Page 78 of The Perfect Distraction

“Beth’s told me all about you.”

“Oh.” Turning to Colton, he said, “Are you ready to go, Dad?”

“I’m taking him to the soccer field to practice,” Colton explained.

Beth nodded and gave him a quick smile. It was difficult to discern his mood with an audience, but she sensed some discomfort on his part too.

“It was nice meeting you, Becca. Enjoy your visit.” With a quick nod at Beth, he and Joey got into the car and drove away.

“Wow!” Becca said once the car was out of sight. “He is Dadalicious!”

“Bec.”

“Just sayin’.”

“He is, isn’t he?”

“Uh, yeah. I don’t get how you could even consider going back to Christopher now.”

“I never said I was.”

“But you didn’t say you weren’t either.”

“That’s what Colton said.”

“Do you blame him? C’mon, Beth. Even I can tell he’s crazy about you, and I just got here. And his son is absolutely adorable. He’s Colton’s mini-me.”

Glancing down at her watch, Beth said, “Are you hungry?”

“Way to change the subject.”

“Well, you drove four hours to get here, and it’s lunchtime.”

“I could eat.”

Beth laughed because it was a phrase that she and her sisters often used. “I’ll take you to Stafford’s on the harbor.”

“Sounds good.”

After they brought Becca’s bags inside and grabbed their handbags, they took off on foot to the restaurant.

Becca chatted excitedly as they walked through town, pointing out stores and restaurants that they’d been to as kids. “I forgot how gorgeous this place is,” she exclaimed when the harbor came into view. “I bet it’s going to be hard for you to leave here.”

What an understatement. “I appreciate it even more now than I did when we were kids,” Beth said.

“It’s so much more peaceful than at home with all the traffic and subdivisions going up left and right.”

“Those subdivisions are your bread and butter,” Beth reminded her.

“Yes, but I imagine there’s a lot of bread and butter here too,” Becca said, her eyes sweeping the shoreline.

Beth eyed her curiously. “You wouldn’t consider moving here, would you?”

Becca shrugged. “Why not? I don’t have anything tying me down at home. I can sell real estate anywhere.”

Beth had considered the idea herself, but teaching jobs weren’t as easy to come by. She shook off the thought as they went into the restaurant and were seated on the deck overlooking the bay. Docked in front of the restaurant was a long, sleek-looking yacht with a deckhand on board.

“Who can afford that?” Beth said.