The Parent Trap(72)

Life would be even better if Henry would make the first move. Any move, aside from agreeing to share a vegetarian pizza with her.

The pies arrived, the three huge plates taking up most of the table, so Henry had to move his arms, and the other guys needed both hands to grab slices and break the long strings of melted cheese that pulled away with them.

As the pizzas disappeared and the soft drinks were refilled, she started to relax. During her first week at SBH she’d been homesick, missing her friends in the city like crazy. Now it was impossible to believe she’d been in Serenity Bay for less than a month, had made friends, even had an almost-boyfriend. Her dad was happier, too, and that made life easier for both of them.

After a second slice, she wiped her hands on a paper napkin, crumpled it on her plate and let her hands drop to the seat beside her.

“Had enough?” Henry asked.

“I’m stuffed. Couldn’t eat another bite. Have the rest if you’d like.”

“Thanks, but I’m done, too.” He dropped his napkin and leaned back against the seat, his shoulder touching hers.

Alycia was snuggled under Brody’s arm again. Dex’s arm was on the back of the seat again, but the tips of his fingers had strayed to Casey’s shoulder. Lucky girls.

She moved her hands to her lap but before she could lace her fingers together, Henry’s hand was on hers, pulling it back onto the seat between them, covering it with his. Instead of the out-in-the-open, arm-around-the-shoulder displays by the other boys, Henry’s under-the-table hand-holding was just between them. Something no else could see, which made it even more special.

She gave him a quick sideways glance and smiled. He responded with a gentle squeeze of her hand, a slightly crooked grin and a flash of perfect white teeth. Her heart or something in her chest actually fluttered.

Finally, she thought. Lucky me.



IN HER KITCHEN, Sarah brewed a pot of coffee—decaf, she decided, given the late hour—while Jonathan took the dog out to the backyard. She pulled a pair of red mugs from a cupboard, set them on the counter next to the coffeemaker, and took out cream and sugar. She hunted through cupboards for something to serve with the coffee but all she could find were half a box of soda crackers, a bag of pretzels and Casey’s stash of microwave popcorn. She was ready to give up when she remembered the box of After Eight chocolates she’d tucked away somewhere...aha. There they were. She tossed a handful into a small bowl.

Jonathan and Petey returned via the deck doors and she closed and locked them while he unleashed the exuberant little mutt.

Jonathan dropped the leash into the basket next to the door. “He’s quite a character.”

“He’s that, all right. And of course Casey is completely and madly in love with him.”

“But you’re not?” He leaned an elbow on the counter and angled his head as though wanting to see if her expression matched her reply.

She sighed. “I’m kind of smitten, too. Stay down,” she scolded the dog when he tried to jump up on her pant leg. “Your paws are all wet from the grass.”

“Do you have a towel for him? I can dry him off while we wait for the coffee to brew.”

“Thanks. It should be in that basket under the leash.”

She watched him carefully and gently wipe the dog’s paws. Petey, who seemed happy with any kind of attention anyone was willing to give him, tolerated that, then dashed through the house as soon as his feet were dry. He returned with a squeaker toy as Sarah poured coffee and handed a mug to Jonathan.

“Let’s go sit in the living room.”

“Sure.”

She followed him with her coffee and the bowl of chocolates and waited while he sat at one end of the sofa and patted the seat next to him. Exactly what she’d hoped he would do. She set the bowl on the coffee table and settled next to him, liking that this felt so easy and so right.

He held his coffee with one hand, using the other to draw her even closer.

She fought a yawn and failed. “This has been a really long day.”

“It sure has. I was up and out for a run by six this morning.”

I know you were. She still watched for him, which made her completely pathetic on so many levels, but she simply couldn’t resist.

Petey jumped onto the sofa and curled up next to her.

“Since you and your daughter are so fond of this little guy, have you decided what you’ll do when the shelter reopens?”

Sarah sighed. “I’m pretty sure we’re going to keep him.”

“That’s not a surprise. Have you told Casey?”

“Not yet. I thought I’d hold off as long as possible, in case she changes her mind.”