"Someone came into her school last month and gave a talk about training service dogs," Paula explained. "They had some young dogs in training for the kids to pet."
"Puppies," Lissy said rapturously. "Mom, can we get—"
"No," Paula said. "For the nine hundredth time, we can't get a dog. Finish your hot dog."
"I don't want to eat a dog!" Lissy said, with a bright look in her eyes.
"More for the rest of us, then," Dan said, and, grinning, he leaned over the table and pretended to take the last remaining bite. Lissy squealed and stuffed it into her mouth.
"Don't eat mine!" Sandy protested, and swallowed so much hot dog at once that he almost choked. Dan patted him on the back.
He really was good with kids, Paula thought. Austin didn't seem to be warming up to him, but, well ... it was the age more than anything.
And she really, really liked him. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had this much fun at mini golf.
Or the last time she'd met someone she liked this much.
The mood was relaxed and pleasant as they got the kids back into their coats and walked out to the parking lot. Paula gave Austin the car keys so the kids could run on ahead to unlock the car and get in out of the cold. Sandy hung back inside, talking to some of his classmates.
She and Dan were, for the moment, alone just outside the door.
"So, I don't know if most people's idea of a good time would be mini golfing with a bunch of kids," Paula said. "But you were great."
She was embarrassed immediately. You were great. It sounded like something you'd say to a kid after their soccer team lost.
But Dan only smiled. "You were too."
They standing very close together. Red and blue light from the neon marquee sign on the front of Sir Putts-A-Lot's warehouse-like facade flickered on his hair.
"I," she said, and then completely forget what she was going to say.
There was a light dusting of stubble on his chin, framing that incredible bone structure. It looked like Dan was one of those guys whose beard got completely out of control if he didn't shave twice a day.
He had a full mouth, wide and sensual. Just from looking at it, she could sense how the warm heat of those lips might feel on hers.
"I," she began again, faintly.
Dan leaned in. His lips brushed hers, hardly even enough to be called a kiss—but it was electric; it lit her up from the top of her head to the soles of her feet.
The door banged as Sandy came racing out.
Dan jerked back a little; Paula did too. She felt as if she was recovering her footing after nearly slipping off a ledge—a wonderful, wonderful ledge.
"I have to go," she said, breathless.
"Yeah. Me too." But Dan kept his hand on her arm, strong and warm even through her coat and his glove. "Do you think I—do you think we could—what are you doing tomorrow?"
Her heart raced. Not stepping back from the ledge after all. It was right there under her feet. Her toes were curled over the edge.
"I can call you?" she asked. It came out more questioning than she meant it, but he pulled out his phone. He unlocked it and handed it to her. It took her a moment to realize what he wanted; then she entered her number.
It's really been way too long since I was on the dating scene.
She held out her phone and he entered his number for her.
Now that she no longer had to deal with the warmth of his hand on her arm, the heat in his eyes, she felt a little more in control of herself. The ground was stable and secure again. But the ledge was still there.
"It's hard to make definite plans," she said. "There's work and Lissy's after-school activities, and just a lot." A thought occurred to her. "Oh, hey, the winter carnival is next weekend. If we don't see each other before then—"
"That sounds great," he said, and smiled in a way that heated her all the way through. "I've never been to a small-town winter carnival."
"Don't get your hopes up. It's just a bonfire and a skate pond. And the whole town's going to be there."
"Better yet. I can get to know some more people. I'm pretty isolated out at the Rugers' ranch."
"I'd love to introduce you around," she said. Her cheeks were hot. That ledge was