“I’m happy to see her making progress. Her father gave her a year to land a recording contract or she has to come home and go to college.”

“He doesn’t think she can do it.”

“What makes you say that?” Clare asked, startled by his bluntness.

“He’s indulging her for a year so he can say he was supportive. If he really believed she could do it, he wouldn’t have given her a time limit.”

Clare hadn’t thought of it that way. “I don’t think that’s why he did it,” she said, but suddenly she wasn’t so sure.

“What about Maggie?”

“Maggie was my surprise. I thought I was out of the baby business when she came along. She’s got her father’s dark hair and my eyes, and this kind, generous heart that just astounds me sometimes. Her stepbrother’s deaf, and she’s become fluent in sign language. She’s amazing.”

“So he’s remarried?”

“Huh?”

“Your ex-husband.”

“Yes.”

“Ah, I see.” His knowing look said he had the whole thing figured out.

“Are you jumping to conclusions again? Because you’ll end up apologizing twice in one day.”

He laughed. “Why do all mothers have that particular look and tone mastered?”

“What tone?” she asked haughtily.

“That tone. Can I ask one more question?”

“I don’t know. You’re starting to irritate me again.”

For some reason, that seemed to please him. “Then I’ll make sure it’s a good one.” He waited for her nod of approval before he said, “Will you have dinner with me?”

Clare tried to hide her shock at the question. “I am having dinner with you.”

“I mean a real dinner with waiters and tablecloths. Maybe even candles, if you’re extra nice to me.”

She sat back, stunned. Okay now that would be a real date. No denying it. “I thought you didn’t date.”

“Where’d you hear that?”

“Bea said—”

He hooted with laughter. “You’ve been checking up on me, haven’t you?”

“Don’t flatter yourself,” she said, startled by how laughter softened his hard edges. “She volunteered the information.”

“Whatever you say.”

“She said you’ve got women in this town falling over themselves to go out with you. Why would you want to go out with me?”

“Because I like sparring—I mean talking—to you. Besides, you seem to have a very low opinion of me, so there’s no way I can disappoint you.”

“Have you disappointed lots of women?”

“Scores. The stories are legendary, but I’m sure you’ve already heard them all.”

She’d heard just the opposite, but she wasn’t about to tell him that. “You’re doing a hell of a job selling yourself, O’Malley.”

“So?”

“I’ll have dinner with you, but it’s not a date. Not a real date.”