Page 25 of Sean
Bobbie sidled over to the redhead and pushed her glasses up on her nose before bending down to Jace’s level.She bopped him on the nose with a finger.“Hey there, cutie.”She took a step back, placed both hands on her hips, and looked at Monica.“Nice try, girlfriend, but this is your party.”
She held out her hands and Sean could see red polish gleaming in the overhead lights.
“If I can risk a fresh manicure on this project, you can match me inch for inch.”She held out her arms.“Besides, it’s my turn to hold the baby.”
Monica turned away as if sheltering Jace from a monster.The kid wasn’t even one, but he already had women fighting over him.“Get your own.”
“There’s a difference in smelly toddler and cuddly baby.Gimme.”
Caleb sighed.“You might as well get comfortable.Those two are worse than sisters.Once they start bickering, it takes a court order to get them back on track.”As if to belie his own words, Caleb put two fingers in his mouth and issued a shrill whistle.
Sean covered his ears while the women looked in their direction.
“Ladies, it’s going on six and we’ve barely made a dent.”Caleb’s son had come running at the whistle, and Caleb put a hand on his head.“No one’s had dinner.”He paused to look at Sean.
Sean shook his head.
Caleb continued.“And we have limited time before the banshees get restless.”
“Spoil sport.”Monica headed back to Sean and handed Jace to him.
Bobbie boosted herself to her toes and brushed her husband’s cheek with a kiss.“What she said, but you’re right.Let’s get this show back on the road.”
“Yes, let’s,” Monica agreed.“Just so you know, I don’t plan to send you away hungry.I packed food for when we’re done.”She looked at Sean.“The playpen will be fine by the door, but if you want to leave him free, the space is big enough that he won’t be in the way.”
“Parker will keep him busy,” Bobbie added.
Parker looked up at his name.“I three,” he said, holding up four fingers.
Bobbie bent down and gently tucked the extra finger into the boy’s palm.“Let’s not grow up too fast.”
It was worth a try.Sean put Jace on the floor and surrounded him with the toys he’d brought.
Parker sat next to him, and in no time, the little boys were pushing cars and trucks around the wooden floor, engaged in a conversation that a linguistics expert would have a hard time following.
Sean slid his hands into his back pockets and looked at Monica.“I’m all yours.How can I help?”
***
MONICA STOOD BESIDESean.The work ahead should have had her full attention, but with Jace occupied, she was having a hard time focusing.Sean’s dark brown hair was slightly windblown, and his worn, faded jeans hugged his runner’s legs in a very distracting way.She couldn’t ever remember describing a man assexy, but the term certainly fit.And whatever cologne he was wearing made her want to get two steps closer.The problem was, only one step separated them.
Arizona...Dead wife.Arizona...Dead wife.
Bobbie cleared her throat and sent her a pointed look.
“Sorry, I was...playing with the layout in my head.”
Liar.
Monica shushed the pestering little voice and turned slightly, hoping the heat on her face wasn’t a full-blown blush.She motioned to the room.“I’ve got thirty vendors booked.They each need a ten-foot by ten-foot area.The best layout I could figure was three rows of ten.”She handed Sean a roll of tape and a tape measure.“We’ve got a good start.It shouldn’t take us long to finish.”
As the work got back underway, the gym was mostly silent except for the playful squeals and an occasional squabble from the two little boys.Ninety minutes after Sean’s arrival, Monica stepped back to the door and looked out over their handiwork.The space was marked out with space for thirty booths, each outfitted with a table and a couple of chairs.Nice, wide aisles would accommodate a tide of shoppers.She could almost see people browsing the tables for gifts to flesh out their Christmas lists.
Please, God, let tomorrow be a success.
An irritated cry accompanied her prayer.She turned and saw Sean lifting Jace off the floor.
“Is he hungry?”Monica asked.
