Page 46 of Lowering His Guard

The ride ends and I manage to get up out of my seat and follow Jace through the exit despite still being in a daze.

“What next?” Jace asks.

“Atlantis Adventure,” Brock insists.

“No way, old man.”

The rest of the day continues in the same way. Father and son arguing in a playful way while I bask in their banter.

I’m exhausted by the time we’re walking toward the exit at the end of the day. We’re nearly there when a photographer calls out, “Family picture!”

I step away, but Brock’s hand settles against the small of my back.

Jace rolls his eyes. “May, hurry up.”

The shutter clicks while I’m still dazed at the thought of being included with their family.

The photographer nods to the booth directly in front of the exit. “You can grab your picture there.”

Jace rushes toward the booth. I follow more slowly. Brock still hasn’t removed his hand from my back and I don’t want him to. I want him to keep it right there. Forever.

“Our picture is there,” Jace says and I lean in closer to look.

My breath hitches. We resemble a family. A perfect family. The family I’ve always wanted.

I want this. Not any family. This family. The grumpy dad and the goofy teenager. I want to be a part of their lives.

Fear slams into me. This isn’t my family. And Brock isn’t interviewing for openings.

Chapter 15

Rule #6: Never underestimate a five-foot-nothing woman with upper-body strength.

Brock

“We should have made faces,” Jace says as he stares at the picture.

“Like this?” May rolls her eyes and sticks out her tongue.

“No, like this.” Jace tries to touch his nose with his tongue.

While they continue to goof off, I quickly pay for the picture and stick it in my back pocket before May notices. I don’t want her to know I bought it. I don’t want her to get any ideas about the future. We’re friends, but I can’t trust her enough to become more.

“Let’s go!” I herd them toward the parking lot and my SUV.

May throws her arm over Jace’s shoulder. Considering he’s several inches taller than her, it should appear awkward. But it’s not. May always moves in a natural way. She doesn’t pretend to be someone she’s not.

They slow down and I catch up to them. I don’t bother to try not to eavesdrop. This is my kid.

“A bunch of guys keep making fun of Sandy because she wipes out all the time. I want to tell them to knock it off,” Jace says.

May frowns. “Good. You should.”

“But I’d rather shove one of them into the ocean.”

Her nose wrinkles. “That’ll make you feel better for about ten seconds.”

“For those ten seconds, I’d feel awesome, though.”