His for the Taking - By Ann Major Page 0,43
seemed the least bit put out when forced to return to shore. No, he was a gem, patiently reloading the canoe and repacking the gear into the vehicle. Once they were safely on land and the canoe was on the roof of his SUV, Greg bought birdseed so Noah could feed pigeons. When Noah spilled the first bag chasing the birds, Greg bought another. Growing bored with the pigeons before he was halfway into the second bag, Noah threw the seed down, causing a mad flutter of wings as the gray flock converged on the bag. Pointing at a playground not too far away, the boy raced to it.
Greg and Maddie gave chase and then sat on a nearby bench so they could watch Noah, who was now climbing the colorful equipment. Noah swung, climbed poles, clambered up rope ladders and slid down the slides. When he fell off a swinging bridge and bumped his head, Greg ran over and picked him up. Long after Noah had dried his tears, he was content to hang on to Greg’s broad shoulders and watch the other children play.
Hell. Unable to watch Greg with his son any longer, Cole pivoted and strode back to his truck. Climbing inside, he yanked the door shut and jammed his key into the ignition. Gunning the engine, he roared out of the park and headed toward Sixth Street in search of a bar.
Dealing with Noah in the abstract had been easier than seeing him with Greg and realizing that the kid had had six years to form attachments to other people. Illogically, Cole felt angry at Maddie for not telling him and then angry at himself all over again for not being there for her and Noah when she’d first reached out to him.
Six years. Six damn years he’d missed. Would he ever be able to make up for that? One thing was for sure—he wasn’t about to give up the years he had left with his son.
Inside the first shadowy pub he found, he ordered a double scotch on the rocks, which arrived before he remembered the vow he’d made not to drink after he’d pulled himself out of his guilt/funk over Lizzie. Sliding the glass angrily aside, he signaled the waiter and asked him to replace the drink with tonic water and a twist of lime. He knocked that back with abandon even though what he really craved was the kick of the double scotch.
* * *
Maddie called him while he was having dinner alone. The hotel restaurant’s terrace had a view of Town Lake and the sparkling lights of downtown. If he grew bored with that view, there was a friendly blonde in a red sundress who was also alone, sitting at the table next to his, who kept smiling at him.
“I asked you not to follow me,” Maddie said.
“Did you tell him about me?” Cole asked.
“I was going to, but I couldn’t think clearly with Noah around and you watching us. Plus, Greg had a bad day at school, and I need him to babysit for me during my fundraiser.”
“We need to talk—soon.”
“This is a difficult week for me. The fundraiser is important to the shelter’s survival.”
He worried that she was just making excuses. “After seeing Noah with Greg I realize how much I’ve missed. I don’t want to miss any more. The sooner we get married, the better.”
“Look…”
“What about lunch? Tomorrow?”
“Can’t. I’m already booked.”
“With Greg?”
“If you must know, yes. I didn’t know you and I would reconnect or that you’d find out about Noah when I made the date.”
“Later, then?”
“I’ve got a completely full schedule at work tomorrow…and the fundraiser is tomorrow evening. We’re always understaffed, and Casey, my coworker, has a doctor’s appointment tomorrow.”
“I’m not taking no for an answer.” He said goodbye.
After he hung up, he wondered what he could do to change her mind about his proposal.
* * *
If Nita Stark was a big talker and temperamental as all get-out, she was also a huge donor and the keynote speaker at the fundraiser, so Maddie didn’t dare rush their call even though she needed to get off the phone.
When she finally managed to hang up, it was already ten minutes past noon. She was thirsty and needed to touch up her lipstick and her hair before she led the tour that she gave every two weeks. It was a way to inform the community about the mission of My Sister’s House. After that, she had to meet Greg. Feeling