Of course she had to insist that Jayce join them, then heard all about the day’s adventure. The tie score in mini golf and Jayce winning after two games of bowling, then a trip to the grocery store.
She had to get beyond the frustration that he wouldn’t take any money from her.
Then last night after work, Archer couldn’t stop talking about everything they’d done at the Museum of Life and Science. Jayce and he built some huge Lego structure in the loft upstairs. Taller than she’d seen before. They’d had lunch in the house, then gone to the museum for the afternoon, beating her home by thirty minutes.
“Good morning. Looks like a rainy one today.”
“Yep. Got that figured out. Indoor adventure park.”
She laughed. “He’s going to pass out eating dinner after that.”
“Then it gives you the night to yourself,” he said.
“I appreciate those nights. I’ve got to catch up on laundry.”
He shivered and she found it funny. “Hey, if that is what you like to do in your free time, more power to you. I mean, scrubs are easy enough.”
He was looking her over in her navy ones.
“Do you know that scrubs show wrinkles? They have to be folded just right.”
“They don’t have wrinkle-free scrubs?”
His appalled look had her laughing.
“Of course they do and I buy them. But they still have to be washed and folded just right.”
He shook his head, his grin matching hers.
“Then you can have fun tonight with that because Archer and I are going to burn some serious calories. An early lunch, carb load, then off and running. We’ll be back before you, I promise.”
“I appreciate you making this such a fun vacation for him. It’s memorable. He needed that more than I realized.”
Tucker hadn’t even called Archer on Sunday to wish him Happy Easter. What she got was two hundred dollars transferred to her account and a text saying to buy him what he wanted.
What her son wanted was his father to make the effort to pick out a gift from the heart, not as an afterthought to toss money his way.
Rather than ask Archer, she took it upon herself, bought him an Atlanta Braves jersey he’d been asking for, along with some more memorabilia so she could spend the full amount and put it in a basket for her son to see when he woke up.
Made her basket full of games and activity books not seem so great, but what was she going to do.
Had Archer hooted and hollered over it all? Yep, he had. And he thought his father was the man.
Until her son asked to call and thank him that night, and her ex replied with, “Oh, that’s what Mom got you with the money? I thought it would have been something else.”
The light had left her son’s eyes after that. Things just didn’t need to be said. Archer’s hug and thanks to her had been enough.
“Hey, I’m having a great time myself. Maybe I needed it too.”
She let her hand brush over his for just a touch, a test. Maybe for both of them.
Ever since that hug days ago, and the dreams that followed, she needed to know. Did he still make her heart race and her pulse thicken?
Was this just attraction, or was it something deeper? Something she’d been too afraid to admit was pulling her back in, just like before?
His good looks.
His easy charm.
