He heaved a sigh. Squeezed the wrapper from his last taco into a tight ball. “I guess.”

“But don’t forget we have a date next Saturday too.” Steve stood and gathered up their trash.

“Could we come for tacos again?”

“I don’t see why not.” He tossed the debris into the receptacle on the edge of the park.

Noah turned to Beth. “Could you come too?”

Rather than respond, his wife took a sip of water.

Fighting back a wave of disappointment, Steve forced up the corners of his mouth. If she was trying to think of a diplomatic way to decline, he ought to help her out. After all, he’d put her in this awkward situation by inviting her to join them. “It appears someone has a new fan. But if you want to play this by ear, see how your knee is, we could—”

“No.” She set her empty bottle down. “I can come. I have to be at work by one, though. What time does the class end?”

“Noon.” Steve supplied the answer. “We could be here by twelve fifteen. Does that work?”

“Yes.”

“Then it seems we have a date.”

A flush washed over her cheeks. He could have picked a less-loaded term, but he viewed their meeting as a date. If she saw it as simply an act of charity for a little boy who’d had too many hard knocks, may as well find out.

“Yes. We have a date.” She held his gaze.

Thank you, God.

“Awesome!”

The boy’s exuberance altered the mood—but Steve could relate to the boy’s elation on a different, more personal level.

“We’ll walk you back to your car.” He handed Beth her crutches and pitched her water bottle.

As they passed the taco stand, he glanced at the counter. At Charley’s grin and thumbs-up, he gave the man a small salute.

They slowly traversed the walkway toward Beth’s car, Noah beside her while he followed in their wake.

“Did you hurt your leg?” The boy gave her a once-over.

“No. I had to get a new knee—but it will be better soon and I won’t have to use these crutches anymore.”

“I guess it’s lucky you have Sergeant Adams to help you then, huh?”

Whoops.

This was sticky.

“I’m, uh, living by myself now. Here in Hope Harbor.” Beth spoke before he could come up with an appropriate response. “I have a shop in town, and it’s more convenient to be nearby.”

Noah skirted two seagulls sitting on the edge of the path that were watching them with an odd intentness.

Strange that they didn’t fly away.