Chasing Marisol (Blueprint to Love Book 3) by Lauren Giordano Page A
Authors: Lauren Giordano
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without saying goodnight."
The moment she finished, Hector bolted for the door. She surveyed the damp towels near the tub before deciding the mess could be cleaned later. She'd stalled long enough. Avoiding the mirror, she turned off the fan and headed to her son's room.
To her surprise, Hector was already under the covers when she entered his room. Jeff sat perched on the end of the bed, absorbed in talk of baseball.
"Mari— Jeff likes baseball, too. He said his nephew plays tee-ball. And he's my age." Hector's eyes were wide. "Can I do that?"
She glanced from one to the other. "If you’d like to try it, I’ll call the parks department to see if there's a program here."
A flash of worry crossed Jeff's face. "Even if there isn't a program, Hec . . . you can still learn to play and then join a league next year."
"But I want to play," he protested.
"I promise to call for you," she repeated. "Now— isn't there something you'd like to say to Jeff?" His suddenly confused expression made her smile.
"I wanna play tee-ball?"
Jeff’s chuckle made her sigh. "To thank him for dinner," she prompted. "And for taking us to the park?"
"Oh, yeah. Thanks, Jeff." He beamed at his new best friend. "I had fun playin' with you. I think you should come over again tomorrow."
Jeff's expression was solemn. "I had a great time, too. And we definitely should do it again soon. I promise I'll talk with your mom before I leave."
"Okay." His eyelids were already drooping when he yawned. "Goodnight, Jeff."
"Sleep tight, buddy."
She watched from the doorway when he rose from the bed and straightened the blanket around Hector's slender shoulders. She tried not to read too much into his actions— tried to stop the visions scrolling through her brain. Tucking in children, walks in the park . . . with the person who would know you best in the world— who you could rely on, no matter what the situation-
What was wrong with her? They'd had one date— a few hours together— a mere blip in the span of a lifetime. Just because Jeff had been amazing tonight didn't mean she could simply insert him into her fantasy of the perfect family. She couldn't afford to allow fantasies to rule her head. She'd made that mistake before. And where had it gotten her? Emotionally shattered— and in need of a restraining order.
She drew in a shaky breath when Jeff turned and smiled. No doubt about it— he was beautiful. And thoughtful. He'd been kind and patient with her son. For those reasons, he scored extra points. Beyond that— she barely knew him. All men were capable of appearing interested for brief periods. It was the long haul that usually revealed their commitment problems.
They didn't speak until they were downstairs. Despite her unease, Mari's pulse tripped with anticipation. She feigned normalcy as she headed for the kitchen— as though the presence of gorgeous, attentive men were a commonplace occurrence at her dining table. "Can I get you a beer?"
"That sounds great. I don't suppose I could negotiate for another brownie?"
Pausing in the hallway, she studied his hopeful expression before bursting into laughter, her tension dissolving.
"What?" He shrugged. "They were really good."
"My mother will be pleased to hear. I made them from her recipe." The realization that Jeff possessed a sweet tooth like Hector made her smile.
"Do your parents live close by?"
She shook her head. "Near Baltimore. We try to get everyone together at least once a month for family dinner."
"Sounds like a big family. Brothers or sisters?" Jeff seemed to fill the doorway when he leaned against the frame and she took a tiny step backward into the kitchen.
"I have two sisters and one brother. My older brother, Manuel and an older sister, Caridad." She ticked them off on her fingers. "Then I'm in the middle and finally, my baby sister, Serafina."
"Pretty names," he acknowledged. "I'm one of three. Andrea is the oldest, then Jake, then me. And my cousin Harrison is
The moment she finished, Hector bolted for the door. She surveyed the damp towels near the tub before deciding the mess could be cleaned later. She'd stalled long enough. Avoiding the mirror, she turned off the fan and headed to her son's room.
To her surprise, Hector was already under the covers when she entered his room. Jeff sat perched on the end of the bed, absorbed in talk of baseball.
"Mari— Jeff likes baseball, too. He said his nephew plays tee-ball. And he's my age." Hector's eyes were wide. "Can I do that?"
She glanced from one to the other. "If you’d like to try it, I’ll call the parks department to see if there's a program here."
A flash of worry crossed Jeff's face. "Even if there isn't a program, Hec . . . you can still learn to play and then join a league next year."
"But I want to play," he protested.
"I promise to call for you," she repeated. "Now— isn't there something you'd like to say to Jeff?" His suddenly confused expression made her smile.
"I wanna play tee-ball?"
Jeff’s chuckle made her sigh. "To thank him for dinner," she prompted. "And for taking us to the park?"
"Oh, yeah. Thanks, Jeff." He beamed at his new best friend. "I had fun playin' with you. I think you should come over again tomorrow."
Jeff's expression was solemn. "I had a great time, too. And we definitely should do it again soon. I promise I'll talk with your mom before I leave."
"Okay." His eyelids were already drooping when he yawned. "Goodnight, Jeff."
"Sleep tight, buddy."
She watched from the doorway when he rose from the bed and straightened the blanket around Hector's slender shoulders. She tried not to read too much into his actions— tried to stop the visions scrolling through her brain. Tucking in children, walks in the park . . . with the person who would know you best in the world— who you could rely on, no matter what the situation-
What was wrong with her? They'd had one date— a few hours together— a mere blip in the span of a lifetime. Just because Jeff had been amazing tonight didn't mean she could simply insert him into her fantasy of the perfect family. She couldn't afford to allow fantasies to rule her head. She'd made that mistake before. And where had it gotten her? Emotionally shattered— and in need of a restraining order.
She drew in a shaky breath when Jeff turned and smiled. No doubt about it— he was beautiful. And thoughtful. He'd been kind and patient with her son. For those reasons, he scored extra points. Beyond that— she barely knew him. All men were capable of appearing interested for brief periods. It was the long haul that usually revealed their commitment problems.
They didn't speak until they were downstairs. Despite her unease, Mari's pulse tripped with anticipation. She feigned normalcy as she headed for the kitchen— as though the presence of gorgeous, attentive men were a commonplace occurrence at her dining table. "Can I get you a beer?"
"That sounds great. I don't suppose I could negotiate for another brownie?"
Pausing in the hallway, she studied his hopeful expression before bursting into laughter, her tension dissolving.
"What?" He shrugged. "They were really good."
"My mother will be pleased to hear. I made them from her recipe." The realization that Jeff possessed a sweet tooth like Hector made her smile.
"Do your parents live close by?"
She shook her head. "Near Baltimore. We try to get everyone together at least once a month for family dinner."
"Sounds like a big family. Brothers or sisters?" Jeff seemed to fill the doorway when he leaned against the frame and she took a tiny step backward into the kitchen.
"I have two sisters and one brother. My older brother, Manuel and an older sister, Caridad." She ticked them off on her fingers. "Then I'm in the middle and finally, my baby sister, Serafina."
"Pretty names," he acknowledged. "I'm one of three. Andrea is the oldest, then Jake, then me. And my cousin Harrison is
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