Page 33 of The Bachelor's Dilemma

And if it hadn’t? She didn’t know what she’d do. She hardly knew him. They had so little in common. He worked thousands of miles away. How could she expect some kind of long-term relationship? Yet he was the most exciting man she knew. There was so much to discover and enjoy in the process.

They saw the Alice in Wonderland sculpture and rode the carousel several times, to Zack’s delight. Anna laughed more than she’d in months. Myles had a way of making the day special and fun.

Zack was enchanted to have the man stoop down and talk to him on his level. More than once, he leaned against Myles’s shoulder when he explained something to the boy. And He’d stopped looking at other men trying to find Tom.

Shortly after noon, Myles pointed to a shaded spot and asked if they’d like to have the picnic there.

Anna nodded as Zack ran ahead and then turned to wait for them.

Myles had toted a large canvas bag around all morning and now he unpacked it.

“I bought fried chicken, crusty bread and chocolate milk,” he said, taking first a blanket from the bag then a small, soft sided cooler.

“Something we’ll all like,” she said, touched he’d gone to such trouble.

Lunch proved to be fun. They were still within range of the carousel music, so when conversation ebbed and flowed, the music filled the silence.

When they finished, Myles leaned back and closed his eyes.

“The sun feels good. Warm, not blazing like the heat of Arabia.”

“Time for everyone to rest,” Anna said, grabbing Zack when he jumped up and was ready to run.

“I’m not tired,” he protested.

“Well, I am and so is Myles.”

“Lie down here by me, Zack, and we’ll look at the clouds,” Myles invited.

Anna glanced up. There were only a couple of small puffy white clouds in the sky.

Zack lay down right beside Myles.

“Now we look at the clouds and see what pictures we can see,” Myles said.

“Where are pictures?” Zack asked, looking around.

Myles glanced over at Anna. “Aren’t you joining us?” he asked.

She scooted down until she lay beside her son. Smiling, she studied one cloud, pointing it to Zack. “I see a rabbit,” she said.

Zack soon caught on, and the three of them found the most outlandish pictures in the few drifting clouds. Before long, Zack fell asleep and when Anna glanced over, Myles looked as if he had as well.

She felt such a feeling of well-being. It was fun to shed responsibilities for a few hours and enjoy herself. She closed her eyes and let the sun warm her through the leaves.

She awoke with a start a short time later. Zack was still asleep, but Myles sat on the edge of the blanket, his gaze a million miles away.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep,” she said, sitting up.

“I dozed a bit myself.”

He turned to look at her.

“We’ve lost most of our shade. Zack won’t get sunburned, will he?”

“I put on sunscreen this morning, but let’s rig up some shade for his face.”

She moved the canvas bag so it was beside her son, then took off her sweater to make a lean-to shade for him.

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