Chapter 6

“Notattoos?”

Isaac’s lips quirked up and he shook his head. “Nope. None.”

“But…”

“You’ve met my brother, Julian, I’m assuming.” Isaac leaned forward in his chair and silently asked permission to take Hank, who was still reaching desperately for him. “Triplets.”

“There are three of you?” I slumped back into my chair and took a second to get my bearings. So, Isaac wasn’t Julian. Just his identical brother, minus the tattoos.

Laughing easily, Isaac let Hank grab his face with sticky fingers as he watched me. “There are three of us. It’s a lot, I know.”

He had no idea. I was sitting with him, wondering how long it would be before he figured out Hank was his son, watching Hank try to grab for his father, having what felt like a heart attack. Isaac wasn’t Hank’s father, though. He had no idea. I was safe.

“I assure you I’m the good triplet.” The way his deep voice and slow drawl said it made it sound like he’d be anything but good.

My body reacted with fire to him but I did my best to ignore it. It was probably just confused and still thinking he was his brother. “If I’ve learned anything about siblings in my life, it’s that there’s never a good one.”

Isaac settled Hank on his lap and watched as Hank grabbed his finger and held it. “I don’t think I’ve held a kid in fifteen, twenty years. Is it supposed to make you this scared? He’s so small.”

“Pretty much. I spent the first three months of his life carrying him with two hands at all times.” I reached over and stroked the top of Hank’s head. “Kara carted the twins around basically by their toes. She wasn’t scared of anything.”

“From what I know of your sister, that checks out.”

“Do you know her well? She didn’t mention how she knows you.”

“Mostly just from around town. I helped her rehome a stray chicken the kids found once.” He grinned to himself. “And I’ve watched her rip grown men to shreds in city council meetings.”

“Oh, god. Did I just move to a town where my family is already hated because my sister bullies the men around?”

“Maybe.” He met my eyes, and one side of his lip lifted. “I wouldn’t use my last name around town if I were you.”

I frowned and tried to read his expression. When his mouth cracked open into a big smile, revealing pretty white teeth, I laughed. “Hey! You really had me worried for a second.”

He winked at me and then groaned slightly when Hank shoved his finger into his mouth to teethe on it. Drool dripped down his hand, and he looked at me with a helpless expression on his face. “Do I just…let him chew on me?”

“Let me get his teether and a napkin for you.” Hopping up, I ignored his protest at being left alone with Hank and grabbed Hank’s teether from the freezer. Snagging a napkin on the way back, I settled in my seat again and leaned in. “Look! You didn’t kill him while I was gone.”

“Funny.”

I took his hand and gently pulled it away from Hank while giving Hank his teether. “He’s teething. He’s been an angel through it, but he is a bit more wet than normal because of it.”

Isaac watched me as I rested his hand on my thigh to dry it off. His big palm was warm, and his fingers flexed while he studied me. “I like your dress.”

My breath caught, and I realized just how close I was to him, with his hand resting on my upper thigh like he’d done it a million times. It felt like he should do it a million more times; it was that nice. I licked my lips and moved back to my original position, letting his hand fall away. “Kara. She doesn’t just bully the townsfolk around.”

“Well. She’s usually right.” His eyes flicked down to my mouth and then to Hank. “So, you married?”

I laughed. “No.”

“Dating?”

My laughter died down quickly. Was he really asking for the reason I thought he was? “Single.”

“Opposed to dating?” He turned back to me, and those pale blue eyes held my gaze with a heat I wasn’t prepared for. I saw then that they were infinitely different from what I remembered of his brother’s. The same beautiful shade of blue, but there was a depth to them that I hadn’t seen in Julian’s.

I felt awareness prickle my nipples and heat fill my core, something that hadn’t happened in a long while. I bit my bottom lip and looked around the kitchen, realizing for the first time that we weren’t alone. There were people sitting opposite us at the kitchen table. People moved around us, interacting with each other and having a good time.

I looked back at Isaac and found myself smiling. He hadn’t bothered filling in the gaps my silence left in the conversation, and something about that radiated confidence that I couldn’t help finding attractive. “It’s not easy to date with a baby.”

“I’m sure Kara would happily babysit.” His grin cut through his full beard and his eyes lit up with laughter. “Or have you tried double dating?”

I laughed while rolling my eyes. “I haven’t actually tried dating at all since I had him. Since I found out I was pregnant, actually.”

“Not because I have any interest, at all, even in the slightest, but I think you really should go on a date with someone.” He met my eyes again, heat clear in his gaze. “I wouldn’t wait. I’d just grab the first guy you see, like right now, and tell him he’s taking you on a date.”

My heart thumped faster in my chest and I pretended to look away from him. “The first guy I see?”

Isaac surprised me by reaching over and cupping my chin in his big hand, just to pull my face back around to him. “Just any old guy you see first.”

“Did my sister put you up to this?” I felt wary suddenly and unable to believe that he’d actually be interested. I felt out of shape and…motherly. How could I feel sexy when I just felt motherly nonstop?

“Your sister invited me to a baby’s birthday party and told me that you desperately needed to be taken out, but I had no intention of doing anything other than being a gentleman and saying hello until I saw you.” His thumb stroked the bottom edge of my mouth before he dropped his hand and smiled. “I’m a big boy, though. Say no and I’ll accept it.”

I fanned myself and looked around the room again, unsure of what the hell was actually happening. I spotted Kara peeking out from behind a couple of her friends, spying on us. “I hate my sister.”

“I wasn’t sure about her until tonight. Now, I think I really like her.” Isaac caught Hank’s teether as he tossed it and gave it back to him. “Looks like little man has quite the arm.”

My hormones raged at seeing Isaac interacting with Hank and I felt myself slipping. Any promise I’d made to remain celibate and single crashed around Isaac’s massive feet, and I turned to him fully, knees pressing into his leg. “You’re taking me on a date.”

“Want to go now?”

I stammered, not expecting him to mean right away. I thought there’d be some back and forth and then he’d take my number and call me in a few days. “Now?”

Kara popped up out of nowhere and took Hank. “I was missing this little nugget. Couldn’t help overhearing that there’s been a date proposed. You go on, Mal. I’ve got Hank. I’ll even keep him in my room tonight in case you get home late.”

My face flamed and I glared at her. “Kara, that’s so nice of you.”

She beamed at me. “Isn’t it? You kids have fun, okay? Stay out as late as you want. Paint the town red.”

Isaac looked over at me and raised his brows. “If red’s not your color, we could try something else.”

I fought a grin and shrugged. “Fine. I guess we’re going out to paint the town some undecided color.”

Tyler showed up, all wagging eyebrows and finger guns. “You remember the condom conversation, right?”

I stood up and flipped him off. “You suck.”

Isaac followed me up and rested his hand on my lower back. “Thanks for inviting me. It was the best birthday party for a one-year-old I’ve ever been to.”

“Do you like waffles, Isaac?” Tyler ignored my look and smiled. “We always have a big breakfast on Sundays. Waffles, bacon, real maple syrup, the whole nine yards. Come on over in the morning if you want. Around ten.”

Kara nodded emphatically while simultaneously readjusting Hank and his teether. “Oh, yeah. Definitely come in the morning.”

“Sure, if Mallory decides she can stand my company for a bit longer.”