Page 35 of Wilde Ride

“Yes,” I said on a sigh. “My heart breaks for him and Rhett. I can’t even imagine. I tried so hard not to look at him as anything other than a friend, but those eyes. That mouth. His body! I had dreams last night, and let’s just say they were R-rated. I woke up panting. Panting, Moreen. How am I going to be around him on a regular basis?”

“You’ll be fine,” she said. “You did it before, you’ll do it again. Just remind yourself that he’s off limits.”

“Is he, though?”

She paused for a moment. “Okay, so he may be separated from his wife. But like you said, he isn’t divorced yet, Emeline. He’s had a traumatic loss, and if I had to guess, the last thing he’s looking for is a relationship.”

“Especially with his best friend’s little sister, who’s younger than him by seven years.”

“What are you going to do?”

I thought about it for a moment. “There isn’t anything I can do except be his friend. I need to push the idea of being with Levi Tucker out of my mind for good. Maybe now that he’s back, I’ll see how different our lives are. I mean, he’s a father, and we have nothing in common. Right?”

“Um, I don’t know about that,” Moreen replied. “Okay, here’s one! You’re not ready to be a mother.”

I bit my lip. That was something my best friend was wrong about. Why did she think I loved our summer camps so much? I adored kids, and I couldn’t wait to have my own someday.

A light knock on my door had me sitting up. “Got to go, someone’s here.”

“Dinner tonight?” Moreen asked.

“Come in!” I called out. “Not sure yet, I’ll text you later.”

The door opened, and I expected to see my mother. Instead, the man I’d just vowed to move on from stood there with a brilliant smile on his face—and standing next to him, a mini version of Levi.

Yeah, there was no way I could push these feelings away.

“Okay, talk soon!” Moreen said as I hit the end button and stood.

“Levi, I wasn’t expecting you until later this afternoon.”

“Rhett was dying to come and see Aurora, and I thought I’d check in on her.”

Rounding my desk, I smiled, then crouched to greet Rhett. I held out my hand. “Hi, Rhett. We haven’t met yet. I’m Emeline Wilde.”

Rhett’s deep blue eyes sparkled as he smiled. “I’m Rhett Tucker, and it’s a pleasure to meet you, ma’am. Are you dating anyone?”

Surprised, I jerked my head up to glance at Levi, who closed his eyes for a moment, clearly in exasperation. “I’m so sorry, Emeline. Rhett here knows better than to ask things like that.”

“I wasn’t asking for you, Dad. I was asking for me.”

That time, I laughed. “For you, huh?”

He tipped his little black cowboy hat, and Levi let out a groan. This young man didn’t act like a six-year-old. More like a sixteen-year-old.

“Well, Rhett. To answer your question, no, I’m not dating anyone. I’m afraid you’re just a little too young for me, though.”

“You could wait a few years.”

I bit my lip so I wouldn’t laugh again. Nodding, I gave him a thoughtful look, but before I could say anything else, Levi spoke.

“Rhett Tucker, I know you did not just say that.”

Rhett shrugged his shoulders. “You always tell me it never hurts to ask. The worst that can happen is you’re told no. So I took a chance.”

I stood and covered my mouth with my hand and stared at Levi, who was also trying hard not to laugh.

“I did say that, but this is different. You’re a little boy, and Ms. Emeline is a grown woman.”