Page 83 of The Bluffing Game

“I’m going to go. I’m going to go.” And with that, he goes running. “Sage! Miss Sage!”

I hurry behind him because I know what it’s going to look like. It’s going to look like I put him up to it. I can’t see where he’s running, and then I see her sitting on a lounge chair next to Parker, who’s wearing a pair of board shorts, a cap, and glasses. She’s taken by surprise when Toby goes running into her arms.

“There you are, Mommy. Mommy, Mommy, Mommy,” he shouts, and my heart sinks.

Sage looks up in surprise and looks over at me. There’s a glint in her eyes.

I shake my head and mouth, Sorry. I can’t believe this is happening.

“Toby, what are you doing?” I stare at him.

“What? Miss Sage is so pretty. She’s like a mommy.” He beams at me. “Isn’t she, Daddy?”

“I’m so sorry, Sage. I swear I did not tell him to do this.”

“I’m going to start thinking you’re sabotaging my dates, Mr. Leone.”

She gives me a look, and I hold my hand up.

“Scout’s honor, I would never do such a thing.”

“Not this one at least,” I murmur under my breath.

She tilts her head to the side and gives Toby a quick hug. “Well, it’s good to see you, Toby.”

She holds him gently like she thinks he might break, and he hugs her tightly. Her face lights up with happiness, and I can see she is touched.

“It’s good to see you too. I told Daddy I wanted to come to the beach and that you told me you’d buy me ice cream, and he said that you had a date.” He presses his lips together and looks over at the man. “Who are you?”

Parker pulls his sunglasses off. There’s a hardness in his eyes, and I can tell he’s not impressed. “I’m Parker. I’m on a date with Sage here. And you are?”

“I’m Toby,” he says.

Parker looks at Toby, then at me, and then looks at Sage. “Is there something going on here that I should know?”

“No. Dalton is just my boss, and he’s my friend, and sometimes I babysit Toby.”

“I’m her favorite,” Toby says as he gets onto her lap. “Aren’t I?”

She strokes his head and gives him a kiss on the cheek. “You’re a cutie pie, Toby.”

“You know what? Let’s get a drink,” Parker says, jumping up. “You want one, Dalton?”

“I am⁠—”

“I think you’d like to get one with me,” he says.

“Okay.”

We walk over to the concession stand in silence. When we get close, he finally speaks. “I don’t know what your problem is. I don’t know if you wish you had a shot with Sage, but she’s mine now, so you need to back off. I don’t know what game you’re playing, but it’s not funny.”

“I am not playing any game,” I say, but I realize this man is definitely not as cool, calm, and collected as he seemed. He’s playing a part, and he’s definitely not someone I trust to be around Sage. “I look after Sage. She’s very important to me.” I stare at him. “I won’t let anything happen to her.”

“And neither will I,” he says. “She’s exactly the sort of woman I want on my arm, you know?”

“No, I don’t.”

“Well, I’m just saying that she and I are getting to know each other, and this could potentially be something very special between us, so I’m going to speak to you man to man and tell you and your son to back off.”