Haley looked up at her. “Can I, Mommy?”
“Sure.”
And that was that? Meg wasn’t sure what she’d expected, but it was a pivotal moment in all of their lives. Haley meeting her father for the first time, looking at her mirror image, finally understanding why she didn’t look like Meg? Being two and a half and filled with innocent trust must be nice. She hoped Josh wouldn’t be the one to make Haley lose that sweet trust by hurting her.
Josh wasn’t sure if that had gone well or not. Haley hadn’t rejected him outright, so that was good. But she’d seemed more interested in whether he had a dog than in him.
It amazed him how much Haley looked like him. Same blonde hair, and looking into her eyes was like looking into a mirror and seeing his own. He’d always imagined her looking like a mini Meg, not like him.
Suddenly, he had an overwhelming desire to know every little thing about her. What were her favorite things? Did she hate fish sticks too? She had asthma like he’d had—did that mean she hated broccoli like him? He’d missed out on so much that she should feel like a stranger to him, but it was as if he’d known her all his life, even if he didn’t know many of the details of hers. He wanted to ask a million questions, but then Casey’s words echoed in his head. “Don’t try to push it. Let it happen naturally.”
So maybe he’d just go with the flow and learn as they went along.
He held the bathroom door open as Megan and Haley passed through. Megan’s stepmother was closing the door to the mayor’s darkened office down the hall. When she noticed them, she pulled up short, tucking the papers she carried under her arm.
“What on earth were y’all doing in there? Lord, you’re just always up to no good. You’d think you’d have grown out of that by now, Megan.”
“We were just telling Haley that Josh is her father.” Megan proclaimed the news like that was a perfectly normal thing to do in a women’s bathroom. Then she added, “What were you doing in my dad’s office?”
Anger flashed in Sue Ann’s eyes before she recovered and raised an indignant brow. “Not that it’s any of your concern, but your daddy’s down with a headache. He asked me to fetch some papers from his desk he’d forgotten to bring along home with him to work on this evening.” She glanced at Haley. “Your shirt’s a mess, child. Just like your mother, aren’t you?”
Who talked to a little kid that way? His kid, dammit!
When Haley’s forehead scrunched, Josh scooped her up. “It’s a kid’s job to get dirty, right? Let’s go see if we can win some prizes. I think I even saw a blue dog you’d like.”
“Yay!” Haley rewarded him with a big smile.
Megan rolled her eyes at Sue Ann and then turned and led the way to the door. When they were outside again, her hand curled around his arm and she tugged, so he leaned closer. She whispered in his ear, “Rule number one, Josh. Never make promises you can’t definitely keep. Haley’s going to expect that blue dog now. If you can’t win it, you’ll disappoint her.”
Disappoint her? Dammit! He’d screwed up in the first five minutes.
He’d just have to win that damn dog for Haley, even if it took all the quarters in town.
Stuck holding all the prizes Josh had won with Haley, including the blue dog, Meg stood on the sidelines while the three-legged race participants lined up. Haley, her leg secured to Josh’s, sent her a big grin and a wave. They wouldn’t have a chance of winning because Haley was so little, but she was loving all the attention from Josh.
Next to them stood Amber’s husband, Randy, and their six-year-old, Heather. They both leaned forward in anticipation. Randy was the most competitive guy in town. What she’d seen in the man in high school, other than his good looks, baffled her. He’d surely pick his kid up and make a run for it at the end so they’d win.
Once a cheater, always a cheater. He and Amber deserved each other.
The gun sounded and they all took off.
Zeke appeared at her side. “Looks like Granger’s trying. Gotta give him points for that.”
“I guess. But it’s one thing to play games and have fun and entirely another to deal with the hard stuff and be a parent.”
Zeke chuckled. “Never thought I’d see the day words like those came out of the town hellion’s mouth. Looks like you’ve gone and grown up on me, kid.”
“Hellion? I prefer rabble-rouser, if it’s all the same to you.”
He smiled. “Either way, I’m proud of you, Meggy.”
Not used to hearing words like that, she shifted the stuff in her hands and wrapped her arm around Zeke’s waist for a quick hug. “Thank you, Zeke. That means a lot coming from you.”