Could be he was reading it all wrong.
She obviously didn’t have a significant other in her life. It hadn’t come up once and if it had, he’d think the guy wouldn’t be too happy with Jayce being around.
“I think it’s normal to want that for those you love,” he said. He turned to the back seat. “How hungry are you, bud?”
“Starving. After school I had just one granola bar and normally I eat more. But I want an adult meal today.”
“Hey, from what I can see, you put away more food than most. Get what you want.”
“My treat tonight,” she said.
“No,” he said.
“Jayce. Don’t argue with me. You paid last time when we went to lunch.”
“And you cooked me dinner. So if we are keeping score and taking turns, it’s my turn.”
“It’s not the same.”
“It kind of is. I provided the first meal for you, you provided the second. Archer, based on the pattern, who is next?”
“Jayce! Is this how I win an argument with my mother?”
Oh shit. He was only joking but the narrowing of Farrah’s eyes said he might have just pushed that a tad bit too far.
“No,” he said. “You need to be respectful of your parents at all times and at every age. Mom is the boss of you and right now, she’s the boss of me spending time with you.”
Farrah’s frown turned to a laugh. “Good save. And I’m paying.”
“Got it, boss,” he said.
She playfully shoved his shoulder with her arm. The way she had years ago when they were goofing off.
That she was comfortable enough to revert to that led him to believe he might have a shot at something more.
He parked his car and they got out.
Archer giggled and ran in front of him to get the door and yank it open. Jayce reached over Archer’s head and held it for Farrah to go in.
“Table for three,” she said when she got to the hostess. Looked like she wanted to take charge and he’d let her.
He wasn’t sure the last time he had dated a woman who had done that. Most of the time they expected him to do everything.
Or maybe he never gave them the chance and just stepped in and spoke first.
Again,notdating Farrah.
They went to a booth, Archer slipping in one side, Farrah following next to her son, and him opposite.
“Lauren will be your server. She’ll be over in a minute.”
The menus were set down, and Archer immediately picked it up to scan.
“Hi, I’m Lauren. First, does anyone have allergies?”
“Peanuts,” Archer said.
“None for me,” Farrah said.
