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Josh asked questions. And he and Nathan had a real conversation. Isabella didn’t say a word, just cuddled her ratty blanket.
At the strip mall, Cheryl pulled up in front of the store. “Everyone out.”
Josh didn’t need help with his buckle and he unlocked Isabella’s chair, too. “Come on.”
The little girl crawled out Josh’s side of the car and took his hand. Nathan stood with the car door open, confusion filling his face.
Cheryl stopped on the sidewalk. “Has she said anything?”
“No.” He rubbed his neck. “Is that normal?”
“I don’t know.” After Levi, Josh had been pretty quiet, too. “Maybe.”
“What should I do?”
He looked so lost, she patted his arm. “Give her stability. Give her love.”
“I guess.” He wiped a hand over his face. “Where do we start?”
“Where’s the list?”
He pulled it out of his pocket and handed it to her. He pointed down two doors from the store. “I’ve been to that bar and never knew there were stores here.”
“I’ve been in this store and never knew there was a bar here.” And didn’t that highlight their differences?
“Let’s go.” She wanted this evening over, but the two kids were kneeling next to a shrub.
“I found a really cool bug.” Josh pointed at a branch.
“Wow.” Nathan crouched next to the kids. “It’s a praying mantis.”
Josh reached out to pick up the bug.
“You should leave it alone.” Nathan told him. “They eat the bad insects.”
“How come we haven’t seen any at my camp?” Josh’s eyebrows were pinched together.
“They aren’t that common,” Nathan said. “They’re cool-looking, aren’t they?”
“I guess.” Josh shrugged.
“I haven’t seen a praying mantis in years.” Nathan smiled.
Something loosened in Cheryl’s chest as she ushered them into the store. She’d been around Nathan’s identical twin a lot. She should be used to looking at his handsome face. But there was something different about Nathan. His face was...weathered. Like he’d seen too much, done too much, felt too much.
She straightened her shoulders. It was a mistake to romanticize Nathan. He’d lived a tough life—on purpose.
Nathan set a hand on her shoulder. “I forgot to thank you for helping me.”
She slipped away from his disturbing touch. “No problem.”
She headed for the booster seats while Josh zeroed in on the play equipment. She kept an eye on him as Nathan settled Isabella into each booster seat, testing the size.
Cheryl read the weight restrictions. “Do you know how much she weighs?”
He shook his head. Picking the girl up, he threw her over his head. She gave a bright chirp of a giggle. “Can’t be more than thirty pounds.”
“This one should last you a while.” Cheryl pointed.
“What do you think?” Nathan crouched next to his daughter, who shrugged.
“I guess that’s a yes.” He looked around the store. “What else?”
“She’s small, so she could use a booster seat at the table.”
“I’ll need to buy a kitchen table.” Nathan picked up two booster seats. “One for my folks’ house.”
She checked on Josh. He was coloring on an easel. She took in a breath. Her son loved drawing and coloring. How much would an easel cost?
Guiding Nathan to the strollers, she asked, “Do you want a stroller?”
Panic flared in his eyes. “Do I need one?”
“Not necessarily, but it’s nice when they’re tired and you don’t have enough arms to carry stuff and her.”
He stared at the choices, not moving. To speed up the selection process, she guided him to a small umbrella stroller. “This should work.”
Isabella sat in the seat, tugged up her blanket and stuck her thumb in her mouth.
“I guess that means we’ll take it.” Nathan rubbed Isabella’s hair.
“We can look at furniture now.”
He shook his head. “No used furniture.”
Wouldn’t that be a nice attitude to have? Cheryl checked through the second-hand clothes instead. “Do you want clothes? This is nice.” It was a pretty pink cotton sundress.
“Sure.” His lost expression was back.
She grabbed a few outfits and then called to Josh, wanting to pull him away from the art supplies before he could ask for something she couldn’t afford. “Can you help us find a stool for Isabella?”
“Over there.” Josh pointed to the side of the store, not moving toward her.
“Come test them out.”
He rolled his eyes. “I’m too big for this.”
“That’s because you’re taller. Isabella, can you try it out?” The little girl stepped on the stool.
“That looks good. Right?” Nathan asked.
“Yup.” Cheryl checked through the rest of the store, but didn’t see anything else on the list. “I think that’s it. Josh, take Isabella’s hand and we’ll check out.” By helping, maybe her son wouldn’t be upset he hadn’t gotten anything.
“Hang on.” Nathan headed to the back of the store.
Cheryl didn’t have a chance to wonder what he’d spotted. She pulled the clothes out of the stroller and set them on top of the booster chairs on the counter.
“Your daughter will look precious in that dress.” The cashier smiled as she rang up the charges.
“Thanks, but she’s not my daughter. That’s my son.”
The clerk blinked. “Wow. The kids look alike.”
Cheryl looked between Josh and Isabella. They both had blond hair and brown eyes. “I never noticed.”
Nathan joined them at the counter.
“Are they cousins?” The clerk’s smile changed, a little more flirtatious.
“They aren’t related.” Nathan carried the easel Josh had been admiring. “This, too.”
Josh’s face turned into a thundercloud.
Nathan set his hand on Josh’s shoulder. “Thanks for helping out tonight.”
Josh’s frown deepened. “Is that for Isabella?”
“It’s for you.” Nathan grinned.
Cheryl saw the price. “It’s too much.”
“Mom,” Josh pleaded.
“He had to share his bedroom last night. I think it’s okay.” Nathan stroked the easel. “I had one like this when I was a kid.”
Cheryl twisted her hands together. She wasn’t comfortable with Nathan buying her son a gift, especially such an expensive one.
Josh stared at her. “Please.”
She swallowed. “Okay.”
He grinned. “I’ll carry it.”
“What do you say?” she reminded him.
“Thanks.”
She looked at him.
Josh took a deep breath. “Thank you, Mr. Nathan.”
“You’re welcome.” Nathan nudged her shoulder. “That’s a cool trick,” he said under his breath.
“What?”
“Getting him to talk with just a glare.” Nathan touched his daughter’s hair. “Can you do the same with Isabella?”
Cheryl’s heart lurched. “Maybe she just needs more time.”
“Maybe.” He handed his credit card to the cashier. “Where to next?”
She checked her watch. “We need to eat.”
“Okay.” He grabbed the booster seats and stroller.
The clerk handed her the shopping bag. Josh carried the easel like it was nitroglycerine. Too bad he wasn’t always that careful. He’d broken a plate just last week.
While Nathan installed the car seat, she and Josh put the rest of the purchases in the trunk, but kept out the stroller.
“There’s a café around the corner that’s fast,” Cheryl said. “We can walk over.”
“I’ll follow your lead.”
“Get Isabella in her stroller, unless you want to carry her.”
He grimaced. “I was hoping you’d do the honors.”
“You need to learn.” No matter how helpless he looked, she refused to enable him.
“Let’s give this a try.” He took his daughter’s hand and strapped her in the chair. “That wasn’t hard.”
Four women piled out of a car, laughing as they headed to the bar. Nathan watched as they passed.
“What a cutie.” A woman leaned over the stroller, flashing poor Isabella her abundant cleavage.
“Thanks.” Nathan grinned.
The woman looked at Nathan and sighed. “All the good ones are taken.” She looked at Cheryl. “Lucky you.”
The blonde joined her friends and they entered the bar. The sound of laughter and loud voices drifted out through the open door.
Cheryl shook her head. “I can’t believe that.”
“Yeah.” Nathan looked longingly at the bar. “She didn’t even check to see if we were wearing rings.”
That’s what he’d noticed? Not the woman’s flirty tone or too-tight shirt?
“I’m hungry,” Josh complained.
