“And you hung up on him?”
“I did, because I didn’t know what to say.”
“Yeah, I’ve often wondered what I’d say to my real mom and dad if I met them.”
“You want to?”
“Not really, but kind of, if that makes sense?”
She lifted her head and looked up at him.
“You getting enough sleep?” She rolled her eyes. “Okay, sorry, I was just concerned.”
“Don’t be. I’m strong.”
“You and the saint filming again today?”
“What is your problem with John? Seriously, the man is a nice guy.”
“Sure he is, and he looks at you like he wants to know you better than he should,” Newman said.
“No, he doesn’t. Besides, him and Ingrid are a thing.”
“Ingrid being?” Newman sifted her hair through his fingers. It was like silk.
“One of the girls who works with him.”
“That is pleasing to hear. Now I won’t have to blacken both his eyes.”
She snuffled into his chest.
“Ethan is flying us to Buchanan land later. John found Redwoods there that he says are magnificent.”
“I’m sure they are.” Newman cupped her cheeks and looked down at her. “Marry me, Hope.”
“What?” She looked shocked. He was too, because while he’d thought about marriage, and having Hope and a child in his house, he’d decided to leave that alone for now. The horror on her face told him it would have been better if he’d followed through with that plan.
“I just think it’s for the best, Hope, surely you can see that?” Newman scrambled to regain the ground he’d just lost.
“No, it’s not!” She pulled out of his arms and away from him. “I can’t believe you asked me. I mean, we don’t even like each other. We couldn’t live in the same house and expect to have a happy environment to raise a child.”
“Sure we could,” Newman said, sounding lame, even to his own ears. “And I like you.”
“Idiot,” she snapped. Then she was walking away from him. He followed at a safe distance, because she was right. He had been an idiot to bring it up then, but now he had, he wasn’t backing down. The subject would be revisited sometime soon.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Hope had said he was always trying to please people, and always offering to help. This was one time he should have kept his mouth shut. Walt Heath had asked him to help put in a new sink in his bathroom, and he’d agreed. Newman was handy, but there were others who were more so. But he’d heard Walt talking, and next thing he knew he was committed.
Still, it was good to get out of his father’s reach for a while. The man had called him continuously, telling him how he’d messed up his life.
“Asshole, what about my life?” Newman said, walking up the Heaths’ drive.
It was strange how now that this adoption business had come out of the dark, he wasn’t so bothered about his father’s treatment of him. Sure, he’d always wanted his respect, and maybe for his father to be proud of him, but as that had never happened, he knew it never would, and now he didn’t actually care so much. Because in the middle of the night when sleep was eluding him, he’d come to the conclusion that his father’s problems were actually his, not Newman’s. It had taken years to reach that kind of peace about his lack of a relationship with the man who’d raised him, but finally he was good with that. Taking out his phone as it started buzzing, Newman checked the caller ID.
“Sheriff.”
“Last night someone stole more gear from the Wildlife people.”
