Page 76 of Stolen Kisses
She laughed softly. “And you promised to take that secret to your grave.”
“I will. But I don’t mind baiting for you if you need me to. When no one’s watching.”
She laughed some more, then stopped abruptly as he leaned in and landed a kiss on her lips.
“I don’t mind doing that either when no one’s watching.” He pulled away quickly. He’d gone in just long enough to steal her breath and a kiss.
“Fish!” Adam shouted while jumping up and down.
“That’s my cue.” Noah turned and went to help him pull a half-pound bass onto the deck.
“Wow! I’m impressed!” Krista squatted on the front deck to admire the catch. Pulling out her cellphone, she gestured for them to slide in toward one another. “You two get behind it. I’ll snap a picture of you.”
Noah wrapped his arm proudly around Adam’s shoulders, pulling him in. They beamed above the bass.
Krista clicked the picture and nodded. “Got it!”
“Now for a selfie.” Noah lifted her cellphone out of her hand and pulled her to him. They squatted to align themselves with Adam. “Say ‘shark’!” All of their faces twisted from smiles to wide-eyed terror.
Krista belly-laughed after he’d clicked the button. “I will not be sending that one to your mom, Adam. She might wonder what in the world we’re doing out here.”
She noticed Adam’s expression turned again.
“What’s wrong, sweetheart?”
He shrugged his tiny shoulders. “Nothing.”
“Looks like something to me,” Noah said, sharing a concerned look with Krista.
“It’s just, my mom’s on a date today.”
“Oh. Right.” Krista sat down on the bench and patted the space beside her. She waited for him to sit. “That’s a good thing, right?”
He hung his chin to his chest.
“I think it’s a wonderful thing. Your mom needs friends, too, you know.”
Adam looked at her. Then his gaze flicked to Noah who was icing the fish, but still in hearing range. “It’s more than a friend, I think. I think it’s more like what you and Mr. Noah are.”
Krista couldn’t help but smile. She and Noah were more than friends now. Finally. Even a seven-year-old could see it. “Is that a bad thing? If your mom finds a nice friend, you might like him, too. And maybe he’ll take you fishing or camping or—”
“I already have a dad. He’s a loser. I’d rather have no dad at all than one who only shows up once a year to talk about how much I’ve grown.”
Krista frowned at the boy. “I’m sorry, Adam. That must be rough. But just because one person let you down, doesn’t mean everyone will. You need to know that. You can’t be afraid to take a chance on someone. You made friends with me and Mr. Noah, right? Same thing with your mom’s new friend.”
Adam didn’t look convinced. “Yeah, but you and Mr. Noah aren’t trying to kiss my mom right now.”
Krista gave his little thigh a playful shove. “I can’t believe you just said that. Promise me you’ll give whoever your mom dates a chance. She would never allow someone in her life that she didn’t think would do right by you. She’s smarter than that.” And even though it was only their first date, Krista hoped that Mandy found her prince in this new guy.
It was after three when they docked the boat and hauled the day’s catch to the back of Noah’s Jeep. Adam was quiet on the drive home, tuckered out and happy. He didn’t say a word all the way to his driveway. Krista turned back at one point to see if he’d fallen asleep, but he was still wide-eyed, his little cheeks flushed from the sun and the day’s excitement.
“We’re here,” Noah said as he parked.
Adam sat for a moment. “This was maybe the best day of my life!” he finally said.
“Glad you enjoyed yourself, buddy.” Noah got out and opened the back door.
Adam opened his arms wide and gave Noah a huge hug when he did. “Will you take me every time I get sick and leave the hospital?”
Noah furrowed his brow, scratched his chin. “You don’t have to get sick for me to take you fishing. In fact, I’d prefer it if you stayed well so we can go fishing more often.”
“Really?” Adam’s whole face lit up.
For a second, Krista panicked. You couldn’t make a kid promises that you didn’t plan on keeping. Noah had no idea, but a kid would hold you to your word every time. She relaxed as she watched him lift Adam up from the floor of his Jeep and place him firmly on the ground. She was worried for nothing, she realized. Noah had enjoyed the day as much as Adam. They weren’t empty words, and that made her fall just a little bit more in love than she already was.
