Country Romance - Carolyne Aarsen Page 0,29

there was something about this little boy that looked familiar.

"We made you and the girls some hot chocolate," Adele said, standing, her hand still on Dean's other shoulder. "Why don't you get Maya and Maria and ask them to come into the kitchen. You can drink it here at the table with us and have some of those cookies I promised."

Dean blinked back tears, but thankfully, he left to go get the girls.

As he did, Adele shot Wyatt a questioning glance, as if hoping for some answer from him.

But all he could give her was a vague shrug. The girls burst into the kitchen and spared him having to say anything more.

He set the mugs out and some spoons then sat down himself, and a few moments later, they were all sitting together around the table.

Wyatt felt a flitter of sorrow. Here he was, sitting at the table with a complete stranger and three little kids, like a small family. He shot a glance at Adele and caught the melancholy look on her face. He wondered if she was thinking the same thing.

"We watched a good show," Maya said. "My brain is still good."

"Glad to hear that," Wyatt said with a chuckle. He glanced over at Adele, who was frowning. "I always tell the girls that if they watch too much TV their brains will stop working."

Adele chuckled. "That's funny, Sally always said the same thing to Dean."

Again, that tremor of uncertainty as he tried to recall that trip.

"I think we should play a game together," Adele said to Maya. "We want your brain to keep working."

"We can play the bear game," Maria announced, jumping off her chair and licking the hot cocoa mustache off her lip. She scooted away and returned with a large box and dropped it on the table with a rattle.

"But you can only play with four people," Wyatt said.

"Me and my dad together," Maria announced. And that was that.

"He’s my dad too," Maya said with a touch of asperity.

"I’m a dad to both of you," Wyatt said with a shake of his head. The girls could be fiercely competitive. Just then he caught Dean looking at him and sensed the question in his eyes.

He looked away, handing Maya the dice.

She shook them and tossed them on the board with a cheer. And the game was on. They sent the characters along the board, sometimes going backwards when they got a sad card, sometimes going ahead when they grabbed a happy card. Wyatt read the cards out loud, and Dean got into the game, excited when he jumped ahead.

As they played, Wyatt couldn't keep his eyes off the boy. Something about him struck a memory.

Once again Wyatt was surprised at how easily the girls accepted Dean's presence. He couldn't figure that one out. But he put it down to the fact that the girls spent a lot time on their own. They were probably happy to have a friend.

A few more rolls of the dice and the game was over. Dean, to the girl's chagrin, had won. He was beaming and Maya was pouting. "Be a good sport," Wyatt warned his daughter. She wrinkled her nose at him then looked over at Dean. "You played a good game," she said, imitating her Uncle Reuben's usual reply whenever he played with them.

Adele smiled at that, getting to her feet. "I have to get some supper ready," she said, "if you want to play again."

"Nope. Don't want to lose again," Maya retorted. Then she looked over at Wyatt, who was about to reprimand her. "Sorry. Not a good sport."

"You got that right." He tweaked her nose then patted her head. "But we can play again after supper."

He stood then grabbed the back of the chair, wavering. He caught Adele's concerned look, but he waved it off. "I'm fine," he said. "I should get some work done in the shop."

"What time do you want to eat?" she asked.

"About six o'clock? Does that work for you?"

"That would work just fine," Adele said.

Goodness, they sounded like some married couple.

As he walked to the porch to get dressed again, he pushed the thought aside. He was being ridiculous. She was a nanny, he reminded himself. He didn't want to think about how long it would last, but for now at least peace was reigning in his house, peace they hadn't experienced in a long time. No need to complicate it.

Adele wiped down the counters and glanced over at Dean.

He sat at the