Page 9 of Game Over
Drew rubbed his big brown eyes before stepping forward, trailing his teddy bear behind him. He was wearing striped pyjamas and his chestnut hair was standing on end. He smiled shyly at Harper. “Hi.”
Harper’s smile spread as she looked from Deke to Drew. “Wow, you just might be the cutest…” She narrowed her eyes at Deke. “That was part of the plan, wasn’t it? Lure me in with the cute factor?” She shook her head, laughing, when he couldn’t deny it. “You’re terrible. Shame on you.”
Drew’s eyes widened. “What’d you do, Uncle Deke?”
Drew took everything literally and if Harper claimed Deke had done something to be ashamed of, his nephew wanted to know about it.
“Come here, you.” Deke reached for his hand, tugging Drew forward so he was standing in front of him. Putting his chin on Drew’s shoulder as they faced Harper, he asked, “Does this help?”
Her lips twitched before she crossed her arms, trying to look stern. “You’re too much.”
He winked at her, biting back the naughty comment on the tip of his tongue. Wouldn’t be the first time she’d told him he was too much, but then she meant it in the literal sense. “Buddy,” he said to Drew, “This is my friend, Harper. We went to high school together.”
“Did you know my daddy too?” he asked, curling his little hands around Deke’s.
“Sure did,” Harper said, smiling. “He’s a great guy. And so brave too. You’re very lucky.”
“Yeah, I know.” He bit his lip. “Sometimes I wish I had a mommy though.” He turned his head to catch a glimpse of Deke. “Not that you’re not great, Uncle Deke. But you can’t bake. Stephan’s mom bakes chocolate chip cookies for him all the time.”
Deke’s heart clenched every time Drew mentioned his mother. She’d bailed on him when he was just a few weeks old and never looked back. Claimed she wasn’t cut out to be a mom. Too bad she hadn’t thought of that before she went off the pill to try and snag Drew’s daddy.
Harper’s smile was sad when she said, “I love to bake. I’d be happy to make chocolate chip cookies with you sometime.”
“Really?” His smile lit up his whole face, revealing two missing teeth. “That’d be awesome!” He looked at Deke again. “Would that be okay? If we used your kitchen to bake cookies?”
There was nothing Deke wouldn’t do for this kid. “Of course.” He’d done everything he could to make Drew feel at home at his place, but they occupied another apartment in the building and Drew always talked about missing his own room. “You can make as big a mess as you want.” He squeezed him hard, tickling his tummy.
Drew giggled. “You’re the best.”
Every time this kid was in his arms, his heart swelled, making him wish for things he might never have. Like a kid of his own.
Harper smiled at their exchange before she said, “What else do you like to do, Drew? Besides eat chocolate chip cookies?”
“Um, well…” He stuck the tip of his finger in his mouth. “I like cartoons, going to the park.” His eyes widened again. “And I loooovvvveee going to the zoo.”
Harper giggled. “Really? The zoo is one of my favorite places! The park too. I could live on the swings.”
Drew laughed. “You’re too big for the swings at our park.”
Harper pouted. “What are you saying, Mister? They wouldn’t let me on the swings?”
He shook his head, still smiling. “Nope.”
“Huh. We might have to find a new park then.” She raised her chin. “With big people swings.” She leaned in. “Would you push me on the swings?”
Her eyes were still sparkling with amusement when he said, “Sure.”
She twisted her lips, pretending to consider her next question before she leaned in and whispered, “How ‘bout under-doggies? Any good at those?”
He laughed out loud. “You’re supposed to give me underdoggies!”
Deke watched their exchange with a smile on his face, trying like hell not to fall even deeper for this girl, but she wasn’t making it easy. Seeing her with his nephew made him think about how great she’d be with her own kids someday. And there’d been a time when he thought he’d be the guy going with her to push their kids on the swings at the park.
“I am?” Harper shrugged. “Okay, I guess I can live with that.”
“Will you really take me to the park?” Drew asked, sounding hopeful. “Maybe after we bake the cookies?”
Deke could tell this kid was tugging on Harper’s heartstrings the same way he did his. He missed his daddy, had never known his mommy, and wanted siblings like his other friends. No matter how hard Deke tried, he couldn’t give him everything he wanted or needed. But maybe Harper could find it in her heart to help fill the void in the kid’s life. And his too.
