“Yeah.” He lifted a shoulder and let it drop. “But that’s not the point.”
Summer stared at him for one beat before laughter burst out of her, loosening the knot in his chest.
His story had the effect he’d been going for—making her smile and wiping the worry off her face before the RV rolled up and whatever this was between them got paraded in front of two people who loved her enough to see every crack.
Ben’s shriek from the living room jolted them both, and he came racing in at Mach Jesus speed. “They’re here!”
He rushed for the door, but Pope got to it first, scanning the sidewalk, lawn and street to make sure all was safe.
“Ben, slow down!” Summer called.
Ben shot past them and ran outside. “Grandma! Grandpa! Mom is dating!”
Summer made a sound like her soul had left her body.
Biting the inside of his cheek, Pope followed her to the porch to see Ben had already launched himself at an older man with suntanned skin and a gray beard. A woman with silver streaks in her light brown hair hugged Ben tight but her stare was fixed on Summer standing next to Pope.
“Well,” she said slowly, kissing Ben on the cheek, surprised gaze moving over Pope. “That’s new.”
Summer descended the few stairs to the sidewalk and met her parents. She cleared her throat. “Mom, Dad…this is Vander.”
Her father offered a hand. “Frank. This is Edie.”
Pope shook Edie’s hand first, then clasped Frank’s firmly. “Good to meet you, sir.”
“Sir.” Frank’s brows lifted with faint amusement. “Haven’t been called that since I got pulled over outside Cheyenne.”
Pope’s lips quirked at one corner. “I promise not to ask for your license and registration.”
Just your daughter’s hand.
The thought struck as fast as lightning and hot enough to make his ears sting.
Edie stepped in and hugged Summer, but her gaze kept darting to Pope like she was sorting him into categories and finding him difficult to place.
He bore the scrutiny in silence, letting Summer talk while Ben dragged his grandfather into the house to show off a picture he drew of the Black Heart Ranch after their day there.
Chaos took over as they sat down to eat the meal Summer had prepared, and Pope carried plates and passed drinks. When he saw they needed an extra fork for the meat platter, he fetched it before Summer had to ask.
The talk was easy and light between her and her parents, with Ben interjecting with chirpy excitement.
Pope was seated next to Edie, which was better than sitting across from her where she could study him. She reached for the salad bowl and her napkin slipped off the table.
He reached out and caught it before it hit the floor that Summer had scrubbed twice that morning.
He passed the napkin to her with a short nod. On his other side, Ben’s knife slipped on the plate with a grating noise.
“Here, buddy.” He placed a hand over Ben’s small one, guiding him through cutting his meat.
Conversation drifted from road trips to spring break routes. Ben asked if they would see any dinosaurs and Frank chuckled. “Only if we see fossils.” His gaze met Pope’s across the table.
Summer coughed, breaking the moment. Ben, oblivious to his mother’s nerves, chimed in with a question about whether fossils counted as dinosaurs.
“They count,” Summer said.
“I’m not so sure they do,” Frank agreed with Ben with the seriousness of a man who knew his grandson needed backup.
After they devoured the delicious meal, Summer got up to clear the table. He pushed back in preparation to help her, but Edie jumped up. “I’ve got this. You boys have a nice little chat.”
