Charlie smiled but waited, like he was giving her a chance to back out of her spontaneous invitation. Instead of making it easier, the generosity in his gesture made it hard to resist.

Made him hard to resist.

“There’s plenty of space on the bench.” Lane scooted over. “And this really is the best place to think in all of Walton.”

Charlie hesitated a second longer before sitting down. Lane relaxed when he chose to sit on the side of the bench that kept Noah between them.

Noah glanced up. He lifted the edge of Charlie’s sleeve and pointed at a tattoo. “What’s that?”

“Noah, that’s not polite.” She pulled Noah’s hand back. Her knuckles grazed Charlie’s skin, sending a tingling up her arm. “Sorry.”

“That’s okay.” Charlie lifted his sleeve farther to reveal the Marine emblem tattooed on his chiseled arm.

“Is that an eagle?” Noah twisted around so he was sitting on his knees, studying Charlie’s arm.

“Yes.”

“Did you know the bald eagle is our national bird?” Noah, done with his inspection of Charlie’s arm, slid off the bench. “And it’s in danger.”

“Endangered,” Lane said.

“Yep,” Noah agreed. “Momma said she’ll take me to see one at the zoo.”

“Eagles are very cool.” Charlie let the sleeve fall back over his tattoo.

“Yeah. It’s cool.” Noah nodded. “Momma, can I play?”

Lane pressed her lips together. It was funny hearing Noah say the word cool, but the admiration in her little boy’s face for the man next to her was unsettling. Lane didn’t date. Hadn’t even thought about dating, so there was never an opportunity for a man to be introduced to her son and this was why. Noah was clearly taken by the new guy who kept appearing in their lives.

“If you’re quiet and you stay close.” Lane looked around the empty garden. “Remember, if you can’t see me, then I can’t see you and that’s a . . .?”

“No-go,” Noah answered.

“Right.”

Lane waited until Noah settled himself beneath a tree with a pile of rocks before sliding a look at the man sitting next to her. Quiet stretched from seconds into minutes. Maybe inviting him to sit wasn’t a good idea.

“This place is beautiful,” Charlie said finally.

Looking around, she agreed. “There’s a lot of military history here in Walton. This memorial holds the names of the men and women who served since the First World War.”

“Which one is your husband?”

Lane pointed out Mathias’s name and her throat grew thick. Two years hadn’t erased the guilt, and now she was sitting here having feelings that confused her. She peeked over at Noah. He was still there. Playing. Maybe she should call him over—let him be the distraction her heart needed.

“Army, huh?” There was a tease in his voice.

“So, Marines?”

“Semper Fi.”