as she watched her son’s fertile imagination swim into full-speed.
Grant had no idea what havoc he just triggered. Toby searching the lake for buried treasure would be a real nightmare. Everyone knew the first rule of parenting was think before you speak. Of course, Grant wasn’t a parent. Had never been a parent; and probably had no desire to ever be a parent. Why did that thought make her so sad? Jami shook her head in disgust. Whether or not Grant Carrington ever wanted to be a daddy was none of her business.
“Now it’s your turn to help with the hard stuff.”
Jami’s breath stuck in her throat as Grant pulled Toby close so that both males straddled the log, the boy nestled in front of the man. Grant placed the knife handle into her son’s palm. Jami felt woozy as his large hand closed securely over Toby’s.
“We need to detail the bottom into just the right angles to float properly. Cut, curve, slice. See how nicely we’re shaping the boat bottom?” Toby nodded, keeping his eyes glued to the blade, flashing silver as it carved wood. “Now the other side.”
Watching Grant’s sure hand guide every movement, Jami let out a slow breath. He could have told what he intended instead of scaring her. Why did the man have to be so impossible?
“We’re done. Show our masterpiece to your mother, then we’ll test our vessel to see if it’s water-worthy.”
Toby took the boat, bounced off the log, and headed for Jami as Grant wiped his knife, slid the weapon back into the sheath, then replaced it in his leather pouch. He drew the bag top closed and securely tied the rawhide string, throwing Jami a now-that-wasn’t-so-bad.
Toby thrust the diminutive pine ship into her hands. “It’s nice,” she said with real admiration. “You two did a wonderful job.”
“If it floats,” Grant said with a wink.
“Yeah. If it floats,” Toby solemnly repeated.
“Maybe I’d better remove my boots and roll up my pant legs before we go down to the water.”
“You better,” Toby agreed, as Grant tugged off one cowboy boot and then the other.
Watching the man who was her Cupid match rolling up his jeans to launch a hand-carved boat with her son, Jami shivered. A cloud drifted across the sun as insects buzzed and flitted in random chorus, but Jami’s eyes lingered on Grant as he waded into the shallows with Toby. The man crouched, guiding the boy’s hand to gently sit the boat upright upon the swishing waters. The wooden craft bobbed and swirled on the lake.
Toby rocked backwards, clapping his hands in delight. “We did it! Grant, we did it!”
Jami swallowed a lump in her throat as Grant reached down to hug her son and asked, “Do you want to paint a name on your boat? What do you want to call it?”
Toby’s freckled face alight, he gave Grant a huge, lopsided grin. “A ship is a she, right?”
“True.”
“Let’s name my boat after Mom.”
“Jami?”
“Nah.” Toby giggled into his hand. “Red.”
“Red?” Jami called, jogging down the shore toward them. “Take that back, buster.”
“Gosh, Mom. I like Red.” Toby shot a pleading glance at her. “It’s a pretty color and a short word that I can spell.”
What could she say? Jami shot a glance at Grant. “This is your doing.”
“Who me?” Grant tried a bit too hard for innocence as he splashed water toward her, nearly capsizing the tiny boat.
“You guys enjoy your boat. I’m going to sit in the shade a safe distance away.” Jami strolled over to the boulder slab she had previously used for a chair and sat down to watch the two males frolic in the lake.
“I wish I had a teeny man to float in my boat,” Toby said wistfully, watching the wooden craft bob in the water.
“Maybe we can come up with something.” Grant fished a pebble from the lake bottom. “Pretend this is your captain.”
“That’s just a rock. Let’s find something better.” They both scanned the shallows as the tiny boat rocked and dipped. “There’s something,” Toby cried, sloshing through water above his knees to a dark spot in the lake. “Mom, I found a treasure!”
“No, Toby,” Grant and Jami called in unison. Jami jumped up and raced toward them, worried about what her son might grab.
Grant’s long legs quickly closed the space that separated him from Toby. Just as he reached for the boy, Toby grabbed hold of something black and jerked on it with all his might.