Worth It All(38)
Stephen laughed. “And you’re buying a birthday present?”
“Never mind. Forget I asked.”
“No chance, but Mom is signaling me to ask when you’re coming home. Hannah too. She wanted to talk to you about a new playground system.”
Stephen’s wife, Hannah, ran a horse-therapy farm for disabled children. “I’m happy to help, but I don’t know when I’m going to make it back. If she can describe for me what she has in mind, I’ll work on it from here.” He gave the same excuses that he always used: work, work, and more work. They were actually more legitimate now with the patent deal and Lynn being pregnant.
Lizzie got on the phone next because…well, just because she was Lizzie.
“So who’s this woman we’re talking about?”
“No one.”
“What? You’re going to talk to them and not me? I am your only sister. Besides, I’m much more qualified to talk about women and love than they are.”
“It’s not like that.”
“I took you off speaker. Talk.”
He sighed, knowing Lizzie would hound him relentlessly, bringing even more attention and speculation. “It might be…something.”
“Something like what?”
“I’m not sure.” He picked up a puzzle and put it back. “She has a little girl.”
“And that’s a problem?”
“Not a problem, just…a lot of responsibility.” A lot of opportunities to let someone down. A lot of opportunities to fail. Though Paige and Casey drew his focus from what he could have been, to what he could be.
“But you like her.”
“Yes. But I don’t want to lead her on, make her think it’s something it’s not.”
“Pretty sure of yourself, aren’t you, little brother? If you’re afraid a few nights with you leads to forlorn women dying for a long-term commitment.”
“That’s not the point.”
“What’s the point?”
That he wasn’t sure he could be the man she and Casey needed. “I don’t want to lead her on.”
“Would she be led on?”
“No. I don’t know. She said she didn’t date.”
Lizzie let out a loud, hooting laugh. “Wait…hang on. Sorry, I spewed my drink. So she told you she didn’t want you, and you’re still worried?”
“I don’t know. She didn’t exactly say she didn’t want me. Shit. You’re making me sound like an ass.”
“Aww. You’re not an ass. You’re just a confused man. That’s why God gave you a sister. Okay, look. Even single moms have to eat. She’d probably appreciate dinner and conversation with my super-cute little brother. And if you both agree it’s not going anywhere, then I don’t see the problem.”
“You sure?”
“Would I lie to you?”
“You once told me you had the power to turn me into a dog.”
“And still hilarious that you believed me.” Lizzie laughed again and he smiled. You couldn’t hear Lizzie laugh and not smile, even if she was laughing at you.
He finished his call, then took one last look down the toy aisle.
And then it hit him. He knew exactly what to get Casey for her birthday.
The diner continued to be busy all day, beginning with breakfast, then brunch and the church crowd in addition to the regulars. Jenny had brought Casey in an hour ago to begin her shift and now Paige was finishing up.
“You have plans tonight?” Paige asked her cousin as she gathered her bag.
“Maybe. Not sure yet, but don’t wait up.” Jenny kissed Casey on the cheek and smiled, but she was missing her usual sparkle when she had a man on the horizon. “What about you?”
“Me and my girl have big plans, don’t we, Case?”
“Yep. We’re going to the launder mat.”
“Ooh, laundry.” Jenny grinned. “Always a good time.”
Casey agreed. Luckily she did think it was great fun to put the quarters in and watch the machine fill with soapy water. They often made up silly rhymes and songs. It was special time and she wouldn’t trade it for anything.
The late-afternoon sun was hidden behind a haze of clouds when they left the diner. If it wasn’t too late, maybe they’d go to the park.
She and Casey hit the grocery store, then the Laundromat. The haze turned to rain, so they made an impromptu run to the dollar store. By seven o’clock her feet were dragging.
Casey sat, writing numbers at the table, and Paige helped her count by fives while she put on a pot of water for pasta.
“Five, ten…and then what?”
“Fifteen,” Paige filled in. Counting by fives was a kindergarten skill. She wanted Casey to feel prepared in case that played a part in her reluctance. Reluctance was putting it mildly. She added some salt and turned the burner up to high while the fifty-cent face mask Casey had lovingly applied dried on her face.