“Yeah, I know. The kids would love it. I wonder if they still have that teacup ride thing. Lucy would have a blast.” I met Ronan’s eyes. “I bet we could win some seriously huge stuffed thing for her. We know all the pitfalls of those games.”
He laughed. “Yeah, we do.” I had a friend who used to work in one of the traveling fairs in the summer. He gave us some great pointers which we could use today.
“I was going to take them all to lunch at the diner, then head to the fair. You want to meet us for lunch?”
“Around noon?”
“That works.”
“Okay, sounds good. Listen, you have plans for Monday?”
He shook his head. “Beth doesn’t have study group, so I planned on hanging with her and Evan. Why?”
“Can you add Lucy to that?” I cleared my throat. “I’d like to take Paige on a date. She’ll agree if Lucy is looked after by you and Beth.”
“Not an issue. I love that little girl. Anytime.”
“Great.”
“So—”
I held up my hand. “No questions yet, Ronan. I don’t have the answers. I want to take her on a date. Spoil her a little. I think both the girls, and the kids, need a little of that. Today can be about the kids. Monday will be about Paige. You can pick a night, and I’ll make sure Evan’s covered. Deal?”
He pursed his lips. “You sound pretty serious, considering it’s been, like, a week,” he pointed out.
I shrugged. “How fast did you fall for Beth? I mean, let’s be honest. You were besotted right away.”
He chuckled. “You’re right. I was. They’re pretty hard to resist.”
“Yep.”
He grinned, his smile the replica of our mother’s. Wide and bright. Dad always called us his sunbeams when we were kids. To this day, he called our mother his “Sunshine.”
Ronan stood. “Okay, see you at the diner at twelve. Will I tell Paige you’re coming?”
I shook my head. “I’ll surprise her.”
He laughed as he headed down the steps. “Okay, bro. Later.”
I watched him stroll toward his house, thinking how much happier he was. Beth was good for him. He was good for her. They made a great couple, and I looked forward to getting to know her better.
Invariably, my thoughts turned to Paige. She’d been on my mind a lot since our lunch. Our talk. Our first kiss. I replayed the moments of having her in my arms over in my mind. She fit there as if that was where she belonged. Her mouth underneath mine had been responsive and sweet. So bloody sweet. She made me laugh with her witty comebacks and smart remarks. I wanted to know everything about her. Her admission that the thought of us dating made her nervous was something I would have to overcome. I would prove to her I was serious—that she wasn’t simply a passing thing for me. None of us Callaghans was built that way. When we loved, we loved completely.
And I had a feeling I was already half in love with Paige Winters. And her little angel of a daughter.
If that made her nervous, then it was a challenge I would have to surmount.
I grinned as I stood and went inside to get my keys and head to the jobsite.
I did love me a challenge.
The look on Paige’s face when I walked into the diner later was priceless. Her eyes widened, and a smile broke out on her face as I strode toward the table. Beth was talking to them, her pad out to get their orders as I slid into the booth, dropping a kiss to Lucy’s cheek and squeezing Paige’s shoulder. I caught the tail end of what Ronan was saying, and I nodded. “Yep. Order whatever you want—milkshakes included. I already know what I’m having.”
I sat back, letting my arm rest on the back of the booth, my fingers touching Paige. “After, we’ll go to the park,” I announced. “There’s a little fair at the one not far from your place.”
Lucy and Evan became excited, both talking at once. Then Evan frowned and shook his head. “I don’t know if I can.”
I shook my head as Ronan patted him on the shoulder. “It’s good, bud. We’ve got it covered.”
He perked up, his grin wide and relieved. “Really?”
“Yep. So let’s eat lunch and head to the fair.”
Lucy bent over the place mat she had, coloring it carefully, using her prosthetic arm to hold the paper in place as she filled it in with bright colors. I felt the touch of Paige’s fingers on my hand, and I glanced up, meeting her lovely blue eyes.
“Thank you,” she mouthed.
I winked and flipped my hand, squeezing her fingers. I liked seeing her happy. Seeing the kids happy. I wished Beth could join us, but I decided I would stay and keep Evan busy later so Ronan and Beth had some time to themselves.