Chapter Thirty-Six

Finally, that pushy woman was gone.

Dennis laid his arm along the back of the couch and pointed one long finger from Audrey to the space beside him. Audrey sat in the middle, at a safe distance. He dropped his hand to her shoulder and pulled her closer.

“Do you think that’s wise?” Audrey asked with a meaningful glance at Cole.

“He’s going to find out sooner or later,” Dennis murmured. “I don’t intend to keep secrets from my son. Even if he’s been keeping secrets from me.”

“Maybe we ought to wait until you hear his side of things.”

Dennis released his grip on her shoulder, and she slid a few scant inches further away. She looked so forlorn that he immediately wanted to cuddle her against his side. But he resisted. If she could be this worried and sad after that amazing afternoon–really, he doubted any harsh emotion could penetrate his own exhausted bliss–then he probably ought to snap to attention. As best he could, anyway. What had that woman said again? Cooked his own face. Something about snow in the summer. The fish tank, something about the fish tank.

His fingers traced Audrey’s shoulder. All he wanted was another kiss. Couldn’t they save the talk for later?

“I don’t want you to get the wrong idea,” Audrey said. “I was trying to protect Cole. That’s all. He’s almost always very good. Those few moments when he got a little rambunctious didn’t seem important enough to worry you with.”

She sounded nervous. Okay, he would shake off his sex bliss and pay attention. Right thing to do. “Cole? Did you really throw fruit in the fish tank?”

Cole scooped up his rocks and started filling his shorts pockets. “Not fruit, Daddy. Fruit snacks. The ones that are shaped like sea animals.”

“He told me he thought the fish were hungry,” Audrey said.

“But they wouldn’t eat it,” Cole said. “Not even the red one that looked like a little fish. And you said big fish eat little fish. But they just swimmed around.”

“Swam,” Dennis corrected. He felt like he was missing something. “What else did you do?”

Cole launched into a detailed list of all his antics from the last two weeks. Audrey was right. Most of it was just ordinary little-boy stuff, like pressing every single button in the elevator and stomping in mud puddles on the way to his etiquette class. Although Dennis frowned while Cole explained playing the hot and cold game when he hid Audrey’s house key, and frowned even harder when Cole confessed to pouring a jug of laundry soap in the hallway to make a belly slide, Dennis couldn’t muster up any real indignation. In fact, he had to hide a smile at most of it.

“Is that everything?” Dennis asked. It all seemed so normal. Just a little boy exploring his world and testing his limits like any normal little boy.

“I know we’re forgetting something,” Audrey said. “Oh! Cole, there was the time you tried to get everyone to eat their yogurt through a straw.”

“Oh, yeah. That didn’t work too good,” Cole said. “It’s not like a milkshake. Even though it’s kind of like a milkshake.”

“True,” Dennis agreed. All those years living under a cloud of grief–that part of their life really was in the past. Cole was going to be fine. Better than fine, a normal, high-spirited boy. They both were fine now, in no small part because of Audrey.

Poor thing. She seemed really distressed. He tried to catch her gaze, but she wouldn’t look at him. Her fists dug into her thighs. “We’re forgetting something. I know we are.”

“Cole, do you act like this when Nanny Susie is watching you?”

“No,” Cole said coolly. “But I don’t want her to get fired.”

“I know you don’t really mean that, Cole,” Dennis said. So that was what had her worried. She thought Cole wanted her gone. “You like Miss Turner, and I know it. Let’s have an end to this talk about people getting fired. I couldn’t fire Miss Turner even if I wanted to.”

“Why not?” Cole’s brown eyes were round with distress.

“Because she doesn’t work for us anymore. Nanny Susie comes back to the United States tomorrow—”

“Tomorrow!” Cole shrieked. “You said she’d be gone for a long time!”

Dennis frowned. “Now, what’s this all about, son? I thought you said Miss Turner was the nicest teacher at your school.”

“Not tomorrow!” Cole shouted, then burst into tears. He ran from the room wailing.

Dennis’s forehead furrowed as he watched Cole go. He heard a loud thump that sounded like something soft and large being thrown against the wall.

“I’m guessing that was his bedtime buddy.” Dennis was referring to Cole’s large stuffed cowboy doll that slept beside him every night.

They heard a second softer thud.

“And that would be his pillow. Audrey, can you explain this to me? Because I’m at a loss.”

“He doesn’t like me.” Her voice was barely above a whisper.

“Nonsense. He adores you. All spring, it was Miss Turner this and Miss Turner that.”

“But that was before.”

“Before what?” Before they fell in love? But he hadn’t told her yet that he loved her, and this wasn’t the time to declare himself. One thing at a time.

“Before I came into your home,” she said. “Before we started spending time together, you and me. Things are different now. And Cole obviously doesn’t like the change.”

That didn’t quite make sense. “When did he start acting up?”

“Right away, that first day. Don’t you remember when he took his pants off? You hadn’t even left yet.”

Dennis scratched his head, then let his arm fall around her shoulders. His thumb caressed her through the thin t-shirt. “That wasn’t about you. He was thrilled that you were coming. Got up early and dressed himself in your favorite shirt. He was trying to win you over, not chase you away.”

“Yes, and the second you left, he tried to eat candy for breakfast.” She turned to face him and in the process, curled closer into his side. He tucked her head onto his shoulder. This was where she belonged.

“I’m not surprised. He’d eat nothing but candy all day if we let him.”

“But don’t forget how upset he became when he interrupted us kissing here the other night. You have to see things from his perspective. He’s had you to himself for as long as he can remember. And now I’m here. I’m an intruder.”

“Well, he’s going to have to get used to you being here.”

She lifted her head and finally, finally looked him in the eyes again. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.” The word erupted with his desire. “Aren’t you?”

“But Cole’s welfare is so important to you, and I’m screwing everything up.”

“Screwing everything up?” Dennis sighed. “How can you even say that? Don’t you know how important you are to me? Don’t you know how much better my life has become, just because you’re in it?”

“This isn’t about your happiness. Or mine. This is about Cole.”

“Yes, and it’s gone on long enough. I don’t want to lose you because he’s misbehaving.” He leaned closer to her and tightened his arm around her shoulder. His other hand came around and landed on her bare knee. He caressed her skin and inched his fingertips up under the hem of her baggy, borrowed shorts.

“I don’t want to lose you either.” She looked so solemn, her blue eyes round and serious. She was more worried than she’d been letting on.

“Good,” he said. “I know Cole can be a handful, but I believe we can get through this. Are you willing to try?”

“Yes.”

He sighed a deep, satisfied sigh. “There’s no better word I could hear from your lips. Say it again.”

She smiled. “Yes.”

He leaned forward and kissed her lightly. “Again.”

“Yes.” She returned his kiss, deeper this time.

He pulled away. “I’d better go talk to my son.”