for a midmorning snack. Cleaned up the debris from the snack, and wondered how women ever managed to have more than one child.
Grateful to get off her feet, she stretched out on the floor to play with Luke and his building blocks, thought over her options. And watched her son.
He could say Dada—along with Mama, Hi, Bye-bye, Mine, No, Out, Up, Cate, and, of course, Dog. Since the ranch visit, he’d added Cow and Horse. All of those clear among a lot of chattering/babbling and half words she’d learned to translate.
But not once had he said Dada since they’d come to Big Sur.
Did babies forget so quickly—or had he never really bonded with his father? How could Dawson not feel what she felt, this overwhelming love for the wonder they’d created together?
“He doesn’t, and that’s that.”
“Mama!” After pulling back her attention, Luke knocked over the short tower of blocks, and laughed like a maniac.
“That’s right, baby. We knock it down and build it again. We just build it again. And better.”
She pulled out her phone, redialed her agent. “Make the deal.”
Determined, and a little terrified, she went back to building towers until the knock on the door jolted her.
Before she gained her feet, the door opened. Her heart flipped up, then settled again when she saw Dillon with a market bag.
Stark and Natasha raced in, and straight to the squealing, laughing Luke.
“Sorry. Delivery.”
“Come in. You’ve just made my son’s day,” she added, grinning at the rolling, happy heap of boy and fur on the floor.
“Well, they figured it was time for another visit.”
“It’s good to see all three of you. Cate’s recording.”
“She usually is this time of day, so I just drop her order off if she’s in there.”
“I’ll take it. What have we got?”
“Mostly dairy. My ladies sent some cookies for your boy. They’re smitten.”
Luke toddled over to Dillon, lifted his arms. “Up!”
“Want up here?” Dillon passed the bag to Darlie, picked Luke up, tossed him a couple times to make him laugh.
Seeing a man playing so easily, so naturally with her boy made Darlie’s heart hurt a little. “You’re good with babies.”
“It’s not hard.”
“It is for some.” And because it made her heart hurt, she repeated the old mantra.
Tits up.
“You’re good with Cate, too.”
“It’s not hard,” he repeated as he tossed Luke again, and Darlie walked over to unpack the market bag.
“Not if you love her.”
Since Luke wanted down, Dillon gave him back to the dogs, then stepped nimbly around the scatter of toys. “Easiest thing I ever did. I don’t suppose you’d tell me how close she is to feeling the same.”
“I’ll say, as her friend, you check a lot of boxes for me. You should come to dinner tonight.”
“I should?”
“You should. She’ll figure out something to make. Me, I stir and mix. I’m a mediocre chopper and slicer, but I excel at stirring and mixing.” Puzzling on where to put the eggs, cheeses, creams, butters, milk, she glanced back at him.
“I’ve been an actor since I was about Luke’s age. It’s what I know how to do.”
“You’re good at it. But you know more than that. You know how to be a mom. How to be a friend. Those rank high on my scale of knowing.”
No wonder he dazzled Cate. “Come to dinner,” she repeated.
“Do you eat meat?”
“I’ve been known to.”
“There’s a grill out there. I can bring back some steaks.”
“Steak.” As she repeated the word, Darlie’s eyes went wistful. “I don’t know the last time I actually had steak.”
“Break time.” Cate opened her studio door. “Where’s that baby? I need a fix. Oh, Dillon.”
“He came with dairy,” Darlie told her.
“Nice. And good timing. How about a walk on the beach?”
“I’ve only got a couple minutes. Catch the kid!” Snatching Luke up, he faked a toss, stopping Cate’s heart, loosing Luke’s gut-laugh. “Just kidding.”
“He’s coming to dinner, and bringing steak. We’re going to make it a little celebration. I just told my agent to make the deal on an offer for a series on Netflix. Major project, starring role.”
“Darlie! Break out the champagne!”
“I’ll take it. Tonight. Think Game of Thrones meets the female, adult Harry Potter. The offer came in a few weeks ago, and I turned it down because it shoots in Northern Ireland, and that’s six months on location for the first season. If it hits, that’s half a year, every year for the three projected seasons. But now . . .”
She took Luke back from Dillon. “I think it’ll be good for us.