Chance nodded. That was eight months away. “Will you?”
“There’s no reason for me not to, I suppose. Being engaged for almost six months is long enough, don’t you think? See you later.”
When the door closed behind Bas, Chance stood and walked over to the window and looked out. Deciding to rid Bas and his issues from his mind, he turned his thoughts to his own problem.
Kylie Hagan.
He couldn’t help wondering whether she’d made a decision about the camping trip yet. Several times that day he’d been tempted to call her but had changed his mind.
He felt excited at the prospect of having her at the cabin for an entire weekend, even with the knowledge that their kids would be around to keep them company. It would be hard to keep his attraction to her at bay, but he would.
He figured the reason she was hesitating was because the thought of them spending the night under the same roof bothered her. She was well aware that the kids would have to go to sleep eventually, and when they did, it would be parents’ time.
She was fighting the chemistry between them. He knew that just as he knew it was a fight she wouldn’t win. But he would let her try, up to a certain point. He’d give her until the end of the week and if he didn’t hear from her by then, he would take some necessary action.
“SO, HAVE YOU DECIDED whether or not you and Tiffy are going camping with Chance Steele and his son?”
Kylie glanced up from the meal she and Lena were sharing during their weekly lunch date at a popular restaurant in town. “Who told you about that?” she asked.
Lena smiled. “Who else? My goddaughter, of course. She’s all excited at the thought of going camping.”
Kylie rolled her eyes. “I’m beginning to wonder if it’s the camping trip that has her excited or the thought of being around Marcus an entire weekend. If it’s the latter then she might as well get unexcited because if I do decide to go, I’ll have my eyes on her and Marcus the entire time. Any time they spend together will definitely be supervised.”
Lena couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at her lips. “So you think she has an ulterior motive for wanting to go?”
“Hey, remember I was young and in love once, and when you are their age, you look for every opportunity to be together, whether you’re under your parents’ watchful eyes or not.”
“Yes, that could very well be, but at some point you’re going to have to start trusting her, Kylie. You can’t continue to judge Tiffy by the way you behaved with Sam. The more you do, the more she’s going to resent it.”
There was anguish in Kylie’s eyes and a wee hint of guilt. “It’s so hard being a parent these days, Lena. You want the best for your kids and you go on the premise that experience is the best teacher, but then you’re faced with the question of how you can be there to protect them without suffocating them.”
Lena nodded, clearly understanding. “I think for you it’s more difficult because Tiffy is all you have. Over the years she has become your life. Have you given thought to becoming involved in other things?”
“Other things like what? I have a florist shop to run, Lena. It’s not like I don’t have anything else to do with my time.”
“Yes, but only when Tiffy is at school. Other than that you’re a full-time mother who really doesn’t have a life other than her child.”
Kylie knew where this conversation was leading since they had been down this road several times. It was the one topic she and Lena didn’t agree on. Lena felt it was a crying shame that she didn’t have a man in her life and hadn’t had one since high school.