Page 49 of The Bluffing Game

“I’m sure you do,” he says, his eyes lowering to my lips. “I’m sure you have the full package.” His eyes darken as his voice grows huskier. “I should go now. I’m still looking for a full-time babysitter, and, well, Toby wants to go to the park this afternoon, so I suppose that is where I shall take him. You have a good evening.”

“I guess I will.” I’m disappointed that he’s leaving. “Enjoy the park.”

“Thank you. I think we will. You’re more than welcome to join us if you want. I see you’re getting off in a couple of hours.”

Why would he invite me to join him and Toby at the park? There’s no way I would ever want to do that, yet I find myself wanting to say yes.

“Yeah, sure. Sounds like it would be fun.”

“I’ll pick you up from the condo in a couple of hours. Just text me when you’re ready.” He grins, looks down at his watch, and then back at me.

“Okay,” I say. “Will do.”

He walks out of the restaurant, and I wonder what just happened.

“Why on God’s green earth am I going to the park with this man and his son?” I whisper to myself.

He is everything I’m not looking for, yet I haven’t been so excited about anything in a really long time. I really need to get a life.

Chapter 14

DALTON

“Daddy, can we get McDonald’s when we leave the park, please?” Toby looks up at me with the most angelic expression.

I shake my head. “I told you, tonight, we’re going to have fish⁠—”

“I don’t want fish.” He immediately pouts and looks like he’s about to cry. “I don’t like fish.”

“What if I told you that you could have French fries with it?”

“I want a hamburger and fries, not fish and fries.” He cries.

“Toby, I can take you home right now, and you won’t get to go on the swings.”

“But I just want McDonald’s. You said I could have McDonald’s.”

“I never said you could have McDonald’s.”

“You said—” He stops, his little lower lip quivering, and then he points his finger. “It’s Ms. Sage.”

I look up, and I see Sage headed toward us, a teddy bear in one hand and a water bottle in her other hand. This was why she’d said she’d meet us at the park instead. I smile at her as she makes her way over. She’s changed into a pink-and-white floral dress, and she looks gorgeous. She has a wide smile on her face as she waves at us.

“Hi, Toby,” she says and hands him the teddy bear. “This is for you. I hope you like it.”

“It’s for me?” he says, offering her the biggest grin I’ve seen in a while.

“Yes. Do you like it?”

“I do. I know what I’m going to call him.”

“Ooh, what?”

“Can you guess?”

“I don’t know. Are you going to call him Bear?”

“No. Why would I call a teddy bear Bear?” He giggles and looks up at me. “Look, Daddy, she got me a teddy bear.”