“I’ve missed them.” She sighed. “This has all been so ridiculous.”
“Agreed.”
“Listen, before I forget to tell you, I made the revisions Mila asked for on the adoption contract and emailed it to her. She’s given it the okay but she sent it to you for a second look.”
“Thanks for the heads-up. Haven’t touched my email since this morning.” He paused at the foot of the steps. “Tell you what, after dinner let’s go to my place and I can read the contract while you’re there. Then we can finalize it.”
“Um, okay, but we could handle all that through email.” His plan sounded way too cozy. And exciting. Especially since he’d taken the time to shave before dinner.
“We could, but I worked up another contract this afternoon I’d like you to take a look at.”
Oh, had he, now? The tingling in her stomach intensified. “You could also email that.”
“Not really.”
“Why not? It’s just a contract.” And she was suddenly out of breath. “That’s what email is good for.” Guaranteed he was up to something. After all his talk about not getting involved, he?—
“Email won’t work in this case.”
She could play dumb and just go along with it, but that wasn’t her way. “You’ve got something up your sleeve.”
“Yeah, I do, but if I try to explain it now, we’ll never make it to dinner and everyone’s counting on you being there.”
She stared at him, her heart thumping as wild scenarios flashed through her mind. “This is a maneuver.”
He held her gaze. “I had an idea today. Might not work, but I want to run it by you.”
“Then just tell me what it is.”
“I will. Later.”
“And this other contract is part of it?"
“Yes, but it doesn’t have to be. I just thought?—”
“Mi hermanita, you’re here!” Mila flew out the door coatless, her curly dark hair shining in the light from the porch. “Why are you standing around gabbing while the food gets cold?” Rushing down the steps, she grabbed each of them by the arm and started tugging. “Andale, muchachos!”
Tracy laughed because Mila was laughing, but guilt lay heavy on her heart. Mila used to tease her when they were younger, calling herhermanita, my little sisterin Spanish because Tracy had always been a wee bit shorter.
Mila hadn’t called her that in ages and saying it now was significant. Avoiding Mila because of this jacked-up situation with Adam had been hurtful to a woman she cherished. Time to repair the damage.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Tracy hadn’t agreed to the after-dinner plan. She hadn’t rejected it, either. Just the opposite. She’d been intrigued. Even turned on, judging by the sparkle in her eyes.
Adam swore softly under his breath as he followed her up the steps. He’d never been good at subterfuge. Casually asking her to drop by his cabin had sounded like a cheesy line.Come to my apartment, pretty lady, so I can show you my etchings.
Which was essentially the point and she’d picked right up on it. But she hadn’t said no, which meantyesmight have been her answer if they’d had a little more time. It might still be her answer.
That got his blood to pumping. If by some miracle she bought into his idea, it would require stealth. She could probably be stealthy, but this latest exchange pointed out his lack of skill in that area.
Should he forget about it? She’d come to dinner, which was progress on that front. And what an event it had turned into.
He was touched by how happy everyone was to see her. She easily reclaimed her place in the family, sliding into the routineof setting the table and grabbing extra chairs. All the while she was asking questions, finding out everyone’s news.
She fit in perfectly as she always had. If he screwed things up again, he might create a permanent rift.
His mom embraced Tracy like a long-lost child and Mila couldn’t stop grinning. Yes, his family had seen her at the meeting, but that hadn’t been a social occasion. When they’d gathered at the Raccoon, he’d monopolized her right off the bat and then whisked her off for a bookshop tour.
