Page 39 of The Pilot

Linc chuckled. “I had to do it. Their wedding is at Lobster Cove, after all.”

“Yeah.”

“Oh, you know what else we bought?” Kash said, sounding almost giddy with excitement.

“What’s that?” Harper asked, forcing herself to look away from Linc. She wanted nothing more than to press herself against him and ask him to take her upstairs, but that would be inappropriate as hell, not to mention they didn’t have time—and Linc hadn’t given any indication that he wanted to repeat the gentle kiss he’d given her three weeks ago.

Not until today, that was. Not until he saw her in something other than the day-to-day jeans and sweats she usually wore. She liked knowing she could affect him. That she could surprise him by not always looking like the harried single mother he’d probably gotten used to, the one who worked too hard and stressed too much.

“Little lobsters!” Kash crowed, as he held up a bag full of teensy plastic lobsters.

Harper frowned. “What are those for?”

“We’re going to go into Britt and Chad’s house and hide them everywhere while they’re on their honeymoon in Portland. There’s two hundred and fifty of them in here. We even numbered them all, so they can keep track of how many they find. It’s going to be so much fun!”

Harper looked back at Linc in surprise. “That’s . . . um . . . kind of mean?”

“Naw, it’s all in good fun. I’ve seen it done with ducks or frogs mostly, but you know . . . when in Maine . . .”

“What about the baby? Won’t he or she choke on them?”

“We’ll mostly put them up high. You know, on top of picture frames, inside cabinets, in their silverware drawer. They’ll have found most of them by the time the baby comes anyway. But I’m hoping there will be some hanging around for years. Chad’ll find one and roll his eyes and think of his oldest brother.”

“I can’t wait!” Kash gushed. “I’ve been watching videos online of other people who’ve done something like this, to get some good ideas about where to hide them. And I’ve got some great ones!”

“Well, count me out. I don’t want Britt to think I had anything to do with it.”

“No worries, she’ll know it was all me and Kash. Right, Bud?” Linc held up his hand to high-five the boy, and they both grinned like lunatics.

It was in that moment that Harper felt herself falling completely for the man. He’d not only gone out of his way to take her son shopping, but he’d also ordered him a custom bow tie, and now he was including him in his shenanigans with his brothers. Kash had never looked so happy and carefree. Had never had a chance until now.

It was a bittersweet moment. Both because of her son—knowing she, alone, hadn’t been able to give him the life he had now—and because she had no idea what to do about her intense attraction to Lincoln. She wasn’t the kind of woman who could have a no-strings-attached affair. Never had been. If she gave in to her attraction to Linc, it would hurt like hell when things ended.

And she had no doubt that things would end. She was only a temporary houseguest. Eventually, he’d want his house back. Would want to return to his quiet, private life, the one where he didn’t have to constantly watch over and entertain someone else’s kid.

As much as she respected and admired the man—and wanted him physically—she couldn’t have him. Not if she thought it might end in her heartbreak . . . and especially not in Kash’s.

With that thought running through her mind, she took a deep breath and turned away from the temptation that was Lincoln Young. “Ready to go, Kash?”

“Yup!”

“You need to be on your best behavior today,” she warned.

“Mooooom, of course I will be.”

“All right, I’m just saying, this is an important day for Britt and Chad, and we want to do whatever we can for it to go perfectly.”

“There’s no such thing as perfect,” Kash said.

Harper let out a little huff of laughter. Figured her son would choose that moment to parrot back to her words she’d said to him more than once.

“Right. As perfect as it can be then.”

“Do you think we’ll be able to sneak away to do the lobster attack before the ceremony?” Kash asked Linc as he headed for the door.

“Doubt it. Don’t worry, we’ll figure out a time. Even if we have to pretend to leave, then sneak back around to the house in the dark.”

“Ooooh! A covert operation! Yes! Let’s do that.”