Page 70 of Discerning Blake

Blake raises his hands up. “I don’t know. For now, everything is a possibility as long as it fits within our budget.”

“I still think your main attraction should be nature. You should offer hiking trips and river rafting.”

“You should get horses for riding!” Chase is getting excited, and I’m glad to see his outburst seems to be forgotten for now.

Blake laughs at his enthusiasm. “I have to admit, it’s a lot more fun talking about this with the two of you. When I told my brothers, all they did was complain. I like your energy and your ideas.”

“I can help you figure out what kids like, if you want?” Chase says.

“I want.”

We finish our dinner, and I serve ice cream for dessert.

“Can I eat mine in front of the TV?” Chase asks.

I consent, eager to talk to Blake alone.

“What are you watching?” Blake asks.

Chase tells him all about his latest favorite show.

“Mom and I have been watching it together. One episode every night.”

“Sounds fun,” Blake says, picking up his bowl of ice cream and standing up from the table. “Can I watch too?”

“Sure.”

I did not peg Blake for a kid’s show enthusiast, but not wanting to eat my ice cream alone, I join them in the living room.

Chase sits on one side of the couch, while Blake sits on the floor with his ice cream on the coffee table.

I sit on the other side of the couch.

We chat throughout the episode, catching Blake up on what’s going on. At one point, Chase pauses the TV to explain to Blake all the fighting and magic mechanisms. He gets very excited and surprisingly technical, explaining things I hadn’t even noticed.

When the show is over, Blake gets up, saying that it’s getting late and he has to go.

Chase says goodnight, and I send him to the bathroom to shower and brush his teeth.

“Are you free tomorrow morning before opening the agency to come look at the property?” Blake asks me at the front door.

“Ethan and I are meeting with Stewart at ten, so I won’t be opening until noon.”

“Great. Let’s meet at the bar after you’ve dropped Chase off at school. I’ll grab us some coffee to go and we’ll take my truck.”

“Sounds good.”

We awkwardly stand facing each other, until Blake slaps my arm and says, “See you then.” And leaves.

Chapter Sixteen

Blake

I wait for Amelia outside the Den, the coffee getting colder as I eye the gray clouds with anxiety. Hopefully it won’t start to rain for another couple of hours.

She shows up at seven-thirty sharp, balancing a box of donuts from the Grove Grind Cafe in her hands, and has a huge smile on her face that has my heart racing a little faster. Suddenly, I don’t care about rain or cold coffee.

And I don’t need a mirror to know the smile on my face is just as excited.