“Of course not,” Ethan said, though that was precisely what he wanted to do...or what he thought he ought to do. “I’d better go up and order.”
He stepped into line behind Samantha and Gabi. “This is a surprise,” he said.
“We’re having a girls’ night out,” Gabi said cheerfully. “We’ve been pampered and buffed and fed. I’ve bought out most of the clothes at my favorite boutique and now we’re having dessert.”
“And did you shop, too?” he asked Samantha.
“She didn’t buy a single thing,” Gabi said, her frustration plain. “I think she’s deliberately trying to make me feel guilty for splurging the way I did.”
Samantha shrugged. “I have a closetful of clothes I never wear. Why buy more?”
Gabi put her hand over her heart in an exaggerated gesture of dismay. “What sort of woman says a thing like that? You’re going to ruin shopping for the rest of us.”
Ethan laughed, though he wondered if Samantha’s restraint had less to do with an aversion to shopping than with finances. He had no idea how well an acting career might pay, especially one that was faltering the way she claimed hers was.
“All I can say is that Samantha’s attitude is music to a man’s ears,” he said. “And since you always look beautiful, I can’t see why you’d need a new wardrobe every few weeks, anyway.”
“Thank you,” Samantha said with a surprising blush on her cheeks.
As they reached the counter, Ethan said, “The ice cream is on me. Go crazy.”
“You might not want to say that,” Samantha warned. “Gabi’s been on a diet and I’ve already told you about my addiction. Between the two of us, we could blow your ice cream budget to smithereens.”
“I’ll take my chances,” Ethan said.
“Okay, then, you asked for it,” Gabi said, ordering a banana split that was big enough for two or three people. It was a favorite with teens double-dating.
Samantha showed only a little more restraint, ordering a double hot fudge sundae with extra hot fudge.
“I’ll have what she’s having,” Ethan said, pointing to the sundae. He grinned at her. “Of course, for me this is dinner.”
“And for me, it’s God’s gift to the dessert menu,” Samantha retorted. “You are not going to make me feel guilty.”
He laughed. “Never my intention.” He’d just wanted to see that quick rise of becoming color in her cheeks again. She hadn’t disappointed him.
Back at the table, Greg’s kids outdid themselves trying to get Ethan’s attention. He had one settled in his lap, another leaning into his side, when he spotted the look of envy on Samantha’s face. Easily identifying with it and knowing the ache of emptiness that usually accompanied those feelings, he leaned toward her. “You okay?”
“Just thinking how good you are with them,” she said. “And I’ve seen you with B.J., too. You’re a natural.”
“It’s a good thing, given the number of kids I see in the clinic every day.”
“Doesn’t it make you want to be a dad?”
“Sometimes, yes,” he said candidly. “I just know it’s not in the cards. How about you?”
“I wasn’t sure I had any maternal instincts until the first time I held Gabi’s baby. Now...” She sighed. “But why wish for something I’m not likely to have?”
“It’s not too late for motherhood. You’re only in your thirties, right?”
“Without a relationship in sight,” she reminded him. A grin teased at her lips. “Unless you’re volunteering.”
Now it was Ethan’s turn to blush. He could feel the heat climb into his cheeks as he considered the idea for just a heartbeat. Him. Samantha. A baby. It was a picture, all right, he thought, recalling Boone’s comment a while back.
“I’m sure if you let it be known that you want a baby, you’ll have plenty of volunteers,” he said, all but choking on the words. He hated the idea of anyone other than him touching her, but he had no right to feel such intense jealousy.
“Just anyone won’t do,” she said with a resigned expression.
Ethan was relieved to hear it, but he couldn’t let her see that.
Thankfully, Greg stood up just then. “Okay, Cameron and Lily, say good-night. I need to get you home and into bed.”
“But we want to stay with Uncle Ethan,” Lily said, holding tight to Ethan’s arm.
“Little girls need to get plenty of sleep so they’ll be beautiful when they grow up,” Ethan told her emphatically.
Lily turned a shy look on Samantha. “Like her?”
Ethan smiled. “Exactly like her.”
“Is she your girlfriend?” Lily asked.
Greg chuckled at Ethan’s choked reaction, but he did scoop his daughter up. “Enough with the personal questions, kiddo. It’s not polite.”
“But you always say if I want to know something, I should ask,” Lily said, obviously confused by the contradiction.
“One of these days we’ll have a long talk about which questions are acceptable and which ones aren’t,” Greg said. “I think I’ll let your mother handle that. Tell your uncle Ethan good-night.”
Both kids gave him fierce hugs, then ran to the door. Greg gave him a wink. “Enjoy the rest of your evening.”
Ethan had a hunch his was going to be a whole lot less stressful than Greg’s, given that he was heading home with two kids on a sugar high.
9
No sooner had Greg left with his children than Gabi gave a dramatic yawn and stood up. “I think I’m about to crash, too. It’s the curse of motherhood. I have no stamina anymore. Ethan, would you mind giving Samantha a lift home? I know she’s not ready for the night to end.”
Before Samantha could protest or Ethan could reply, she took his acceptance for granted and sailed out of the ice cream parlor.
“That was subtle,” Samantha said, embarrassed by the obvious ploy. She stood up. “I can still catch her.”
Ethan reached for her hand and shook his head. “No, it’s fine. You’re not finished with your ice cream and neither am I.
