As Sammy prattled on, Providence reminded herself that she and Dakota weren’t a couple. They’d been thrust together in a time-sensitive work situation and had hooked up a few times. Still, she couldn’t stop herself from getting drawn in. Samantha Luck was capturing her heart…same as her dad was doing.
Her phone buzzed with a text. “Sammy, I have to check my phone.”
“Okay.” Sammy got busy playing tea party.
The text was from her brother. “It’s Randy. Gordon gave me your number. Lizzie and I are eating out. Wanted to talk to you about mom. Can you join us?”
“Can’t tonight. How’s she doing?”
“Same,” he replied. “Can we swing by on the way to the restaurant?”
“I’m not home,” she texted.
“What’s your ETA?”
“Couple of hours.”
“We’ll talk another time,” he replied.
Providence returned to playing with Sammy. At some point, she glanced up. Dakota was watching. How could she not feel something for this man and his child? Were they the missing pieces that could fill her life with joy?
“Hey, you two,” Dakota said.
“Daddy, can you play with us?”
“It’s time for dinner.”
“But…but Provi said she’d have a tea party with Miss Lady.”
“Samantha—”
Sammy popped up and stomped her foot. “I want to keep playing.”
Dakota shifted his attention to Providence and arched an eyebrow. “Well, Providence told me she was starving. What should we do about that?”
Sammy spun toward Providence. “You can wait to eat, right?”
“Well, Sammy, what about all the wonderful food Mrs. Morris has made? Wouldn’t it be better to have dinner now, then have a dessert party after?”
“What’s that?”
Providence rose. “They’re just like tea parties only we pretend to eat all our favorite desserts.”
“Okay.” And just like that, Sammy took Providence’s hand and they headed toward the kitchen.
As she passed Dakota, he ran his hand over her backside, then fell in line beside her. She glanced over and scowled at him, then shook her finger at him. “You, behave.”
“Never.”
Providence had no idea what she was getting into with these two, but she was following her sister’s advice and taking a chance.
After dinner, she and Sammy had a dessert party with Miss Lady. It took a little convincing, but Sammy put the cartons of cookies away so they couldpretendto eat all kinds of delicious treats. Providence hadn’t used her imagination in a long time, and she found herself laughing along with the child.
“Let’s mix the cookies into the ice cream,” Providence said and Sammy giggled.
She took joy in the simple game they were playing together. Once they’d eaten all the imaginary sugar they could consume, Providence told the child she had to go home.
“Can you come back and play with me tomorrow?”
