Daisy immediately perked up, then saw the unfamiliar people and shyly hunkered down. The puppies, however, charged forward, making Justin laugh.
Ivey and Corbin stepped back and watched in companionable silence. In the middle of the yard, Justin plopped down and allowed the puppies to crawl all over him.
Corbin stood close beside her. She could feel the heat of him, even smelled some masculine scent, like maybe soap or aftershave. It made her breathe more deeply. The way he watched his son, a small smile on his mouth, made her heart turn over. In so many ways, he was incredibly appealing, physically and emotionally.
“Thank you,” he said.
Good Lord. Had she given those compliments out loud? Ivey stared up at him in question.
“For this.” He nodded at Justin. “I’m hoping the dog will keep him company when I have to work.”
“Oh?” Seeing that as the perfect segue, she asked, “What is it you do?”
“I’m an IT program and project manager. I’m able to work from home, but there’s a lot of virtual meetings with technicians, teleconferencing and phone calls. When Justin joined me...” He shook his head, discontent with that phrasing. “When I realized I had a son, I took an extended leave of absence, but I have to get back to work eventually. I’m hoping a dog will keep him company when I’m unavailable.” He hurried to add, “I’ll be home with him, so of course I’ll be accessible if he needs me, but I’d rather he play outside—where I can see him—than just watch TV or play video games.”
He’d covered a lot of ground, as if assuring her that he understood his many responsibilities as a parent. “It can all be overwhelming, I’m sure.”
“Maybe. It’s been fun though. Challenging.” He rubbed his hands together. “He’s adapted so much better than I could have hoped.”
“Children are resilient. And you’re good with him, so I’m sure that helps.”
He glanced at her. “Hope told you the situation?”
“She did, yes. Is that okay?”
“Of course. I assumed she would.” He had his gaze on Justin, then his smile widened. “Such an amazing kid.”
Ivey managed to tear her attention away from Corbin’s profile to glance at Justin, then couldn’t look away. On his belly, inching forward, Justin held out a hand...to Daisy.
Ears flattened in worry, but with her tail swinging, Daisy sniffed his hand. She didn’t move away.
Stunned, Ivey whispered, “Daisy is afraid of everyone.” Her eyes went glassy with emotion, especially when the dog allowed Justin to gently pet her with only one finger. “Oh, he is an amazing little boy. Oh my.” She swallowed heavily. “This is incredible.”
Corbin kept his voice as low as hers. “He has a lot of love to give.” His gaze never left his son.
“Justin?” Ivey called softly.
The boy looked over his shoulder, his expression somber. “Are you keeping her?”
“I wish I could.” Ivey wished that so very much. “But Maurice is afraid of dogs. He’s old and—”
“I want her.”
Her heart positively melted. She had to draw deep breaths to keep from tearing up.
Looking every bit as fragile as Daisy, Justin asked, “Is that okay, Dad?”
Given the poignant expression on his face, Justin hadn’t called him that often. There was so much emotion evident. So much pride.
To bridge the moment, Ivey said, “She’s a Jack-a-bee. A mix of a Jack Russell terrier and a beagle. I’m guessing she’s around four years old. Twelve pounds, which is smaller than many.” Daisy hadn’t had an easy go at life so far, but finding a forever home would help her to blossom. “Once she warms up to you, she likes jumping and running, and she loves to howl.”
Justin stared at Corbin, waiting with mixed hopefulness and defiance.
“I think that would be terrific,” he finally said, his voice gruff. “Clearly she likes you.”
“Yeah.” Justin urged her into his lap, then put his cheek to the top of her head.
Ivey couldn’t help it. She leaned into Corbin, letting their arms touch. “We can’t separate her from her puppies just yet. They’re barely five weeks old.”
“I don’t mind waiting,” Justin said, and he laughed as one of the puppies tried to climb him and tumbled over.
“God,” Ivey murmured. “I really love your kid.”
“Yeah.” Corbin put his hand to the small of her back. “I’m pretty nuts about him, too.”
Chapter Three
Hearing Justin call him Dad was like a powerful punch to the heart, leaving Corbin raw. The tree house hadn’t done it, nor the bike or even the thought of a boat.
But that little dog had done the trick.
He watched the careful way Justin explored the scar on the dog’s leg, tracing it with his fingertips. Emotion damn near took out his knees. One day, he’d be able to show his son how much he loved him, but his plan was to go slow, to give Justin time to adjust, to let things happen in their own way. Too many decisions had been taken from Justin already: a new parent he didn’t know, a new place to live. A new way of life.
He deserved to make some decisions for himself, like what dog he wanted to adopt...and what to call Corbin.
Today felt like they’d made incredible strides.
“Why don’t we leave him to get better acquainted while you and I talk?” Ivey asked.
Corbin realized they stood very close together, his arm around her, his hand open on her narrow back...and she didn’t seem to mind. He’d been so absorbed watching Justin, he’d reacted without thinking. Touching her had seemed right, natural, even necessary, so he had.
Since discovering he had a son, women hadn’t factored much into his thoughts or plans. He’d been too intent on figuring out the future and all the ways he wanted to make life better and more secure for his son.
But now? With this particular woman?
He liked Ivey a lot.
Her smile made him want to get even closer. So many things about her drew him. The fact that she liked Justin obviously helped, but it was more than that. Though she seemed to consider it a fault, her refreshing bluntness amused him. It was appealing how she openly cared for Hope. He appreciated her focus on animals, her contributions to the community. So many people had already sung her praises.
And she was currently unattached.
Added to all that was her unique but appealing looks. He liked the vibrant way she smiled, how she often fussed with her wildly curling hair and how her slender hands moved when she talked.