Herm and Louise looked at each other, then back at their grandson. “I’m inclined to say no,” Herm said sternly. “You haven’t demonstrated much reason why we should trust you today.”
Christopher’s jaw jutted out and it took Marshall a moment to realize why the expression looked familiar—because he did the same thing.
“I was a jerk, okay? I’m sorry.” The boy glanced at Marshall and he had to hope something he said might have made an impact. “It’s just... Cody is pretty good at art. His mom and dad have a booth selling pottery and paintings and stuff and he wanted us to see a couple bowls he made.”
The Jacobs conferred for a moment, then turned back to their grandson. “Meet us back here in forty-five minutes,” Herm said. He reached into the pocket of his coat and handed over a black cell phone. “Take your phone so we can reach you and answer us when we call this time. If you don’t—or if we have to come find you—the phone and the Wi-Fi password at home will both be gone until after Christmas.”
The boy’s smile made him look even younger than his thirteen years.
“Thanks, Grandpa,” he said, then jerked his head in a nod that encompassed the rest of them. “See you.”
He and the two other boys hurried away as if afraid his grandparents would change their minds.
After he left, Marshall released his breath, aware of a soft, fragile optimism that hadn’t been there earlier in the day.
“You and Christopher seemed to have a lot to talk about,” Andie said in a low voice.
He looked around, noting the boy’s grandparents were busy talking to Eliza and Aidan Caine. “I guess you could say we bonded a little, talking about fast cars.”
“He was more animated, speaking with you, than I’ve ever seen him. Maybe he feels a connection.”
He wasn’t sure about that, but it was nice to think about. “Maybe,” he said in a noncommittal voice.
She was quiet for a long moment, then gave him a searching look. “Have you thought more about telling his grandparents the truth?”
Instantly, the warm feelings from before seemed to take a running leap into the lake. “No. The timing isn’t right. They have enough to deal with at the moment.”
She looked as if she wanted to press him, but Chloe and Will both came back from comparing notes with Cole Barrett’s kids.
“Mom, can we go look at the fair?” Chloe asked. She clasped her hands together in the same sort of pleading gesture she might use when asking a wicked queen to spare her family from the guillotine. “Jazmyn said they have kettle corn. You know I love kettle corn.”
Andrea’s gaze darted from her daughter to Marshall and back. “I do know that. Probably not this year. We’ll have a chance for kettle corn again.”
She was refraining from taking them to the fair because of him and his stupid broken leg. She didn’t think him capable of moving through the crowded booths and displays.
He stood up, intent on showing her she was wrong.
“Come on. It will be fun,” he said. “I wanted to see some of the booths myself. And kettle corn would really hit the spot right now.”
“Yay!” Chloe exclaimed with delight, beaming at him as if she were a teenage boy and he had just handed her the keys to a Lamborghini Gallardo.
Andie, on the other hand, frowned at him with a worried look. “Are you sure you’re up to it?”
She apparently thought he had all the strength and endurance of a ninety-year-old man with emphysema.
“If I need to stop for a break, I’m sure I can find a spot to sit down.”
“We’re happy to take your blankets home for you, if you’d like,” Charlene offered. “That way you don’t have to come back here for them. I can drop them off at your house tomorrow.”
“Why don’t we take them?” Louise offered. “Christopher can run them to you in the morning.”
Andie apparently decided she was overruled. “Fine. All right. Charlene and Mike, thank you for inviting us to share your prime spot here. It was truly lovely.”
“You are so welcome. And I mean that, Andie. I couldn’t be happier to have you and your children here. I’m so thrilled we’ll be seeing more of each other now.”
His mother squeezed her hands, then kissed her cheek. Andie flashed Marshall a telling look and he sighed.
He was going to have to tell his mother not to expect anything between him and Andie. It would break her heart, but it was probably better to do it now, before anyone’s messy feelings were involved.
* * *
THEY SLOWLY MADE their way through the series of booths set up in the park with the children again walking in front of Marshall to help him manage through the crowd.