Take a Chance on Me(35)

Almost on reflex, his gaze went to Jensen’s place. No barbecue there; it looked uninhabited.

Casper parked the wheelbarrow and Darek began to load wood into the pit, creating a tepee.

“I didn’t want to come home. I didn’t miss her—didn’t even miss Tiger. He was just this nuisance to me. I had my plans. I wanted to be a fire manager. And I didn’t care that Felicity hated it. I was a real prize back then.”

“I remember,” Casper said, starting to unload the rest of the wood in a neat stack to one side.

“Yeah, well, I’m not proud of it. The worst part is, the last thing she said to me was ‘You’re so selfish.’ And . . . I was.” He looked at Casper. “I was. I can’t believe I seriously considered letting the Holloways have full custody of Tiger. I nearly walked away from him. Now he’s my entire life.”

“So you’re not a selfish jerk anymore. That’s a good thing.”

Darek’s encounter with Nan Holloway rushed back at him. Maybe he still was. He stuffed birch bark and woodchips around the base of the fire tent. He’d leave it there until tonight, when they were ready to have their campfire. Then they’d head to town, where they’d watch fireworks over the harbor.

Casper had finished emptying the wheelbarrow. “So why the mountain of wood?”

“Because I hardly deserve a second chance with a woman.”

“What woman?”

Darek got up, brushing off his hands. “The woman who bought me the other night.” He made a face. “That came out wrong. I mean, at the VFW fund-raiser. Her name is Ivy—she’s the new assistant county attorney.”

“Does she know about Felicity . . . and Jensen?”

He frowned, shook his head. “No. I don’t think so. Why would she? I told her my wife had died, but frankly, I don’t want to go back there. I’m trying to move on. To build a new life.” Or at least considering it. “I saw her at the grocery store, and she was . . . she was nice. And good with Tiger. I guess something took possession of my brain and I asked her over tonight.”

Casper raised an eyebrow. “To hang with the family?”

“I know. What was I thinking?”

“I think you’re either partaking in some self-sabotage or you really like her.”

“I don’t know her well enough to really like her.”

“After tonight, you will.” He clapped Darek on the shoulder. “You might be surprised. This could be a good thing. A fresh start. You aren’t the guy you were five years ago. Take a chance, Dare.” Casper gave him a smile. “So she’s a looker?”

Darek let his memory roam over the woman he’d seen at the VFW, then at the grocery store, trying to decide which version he liked better.

“Yeah. She’s got this pretty red hair, green eyes, a smile that could knock the wind out of a guy—”

Casper was shaking his head.

“What?”

“You’re right. You don’t deserve her. I think you need to introduce her to me.”

Darek grinned and reached for him, but Casper danced away.

“You know, I bet she’ll take one look at me and forget all about you anyway, Dare.”

“You think so.”

Casper took off running.

“Yeah, you’d better run, punk!” Darek yelled after him, grinning.

Take a chance.

Okay. Maybe it was time to leave the past behind, start over.

He stopped in at the lodge and found his mother tossing together fruit in a giant watermelon-boat salad. Tiger sat at the counter, working on a flag coloring sheet she’d downloaded from the Internet.

“I’m going to take a shower. Can you keep an eye on him a little longer?”

“Tiger and I are doing great. And Gracie should be home soon to help with the potato salad, so take your time.”

He landed a kiss on her cheek, then headed out to his cabin. Overhead, he heard a peal of thunder. Maybe they wouldn’t have a campfire tonight. But that was okay—they’d congregate on the veranda at the picnic tables near the grill. Maybe their guests would swing by for the root beer floats his mother promised them. Casper would probably regale them with some recent diving adventure story, and Grace would add in a tale about a tourist down at Pierre’s. Darek would wrap Tiger in a blanket and the tyke would fall asleep on his lap, or maybe Amelia’s, and . . . and then he and Ivy would watch the fireworks.

Maybe the chaos of his family was too much for a first date.

But he was a package deal, so she should know that from the start.

He showered, shaved, and pulled on a clean T-shirt, a pair of cargo shorts, and sandals. He debated, then added some of the aftershave his mother had gifted him at Christmas.