundreds of times, but I haven’t been yet. Could we maybe go there?”
“Sorry that my mom sort of pressured you into this.”
He laughed and hugged her close. “I wouldn’t say pressured. More like strongly suggested.”
“Either way, I can’t believe she did that. I’m mortified.”
“Well, don’t be. At least that’s one Shaughnessy we don’t have to worry about.”
When she turned and looked at him, she saw the frown. “You too, huh?”
That surprised him. “Why? Who’s been saying something to you?” He cursed under his breath. “Quinn, right?”
“Well…”
“I swear I want to go over there and just beat the crap out of him. I’m regretting all the years I didn’t do it because Anna asked me not to.”
She’d been aware of the hostility, of course, but didn’t realize quite how deep it ran. “He’s just being protective. No different than how you were when it was Anna, right?”
“It’s different, Teagan. My sister had been crushing on him for years and he treated her like crap. He never gave her feelings any consideration. He’s just warning you off of me because he’s a jerk.”
While she didn’t necessarily agree with the way her cousin was handling things, she knew Quinn’s heart was in the right place. “I can’t help that my family is a little overprotective.” She shrugged and tried to make light of it. “All they know is that I’m a single mom who hasn’t exactly had it easy. And, to be fair, you do have a bit of a reputation.”
A growl of frustration was his first response. “I already explained to you—”
“I know, I know,” she said, quickly cutting him off. “But you can’t expect anyone to think differently if you don’t give them a reason to.”
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