then dropped with a thud to the ground. The boy glanced down, a look of surprise on his freckled face.
Callum hooted.
Prim shot her eldest a warning look while her youngest flushed.
“It’s important to keep your eye on the ball,” Max reminded Connor, his tone kind and almost . . . fatherly.
After thirty minutes of playing catch, Max called a halt.
Prim held up a hand when the boys began to beg. “Tell Mr. Brody thank you, then go inside and wash up for lunch.”
“Thank you, Mr. Brody,” the boys called over their shoulders as they raced to see who would reach the door first.
Prim shook her head and chuckled. “Boys.”
The word said it all.
“They’re great kids.”
“I know.” Prim smiled. “I think I’ll keep them around.”
“I’m going to be coaching a T-ball team through the Y every Wednesday.” Max picked up the ball the boys had left on the ground and tossed it to her. “There may still be a couple of spaces left on the team. Katie Ruth is the contact person.”
“Katie Ruth Crewes?”
“She’s the only Katie Ruth in Good Hope.” Max grinned and tucked the glove under his arm. “She’s the youth activities coordinator. Call her. If you’re interested, that is.”
“Thanks. I’ll definitely consider it.”
Max started to walk away but turned when Prim called his name.
She’d tried to put the brunette out of her mind. She’d tried to tell herself who Max associated with was none of her business. But that was pure malarkey. Max was her neighbor. And a friend. “I didn’t recognize the woman in your driveway. Is she from around here?”
“Her name is Charlotte McCray. And you’re right, she’s not from around here.”
“But she lives here now?”
He hesitated. “Sort of.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Prim raised her hands when he started to speak. “Forget I asked. Not my business.”
“It’s okay.” His mouth relaxed into a slight smile. “She owns Golden Door but also has a salon in Chicago. That’s what I meant by ‘sort of.’ She has an apartment here but spends most of her time in Highland Park.”
Golden Door Salon and Spa.
Though she’d never been inside, Prim was familiar with the pricey salon and day spa that catered to wealthy tourists and residents. “She’s not married. Doesn’t have a family.”
A curious look filled Max’s eyes. “You sound so certain.”
“Two salons. Two states. Two homes. You couldn’t have a family and do all that traveling. It wouldn’t be fair.” The second the words left Prim’s lips, an image of Rory carrying his duffel to the car, ready to take off on another adventure , surfaced. “But then, I could be way off base. Some people don’t care about fair. Some don’t care about the family left behind.”
Prim regretted bringing up the subject, regretted the bitterness she hadn’t been able to keep out of her voice. Whatever problems they’d had in their marriage, Rory was Callum and Connor’s father. Her smile suddenly felt brittle, ready to break in a thousand pieces. “Thanks again for—”
“You were right. Charlotte is divorced.”
There was a beat of silence.
Max leaned toward her and lowered his voice. “Though you haven’t asked, I’m her accountant. We’ve gone out once. No kids in the picture. But that kind of goes without saying. I’d never be in a casual relationship with a single mom.”
Prim inhaled sharply, then covered it with a cough. The Max she knew loved children. Seeing him with her sons told her that hadn’t changed. She’d even found herself thinking how nice it would be if . . .
She stopped herself. Not going down that road. No point.
Still, she couldn’t help wondering, couldn’t stop herself from asking the question. “Why no single moms?”
He paused for so long she wondered if he was going to answer.
“You remember how it was at my house.” There was a hesitant quality to his voice.
Prim’s heart pinged. She remembered his
Callum hooted.
Prim shot her eldest a warning look while her youngest flushed.
“It’s important to keep your eye on the ball,” Max reminded Connor, his tone kind and almost . . . fatherly.
After thirty minutes of playing catch, Max called a halt.
Prim held up a hand when the boys began to beg. “Tell Mr. Brody thank you, then go inside and wash up for lunch.”
“Thank you, Mr. Brody,” the boys called over their shoulders as they raced to see who would reach the door first.
Prim shook her head and chuckled. “Boys.”
The word said it all.
“They’re great kids.”
“I know.” Prim smiled. “I think I’ll keep them around.”
“I’m going to be coaching a T-ball team through the Y every Wednesday.” Max picked up the ball the boys had left on the ground and tossed it to her. “There may still be a couple of spaces left on the team. Katie Ruth is the contact person.”
“Katie Ruth Crewes?”
“She’s the only Katie Ruth in Good Hope.” Max grinned and tucked the glove under his arm. “She’s the youth activities coordinator. Call her. If you’re interested, that is.”
“Thanks. I’ll definitely consider it.”
Max started to walk away but turned when Prim called his name.
She’d tried to put the brunette out of her mind. She’d tried to tell herself who Max associated with was none of her business. But that was pure malarkey. Max was her neighbor. And a friend. “I didn’t recognize the woman in your driveway. Is she from around here?”
“Her name is Charlotte McCray. And you’re right, she’s not from around here.”
“But she lives here now?”
He hesitated. “Sort of.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Prim raised her hands when he started to speak. “Forget I asked. Not my business.”
“It’s okay.” His mouth relaxed into a slight smile. “She owns Golden Door but also has a salon in Chicago. That’s what I meant by ‘sort of.’ She has an apartment here but spends most of her time in Highland Park.”
Golden Door Salon and Spa.
Though she’d never been inside, Prim was familiar with the pricey salon and day spa that catered to wealthy tourists and residents. “She’s not married. Doesn’t have a family.”
A curious look filled Max’s eyes. “You sound so certain.”
“Two salons. Two states. Two homes. You couldn’t have a family and do all that traveling. It wouldn’t be fair.” The second the words left Prim’s lips, an image of Rory carrying his duffel to the car, ready to take off on another adventure , surfaced. “But then, I could be way off base. Some people don’t care about fair. Some don’t care about the family left behind.”
Prim regretted bringing up the subject, regretted the bitterness she hadn’t been able to keep out of her voice. Whatever problems they’d had in their marriage, Rory was Callum and Connor’s father. Her smile suddenly felt brittle, ready to break in a thousand pieces. “Thanks again for—”
“You were right. Charlotte is divorced.”
There was a beat of silence.
Max leaned toward her and lowered his voice. “Though you haven’t asked, I’m her accountant. We’ve gone out once. No kids in the picture. But that kind of goes without saying. I’d never be in a casual relationship with a single mom.”
Prim inhaled sharply, then covered it with a cough. The Max she knew loved children. Seeing him with her sons told her that hadn’t changed. She’d even found herself thinking how nice it would be if . . .
She stopped herself. Not going down that road. No point.
Still, she couldn’t help wondering, couldn’t stop herself from asking the question. “Why no single moms?”
He paused for so long she wondered if he was going to answer.
“You remember how it was at my house.” There was a hesitant quality to his voice.
Prim’s heart pinged. She remembered his
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