Dom choked on the cola he’d just sipped. What did she know about a home wrecker? He’d noticed the glaring stare Ashley slung the young woman’s way. He was certain the glass of water she tipped over, conveniently splashing all over the waitress, hadn’t been an accident.
Setting his glass down, he wondered how he was going to answer Kyle and address Ashley’s behavior. This was one of those times he wished kids came with manuals. Now wasn’t the time to discuss the ways of women with the young boy.
“Son, she’s just being nice.”
To that answer, Ashley gave another roll of her eyes. “Princess, what do you know about a home wrecker?”
Ashley hunched her small shoulders, not willing to open up. Although she was a child she knew when a woman liked a man and vice versa. That dumb waitress liked her dad and she wasn’t having it. She frowned. It didn’t help that the girl was pretty. But not as pretty as my mommy.
“Oh, come on Princess, you can talk to your dad,” he gently cajoled.
Shifting in her seat, she glanced at Dom under her long lashes. Would he be mad at her if she told him the truth? She looked over at her little brother. She wasn’t sure if she should talk in front of him.
“I can tell you some. Can I write the rest down?”
Dom nodded. “Sure, princess.”
She took a deep breath. Again she glanced at Kyle, who was engrossed with alternating between coloring and sipping on his chocolate milk. “My friend at school said her mom and dad got a divorce because her father had a girlfriend.” Dropping her eyes she reached for one of the white paper napkins on the table and began to scribble.
He waited patiently as she wrote. When she was finished she slid the napkin over to Dom. The vise gripping his chest made it hard for him to breathe. This poor child had overheard her mother talking to her aunt on the phone about her father’s indiscretion. Her reaction to the flirty waitress all made sense now.
“Oh princess, come here.” He had to make her understand he would never hurt her mother.
Kyle’s head popped up as he watched Ashley push back her chair and run into Dom’s arms.
“Sweetheart, I love your mother. I’ll never do anything to hurt her or you and your brother.”
“You promise?” Ashley asked, her voice trembling.
“I promise.” Hugging his little girl a little tighter, he again assured her. “Princess, I promise.”
“Okay, Daddy,” she said, feeling much better about talking to her dad. Going back to her chair, she sat down and picked up a crayon and began coloring on her kid’s menu.
Looking from Dom to Ashley, Kyle was confused. “Daddy we know you won’t hurt us. Right?”
“That’s right, son,” Dom answered playfully chucking him on the chin.
The waitress came back to the table with their order. She flashed Dom with the same flirty smile she’d been giving him for the last thirty minutes. Kyle’s nose wrinkled up at the woman. “Are you a home wrecker?” he blurted out.
“What?” she said blinking in disbelief, looking around at the other diners sitting at tables in close proximity. Just as she expected, they were looking on in open interest.
Ashley covered her mouth, giggling. Dom dropped his head, hiding his own smirk. Talk about walking and chewing bubble gum at the same time. Who knew the young tyke was listening the entire time he appeared absorbed in his coloring.
The young waitress turned beet red as Kyle pressed the issue. “My sister said the way you keep looking at our daddy makes you a home wrecker.”
“Kyle, that’s enough. Say grace so you can eat your food.” Dom’s attempt at being stern was shaky at best. The child wasn’t being malicious; his sincere matter of fact tone was proof of it. He’d have to talk to him later about repeating certain conversations.
“Behave, princess,” he gently admonished a still giggling Ashley.
Turning his attention to the stunned waitress, he made the children apologize. Dom shrugged his broad shoulders as she rolled her eyes and stormed off. Picking up his burger he was glad he and the kids’ food had been served before Kyle’s interrogation.
Chapter 30
Kyle and Ashley didn’t want the evening with Dom to end. They enjoyed spending the last three weekends in a row with him. The youngsters were just as excited as the adults for the big day to hurry up and come. The last three weekends gave them a taste of what having Dom around all the time would be like. Each night Kyle tipped into his sister’s room after Karen had gone to bed. Climbing up on her bed, they’d talk for hours about how cool Dom was, how their mother smiled more, and how they couldn’t wait until they day they were adopted.