After they all said their goodbyes to the pastor and his wife, Ty decided to let the kids continue playing, since they’d seemed to be having fun with the dollhouse.
“Ty!” Sam said, gesturing at them. “Come play with us.”
He joined them on the floor, and Sam grabbed a boy doll that had been tossed aside. “You can be him,” Sam said. “We usually just play mommies, since we don’t have dads, but it will be good to have a dad.”
Then Sam gave an awkward shrug. “You don’t have kids, though, so you can’t be a dad. Maybe you could be the neighbor.”
That was what he’d always been. The neighbor. The friend. But never the dad. Which was something he’d like to be. Funny how a child could put it all in perspective.
“I wish I had a dad,” Katie said quietly. “One who would take me fishing and hiking and swimming.”
She looked up at Ty, hope shining in her eyes.
It was like a knife to his heart. How was he supposed to tell a kid that he’d love to be her dad, but he wasn’t sure he could trust her mom enough to fall in love with her?
Sam saved him from having to answer. “I pray for God to bring me a dad every day.” He looked up at Ty. “I already asked Mom if you could be my dad, but she said no way.”
“But I want him to be my dad,” Katie said, her brow crumpling.
Who knew he’d be the popular choice among kids? Even though he’d known Sam his whole life, it was Katie’s plea that tugged at Ty’s heart the most. And yet, he couldn’t say yes.
“I love you both,” Ty said, putting his arms around them. “But being someone’s dad means being someone’s husband. I can’t do that for your moms. But what I can do is promise that I will always be there for you, no matter what.”
Both kids snuggled up to him, and it was the best feeling in the world. If only he could tell them how desperately he’d love to be a dad.
Then Sam pulled away. “I have a soccer game on Wednesday.”
“I’ll be there,” Ty said. Janie had given Ty the schedule and he came to a lot of Sam’s games.
Katie gave him a pout. “I don’t play soccer.”
“I’ll still be there for whatever you need. Anytime you need me, you call, okay?” It seemed like a weird thing to say to a little kid, but he wanted to give Katie some kind of reassurance.
“But I don’t know your number,” Katie said.
Ty pulled his business card out of his pocket and handed it to her. “Now you do.”
She held it against her cheek like it was a prized possession. Sam glared at him. “You never gave me one of those.”
Ugh. The kids weren’t even close to siblings, but they still had a rivalry going.
“You have my number memorized already. But just so you’re not left out, here you go.” He gave Sam a card, then Sam jumped up and ran to the door.
“Mom! Look what Ty gave me!”
Katie also jumped up. “And me!”
Rachel was standing next to Janie, and he wondered how much they’d heard. From the annoyed look on Janie’s face, probably a lot. Sam was constantly begging Ty to be his dad, and both Ty and Janie were in agreement that it was never, ever, ever going to happen. While they both dearly loved one another as friends, they had never had any romantic feelings about each other.
Rachel, on the other hand...
Ty shook his head. Not going to go there.
“We’ve got to get going, buddy. We’re bringing lunch to Gramma and Poppa,” Janie said. Then she looked over at Ty. “And I will call you later.”
A threat. But he wasn’t worried. They’d had this conversation a hundred times before, and probably would a thousand more. He wasn’t supposed to encourage Sam in his dad fantasies, but he didn’t know what else to do. The boy needed a man to love him, and Ty did.
“Did you get everything worked out?” Ty asked Rachel.
She nodded and held up a Bible. “Janie gave me a list of some things to read.” Then she looked down at Katie. “You and I will also need to talk later.”
Considering she didn’t like how they’d already interfered in her life, and how protective she was of Katie, she’d probably read him the riot act over how he’d stepped in with Katie. But what else was he supposed to do? He might not have known Katie long, but he could already say that he loved the little girl, and would do just as much for her as he’d done for Sam.
At least he’d have some time to get his thoughts together. Katie had already started chattering their ears off about what they’d done in Sunday school. Hopefully, he could find a way to convey his commitment to Katie without making Rachel think he was offering anything that crossed a line.
But as Rachel laughed at Katie’s retelling of how one of the boys stuck a crayon up his nose, Ty’s heart did a funny little flip-flop. There was so much to like about Rachel. And were it not for the way she’d deceived them about her intentions, he might have been willing to ask her on a date to find out if the chemistry he felt meant anything. Instead, he ignored the twinge he felt as she laughed again, brushing back her hair, tempting him to think about wanting more.
Chapter Seven
Had Katie really asked Ty to be her dad? The scene played over in Rachel’s mind as she drove to work after her weekend at the ranch. She hadn’t had any alone
