Davey, though, didn’t seem to want to go with them. Instead, he snuggled against Paul’s leg. Understandable, since it was getting close to his bedtime.
The trouble was, Paul wanted to propose to Amber. He’d envisioned doing it without Davey there.
When you thought about it, though, they were a package deal. If he was lucky enough to have Amber agree to marry him, she’d be agreeing to become part of Davey’s family, too. Basically, to become his mom.
So it wouldn’t hurt to have Davey at his side, or at least close by. Besides, his son was so cute, he might improve Paul’s chances. He’d just have to time things in such a way that if Amber said no, Davey wouldn’t hear it and be devastated.
He picked Davey up and walked down toward the docks, where the party seemed to be even more raucous. He scanned the crowd. Why was every woman wearing a red dress?
And then he saw her. Leaning against a post, looking out at the bay, a full drink in her hand.
Her clothes and hair were festive, her nails painted, her heels high. She looked every inch a party girl. But the expression on her face was pensive.
There was a sadness in her, or maybe just a depth, that he didn’t see in very many people. She’d been through a lot, lost a lot. She’d learned that life didn’t come with guarantees. And yet she went on, living and loving and caring and, most of the time, laughing.
He could recognize the sadness because he had it, too. He, too, had seen the dark side of life.
Beneath the surface attraction—and man, that was fierce—he felt drawn to her at the soul level. Like they could help each other grieve and grow. Like they could get through the hard times, not just the good times.
Davey squirmed against him, and he realized he couldn’t just stand here gawking at Amber. He needed to make his move.
First he texted Hannah. At docks in five.
He spotted Kayla, now basically cornered by a heavy-set guy in a fleece jacket and cowboy boots. She looked like she wanted an escape, so he carried Davey over to her. “Would you mind hanging with Davey for a few minutes?” he asked, then felt guilty, because it would take well more than a few minutes to convince Amber to do what he wanted her to do.
“I’d like nothing better,” she said. “Hi, Davey! Come sit beside me.”
The guy in fleece looked disgruntled.
“Whenever you need to move on, if I’m not back, just tell Davey to run over to me. I’ll be talking to Amber.”
Kayla gave him a knowing grin. “It’s about time,” she said. “And no rush. I love hanging out with my man Davey.” She handed Davey a cookie, and the man in the fleece jacket threw his hands up and walked away.
Game on. Paul straightened his shoulders and headed over to where Amber now perched on a bench near one of the heating lamps.
She was still looking out at the water and didn’t see him coming, so he cleared his throat. “Hey. Amber.”
She looked up at him. No smile. “Hey.”
“Mind if I sit down?”
She hesitated, then lifted a shoulder. “Go ahead.”
She wasn’t exactly her warm, welcoming self.
But he’d expected that. He’d known he’d have to dive in and grovel. “I’m sorry for being such a judgmental jerk. I said some mean things when we last talked.”
“You did.” She shrugged again. “Understandable. You’d found out something awful, and I’d kept that information secret.”
“For reasons I’m starting to understand.”
“That’s good.” She sounded distant as she looked back out at the bay, dark but sprinkled with reflected sparkles from the lights strung along the dock.
The silence between them wasn’t exactly uncomfortable, but it wasn’t comfortable, either. “How have you been doing?” he asked finally.
She met his eyes then. “I’m fine.” Her mouth twisted into a wry smile. “You know me. I’m always fine.”
“Or you put on a show of that.”
“Better than moping.”
“It is.” He swallowed. Get to the point. “Listen, I’ve missed having you around.” Geez, make it sound like she’s an old jacket. “I’ve missed talking to you, and laughing with you, and...” He trailed off because he wanted to say holding you, but he didn’t want her to think it was all physical for him. It was that, but it was so much more.
She looked wary. “It’s best, though, right? Because we aren’t going to be a couple, even if you get over being mad at me about what Wendy did.”
“I’m over it,” he said promptly. “I never should have been mad. It wasn’t your fault what she did.”
She lifted her hands, palms up. “I feel like I could have handled it all better,” she said, “but I don’t know how. Should I have shut her up when she started to talk? Or blurted it out when I first came in contact with you? Or told you when we started to...” She hesitated. “To get closer?”
“No. There was never a good time, and it wasn’t your issue to begin with. It was mine and Wendy’s.”
“And Davey’s,” she said quietly. “How are you dealing with finding out you’re not his father?”
“I am his father,” he corrected. “I keep getting shocked by the fact that we’re not biologically related, a few times every day, but it doesn’t change the truth—he’s my son.”
“Good.” She nodded as if satisfied. “Well. Was there anything else? Because I promised I’d help serve the dessert.” She stood.
He couldn’t let her get away. “Yes, there’s something else. Sit down.”
She lifted an eyebrow and then sat, looking at him warily.
“Amber,” he said, calling back into his mind the phrases he’d planned out. “I’ve come to care about you so much in the past couple of months. I was a jerk when I learned this news, and I’m sorry, but I’m over it now. And it doesn’t change that caring. I still feel it.”
She dipped her chin, studying
