Page 49 of Meet Me on Lilac Lane

“You’re not asking, I’m offering. C’mon, Mia. Let me help you.”

“You’ve already helped me.” She gestured at the pile of papers, a small movement that reminded him of the flutter of a hummingbird’s wings “Plus, you have your own work to do.”

“It’s fine. I’ll bring the kids over to my place. They can play, and I will get a few things done.” He spread his hands wide.

She hooked him with a look and put a hand on her hip. “Have you met my kids? You won’t be getting any work done.”

How hard could it be? There were just two of them. “You’re going to be late if you stand here arguing with me. I can out-stubborn you any day.” He spun her toward the door. “Go. Meet Dani. Have a decaf coffee. Come back a conquering hero. I got the kids.”

A scramble of jackets and shoes later and he was looking down at two adorable faces smiling up at him under twin bobble hats. Well, one face was smiling, anyway.

“Where Mama go?” Maggie’s chin wobbled.

“Your mom had a meeting to get to.” He glanced out the window next to the front door. He could just barely see Mia as she disappeared around the corner of the street. Good for her. She deserved to have some time to herself. Hopefully, she would take him up on the offer to stay out longer than her meeting required.

A fat tear rolled down Maggie’s cheek. “I go wif her.”

“Maggie’s going to cry.” Finn’s brotherly scorn came through loud and clear.

“We can’t have that.” He swooped Maggie up into his arms just as the little girl began to wail. “Shh, sweetheart. It’s okay. I’ll take care of you until your mom gets home.”

Maggie buried her head in his neck even as she cried harder. He patted her on the back. He made shushing noises. He bounced her up and down.

“That’s not going to work,” Finn said.

“Very helpful, buddy.” Maybe they all needed a distraction. “Do you guys want to see my boat?”

Maggie lifted her tearstained face from his neck, her crying miraculously cured. “I wike boats.”

“Let’s go, then.” He shot off a quick text to Mia letting her know that he was taking the kids to his place. She responded with a heart emoji. Best not to read too much into that.

“Can we take the wagon?” Finn bounced on the balls of his feet.

“Sure, bud. If you show me where it is.”

A few minutes later, they were moving down the sidewalk, Finn and Maggie tucked into a soft-sided wagon. The kids sang a nonsense song about a duck and some grapes. See, no big deal. He could handle this.

When they finally reached his shop, Cody’s arms were coming loose at the sockets. No wonder Mia rarely used the wagon. The kids couldn’t weigh much more than sixty pounds altogether, but when you bounce those sixty pounds for a half a mile over rough pavement and with no suspension, they may as well have been three hundred and sixty. At least the big wheels rolled better over the cobblestone roads than he’d expected. He parked the wagon near the door and rotated his shoulders a few times. Then he held the wagon steady for Finn to climb out. Maggie raised her arms and he swooped her up, making an airplane noise as he did. She giggled.

Inside the shop, Finn stood and gaped up at the fishing boat. “It’s so tall.”

Cody laughed. From the perspective of a four-year-old, it probably did seem quite tall. He set Maggie down and helped her take off her jacket. Finn’s coat lay on the floor, so Cody picked that up then hung them all on the hooks. He pulled out his phone and noticed that he’d missed a call from Lily. With one eye on the kids, he called her back.

“Hey, sis. You still coming home?”

“Can’t get rid of me that easily.” Her voice had a lilt.

“You sound good. Florida treating you all right?” Finn disappeared around the front of the boat, Maggie toddling after him.

“I’ve just made the most gorgeous truffle. Bergamot and caramel.”

Cody steadied his voice. “They’re letting you make the chocolates now?”

“Just…you know…” Lily dropped the upbeat tone. “I’m experimenting here and there.” Across the room, on the other side of the boat, the kids giggled. “Where are you?”

“At home.” He looked around. After the brightness of the afternoon, the dinginess of the shop wore on him.

“Who is laughing?”

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