Dan by Leigh Duncan

Author:Leigh Duncan [Duncan, Leigh]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Gardenia Street Publishing
Published: 2018-07-12T16:00:00+00:00

“What do you say to Dr. Hamilton, Adam?” Jess asked at the end of a day her son had enjoyed as much as she had. When Adam didn’t answer, she swung a look into the back seat. The streetlamps around On The Fly bathed the child in bluish light.

Adam slumped against the car door. His mouth gaped open, and his limbs had gone loose and liquid—he was sound asleep. The tricorn hat Dan had made from the kiddie menu at dinner listed precariously to one side.

“He’s out,” she whispered. When had that happened? She’d have sworn he was still cracking one-liners as they crossed the causeway and made the final turn for home.

“’Bout time he wound down.” Dan grinned. “I thought he was going to outlast me.”

“You were good with him,” she said with a grateful smile. Not many men could deal with an active five-year-old, but Dan was a natural. The two guys had talked virtually nonstop from the minute a one-eyed pirate had guided them to their seats in “the galley” of Peg Leg’s, until an appropriately garbed “serving wench” slid burgers and fries onto the table. The hungry boy had stopped eating only long enough to listen, wide-eyed, as the staff gathered around a nearby table and yo-ho-ho’d their way through the restaurant’s version of the birthday song.

Dan shifted to face her. “He’s an easy kid to be around. I had fun.” He leaned forward and batted the red-and-black lure that hung from the rearview mirror. “Thanks for that,” he said with a soft smile.

Jess swore she’d seen tears shimmer in the man’s eyes when Adam had given him their gift in the pause between dinner and dessert. “You ever think of having a child of your own?” she asked. “You’d make a good dad.” It didn’t take an empath to recognize Dan’s aversion to flea markets, but whatever demons the man fought, he’d overcome them to make the day enjoyable for Adam’s sake, as well as hers.

“I like to take things in order. Love and marriage are still pretty far down on my To-Do list.”

“I hear ya.” She nodded. It wasn’t easy, being both mom and dad to her little guy. Mostly, they made it work, but nights like tonight were tough. Especially when seeing Dan and her son together reminded her of all the things her little boy was missing out on by not having his own father around.

She hoped Adam wouldn’t get attached to Dan too quickly. “Be careful, or you’ll replace Tommy D. as Adam’s best friend,” she warned, trying to keep things light.

“Never happen,” Dan said firmly. “I have it on good authority—” he nodded toward the sleeping figure in the back seat “—that Tommy D. walks on water.” His seat belt retracted with a snap. “I’ll carry Adam upstairs for you.”

“Sure.” She exhaled the word on a long, low breath. She’d agonized over how to invite Dan in for coffee without coming across as too forward—to say she was out of practice was an understatement.

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