Yours, Mine & Ours by Jennifer Greene

herself.
    â€œI wasn’t trying to start trouble, I swear.”
    â€œI wasn’t, either.”
    â€œBut I did think…there was chemistry. That we’d both likely feel easier with each other once we figured out what was what. We’d already tried being honest with each other—about where we were in our lives.”
    â€œI’m always happier with honesty. No pretending. Not for me. No faking, no denying, none ofthat nonsense.” She meant it. She’d lived the Prince Charming/princess fantasy her entire life. She was through with it.
    He caught his breath. Or most of it. “Amanda. I’d appreciate a friend. I mean it. It’d be good for Ted to be around another woman besides his mother. I’d appreciate hearing how you think he’s doing, from another single parent’s perspective.”
    â€œAnd I’d appreciate a friend just as much. You’ve already proven to be a friend, Mike. And it sounds as if we’re both going through a lot of the same problems. Grandparent issues. Ex issues. The same culture shock of moving to the suburbs. There are things we could laugh about. Talk through.”
    â€œAs long as we don’t let sex get in the way.” Again, those fierce brown eyes met hers.
    Again, she saw a different man than the rascal she’d first met. The sharp lines on his brow hadn’t come from a devil-may-care type of guy. “Then we won’t,” she said firmly.
    â€œWe’re agreed?”
    â€œCompletely, totally agreed,” she said. “You know the lasagna I promised you?”
    â€œYup.”
    She motioned to the rough wood table on his deck. “Let’s try it tomorrow. All of us. Give me a chance to spend a little time with your Teddy. For you to see my daughter. Let’s see if they can be friends together, as well.”
    â€œGood idea,” he said.
    She thought so, too. Until she woke that night in the darkness, her whole body turned on by a wildly romantic dream. He was her prince. She was his princess. They were in a wild, erotic, exotic lovemaking fest, chasing each other through the sky, mating in sunlight, then moonlight, then snuggling together on a tuft of clouds.
    Oh, no, she thought, too exasperated to sleep now. She got up, got a glass of water, checked on Molly, prowled the perimeter of the house. That kind of dream was not for her. Ever again.
    Â 
    â€œOkay. Now here’s the deal.” It was all Mike could do to subdue his excited son. Teddy had already run outside naked this morning, completely forgetting his clothes. He’d been conned into dressing—at least putting on a pj top and shorts—before galloping back out again.
    They were digging the water garden—alias frog pond—today. The parts that appealed to Teddy, in order, were mud, shovels, water and frogs.
    Mike had set up the design as simple as he could. “So…this is how we’re going to do it. We’re both going to dig inside this triangle area. Nowhere else. The dirt we’re going to put in those wheelbarrows.” He pointed to the two wheelbarrows. “ Nowhere else.”
    â€œGot it, Dad. Can I dig now?”
    â€œIn a minute. When the hole’s deep enough, I’m going to put in a liner. You can help me. And then we’re going to set out rocks as a border, kind of make a triangle-shaped place to sit, where we can watch the frogs.”
    â€œOk. Can I dig now?”
    â€œThere’ll be a motor. To keep the water aerated and clean.”
    â€œYeah. Can I—?”
    â€œYes.” Mike gave up and let him loose.
    He heard voices from next door, figured out immediately that Amanda and her daughter had yard work on their Saturday-morning agenda, too.
    Their setup was slightly different from his.
    For one thing, Molly wore a pink tutu, and had a pink crown on her head, and she did a lot of twirling. On his side of the driveway, Teddy was covered in mud and