“I know, but you guys talked all through the game.”
Not the whole game.Something changed in Austin’s demeanor after Dallas’s fall. It was almost like he was mad at her for telling Dallas he was okay and to shake it off.
“If he’s coming to pick up his kids every evening, you should offer to feed them dinner. It would give you a chance to get to know him better.” Sheila’s voice now carried a scheming tone. “Isn’t the quickest way to a man’s heart through his stomach?”
Noah aimed a fat blowfish at Debbie and squirted a steady stream of water right at her chest.
“Noah, no. Squirt it at the wall.” Debbie focused back on her phone call after Noah changed his aim. “I am feeding them dinner. Which reminds me, I need to put the roast and potatoes in the Crockpot as soon as I get Noah out of the tub.”
“Pot roast. Good choice. Not something a single father likely makes very often. He’ll be very impressed. What are you doing for dessert?”
“Dessert?” Yes, Debbie made cookies on Monday because she was so excited to have the Reed children here, but did she need to make dessert every night?
She recalled Austin’s scowl last night when Cody told his dad she’d promised them ice cream after the game. She’d seen that look often on her sisters’ faces when she gave her nieces and nephews a treat or a gift without checking with their mothers first.
More than once, she’d heard things like “Maybe I should leave them with you and make you put them to bed,” or “You’re not a mother, so you just don’t understand.”
Whenever she heard the first one, Debbie always wanted to cry, “Okay!” She was so lonely in her house that she loved having her nieces and nephews sleep over. It didn’t happen near as often as she’d like.
Whenever she heard the second statement, she simply cried. No, she wasn’t a mother, she didn’t understand sleepless nights with sick kids or hurting because your kids were upset. But she wanted to.
Noah dive-bombed a boat, splashing water everywhere, including on Debbie, effectively putting an end to her pity party.
Joy and Sheila had been more careful about the things they said since they’d found out Debbie couldn’t have children. And Debbie tried to make sure she got their permission before giving their kids a gift or sweets.
Debbie knew she’d overstepped the bounds last night by promising the boys ice cream without asking Austin first. She needed to remind herself being a temporary foster mother wasn’t the same thing as being a mother. And as much as she loved the Reed children, she wasn’t their mother.
“Yes, dessert. You want to impress Austin, don’t you?”
Do I?
She couldn’t stop thinking about the handsome man. He’d taken every disaster Monday night in stride and didn’t get upset or stressed out. He’d simply laughed as he helped her clean up one mess after another.
She’d caught him staring at her a couple times and got the feeling he found her attractive. But then other times, he scowled, and his expression was filled with disapproval. And the way his lip curled every time he said“people like you”told her he had a passionate dislike for wealthy people.
“I don’t think Austin likes me all that much,” Debbie said, trying to hide her disappointment. Because a patient and attentive man like Austin was exactly the kind of man she wanted.
“It sure looked like he liked you last night while you guys were talking.”
“Yeah, well, he’s made it pretty obvious he doesn’t care for my money.”
“Pride.”
“What?”
“Men are prideful. I suppose we women are too, to an extent. But men are worse. I’m sure he’s intimidated by the fact that you’re so wealthy.”
Debbie wouldn’t argue that Austin was prideful, but the frosty glare he gave her last night looked more like censure and resentment. He didn’t like what her wealth stood for.
Or maybe he just doesn’t like me.
That thought caused a twinge in her chest, because Debbie found him very attractive. But she had been disappointed and rejected by handsome men too many times to count. She refused to base her happiness any longer on a man’s acceptance of her. Which was a shame, because she loved Austin’s children.
That’s why she’d suggested ice cream after the soccer game last night. She’d been so thrilled to be participating in such a normal family activity that she wanted to make the most of it.
Noah capsized another boat, splashing water three feet in the air, the bulk of which landed on her head, effectively ending her sidetracked thoughts.
“Sheila, I need to go before Noah floods my bathroom.”
