If I Didn't Know Better (The Callaways #9)(77)

"We're going to make cookies and watch movies and tell stories. And Faith's mom said she's going to put up a tent in the living room that we can sleep in. It will be like we're camping."

"That sounds very cool."

"Mommy said she used to camp when she was a little girl," Ashlyn told him, her smile fading a little. "She was going to take me, but she never did."

"I know she'd be happy that you're going indoor camping tonight, and one of these days you and I will go outdoor camping. I know some great places to go."

"Will we see bears?"

"Well, I kind of hope not," he said with a laugh. "But we can hike up to an amazing waterfall. You'll love it."

"Can Mia come with us when we go camping?"

His gut tightened. He'd like nothing more than for Mia to come with them, but he needed to be careful about making promises to Ashlyn that he couldn't keep. He wanted his daughter to trust him completely. But he didn't want to get into a heavy discussion now when she was itching to get out of the car, so he said, "We'll see if she's free. Let's go inside."

He walked Ashlyn into the party and watched her join the other kids with barely a backward glance in his direction.

"You going to be okay, Dad?" Kara asked him with a teasing smile, a knowing gleam in her eyes.

"It's just so strange. A couple of days ago, she could barely smile or speak to anyone. Now, it's like she's a new person. Once she was able to talk about what happened to her mom and cry it out on my shoulder, she got better."

"That's a good thing, Jeremy."

"I just want it to last, and I'm afraid that this night might be a bit much for her."

"I will make sure that she's fine, and if she's not, you will get a call. But honestly, Jeremy, I think it's going to be great. She's really good with the little kids. My two already love her to death, and Jeanette and Melody have decided she's their new best friend." She put a reassuring hand on his arm. "Go out and have some fun. I don't expect you've had much time to yourself the last month."

"No, I haven't."

"Are you and Mia going out somewhere tonight?"

Everyone had obviously decided he and Mia were a couple, which actually didn't sound bad to him. It had been a long day without her by his side; he was looking forward to their first real date. "I thought I'd take her to the Stonecreek Inn."

"That's romantic and expensive. Lucky girl."

"I'm the lucky one. She's an amazing woman. I've never met anyone like her."

"She is great," Kara agreed. "I like her a lot. She's friendly and unpretentious and fun. I wish she'd stay in Angel's Bay. I wish you'd stay, too."

"I don't know what I'm going to do."

"I know you have issues with your dad."

"I've resolved some of those, I think. Although, I thought he might come to the park last night for the movie, and he didn't. I don't know if he fell off the wagon again or just wasn't ready to meet Ashlyn and try to be a grandfather. But it doesn’t matter. He's not going to be part of my decision."

"I'm glad. You can't let the negative people in your life control you."

"I agree. So is Colin helping you with this sleepover?"

"Absolutely. Are you kidding? I would not do this without him. He ran out to the store to get more eggs for our cookie baking bonanza."

"Great. I'll see you tomorrow morning then, if not before."

"Have fun, Jeremy. You deserve it."

He walked over to Ashlyn to tell her he was leaving. She gave him a nod and a quick hug and then went back to the game she was playing. She would be fine, he told himself again as he headed to his car. He needed to get on with his own fun.

As he drove away from Kara's house, he felt free, not just because he'd dropped Ashlyn off somewhere, but because his daughter was enjoying her life like a normal eight-year-old. He'd come to Angel's Bay to give her an environment where she'd feel safe, where she could heal, and amazingly that had happened.

How was he ever going to leave?

But that was a question for another time. Right now he had a date with a beautiful blonde.



*



"Is it crazy that I feel nervous?" Mia asked Jeremy as she got into his car just before seven. She'd put on a spaghetti-strapped sundress and wedge heels and actually taken time to curl her hair and put on makeup. She was feeling both pretty and not really herself. "It's not like we haven't had a meal together."

"Or had incredible sex," he reminded her.

"Or that," she said, flushing under his gaze. "But tonight feels different. It feels planned. Like we're making a choice."

"The only choice you have to make tonight is what to order off the menu. Stonecreek is known for its steaks, but we are by the ocean, so I'm sure the fish is good, too."

"It all sounds delicious. I only had a salad for lunch."

"What did you do all day—besides miss me?" he teased.

She laughed. "I didn't have time to miss you. I had a parade of people come through the yard. Christina Wykoff didn't find her painting and wanted to know what happened to it. Unfortunately, I couldn't give her an answer. She was not happy. Rita Phelps did locate her painting and took it out of the exhibition, which was fine with me, because it wasn't very good. Kent also came by, but he didn't locate his painting, either. He was more resigned to the fact that it was gone than Christina. She wanted to search the house."