Fencing You In Read Free Page B

balls, and huge tubes for the kids to crawl through like hamsters. Tess watched the girls while Gage went to order the pizza.
    Katie Sue was dark-haired like most of the McBrides while Jenny had Tess’s blonde curls, cobalt blue eyes, and fair skin. Katie Sue’s cheeks were full and she was a little stouter than Jenny who was petite like Tess.
    Tess smiled as the girls played together. It was good to let Jenny have some fun with her friend, even if it did mean spending time with Gage.
    Although it wasn’t really feeling like a hardship.
    She looked over her shoulder and her belly fluttered as she saw the tall, sexy man coming toward her. He walked with such purpose and strength, a powerful man who knew his place in the world and was comfortable in his own skin.
    He gave her a drop-dead gorgeous grin and she had to turn away to keep him from seeing the flush she felt in her cheeks.
    “How are the girls doing?” he asked as he came up beside her.
    “Great.” Tess gestured up at one of the tubes where the girls had their faces pressed to one of the big circular plastic windows, looking out over the tables and people gathered in the pizza place.
    Jenny waved and grinned as she spotted Tess and Gage, and then Katie Sue was waving, too. In the next moment the girls disappeared into the tube, probably headed toward the ball pit or to the opposite side where the slide was. It was hard to tell since the tubes only had a couple of windows.
    “We can sit over there.” Gage gave a nod toward a booth. “We’ll be able to keep an eye on the girls.”
    Tess walked with Gage to the booth and they slid in across from each other. “This is more like it,” she said with a smile. “I’m used to having something between us.”
    He laughed but said, “Soon there won’t be anything between us. I promise.”
    Still keeping an eye out on the girls, Tess shook her head. “Give it up, cowboy.”
    “Is that what it is,” he said, “you don’t like cowboys?”
    On the contrary—she loved cowboys. At least to look at.
    Instead of admitting she did, she said, “Maybe.”
    Gage rested his forearms on the table and leaned forward. “I think you do like me. You just won’t let go of whatever it is that’s holding you back.”
    “Right.” She rolled her eyes. “Keep dreaming.”
    “So, you’re divorced?” he asked, his gaze holding hers.
    She paused and shook her head, the familiar ache going through her heart. “Widowed.”
    A keen look of understanding touched his expression. “I’m sorry, Tess. How long ago? Or would you rather not talk about it?”
    “It’s okay.” She tucked errant curls behind her ear and watched Jenny and Katie Sue as they played one of the arcade games. “It’s been three years.” She met Gage’s eyes. “Steve died in a car accident.”
    “That must have been rough on you and Jenny,” Gage said quietly. “I imagine that’s an understatement.”
    She nodded, feeling oddly at ease talking with Gage about it. “Jenny was only three so she doesn’t remember much about her father.”
    Gage’s name was called over the loudspeaker, telling them their pizza was ready. He reached over, squeezed her hand and gave an understanding smile before he started to slide out of the booth.
    As he got up, she said, “I’ll get the girls.”
    It wasn’t long before the girls, Tess, and Gage were sitting together at the table. Katie Sue and Jenny happily devoured their slices of pizza as they laughed and talked almost nonstop.
    Every now and then, Tess glanced at Gage and he’d either meet her gaze and smile or he would be engaged in talking with the girls. He was clearly comfortable and good with kids.
    When they were finished eating, Jenny and Katie Sue wanted to play some more but Tess shook her head.
    “We need to get home,” Tess said. “Tomorrow is a school day.”
    “Awww, Mommmm.” Jenny and Katie Sue both looked disappointed.
    “You’ll see each other tomorrow at school.” Gage got out of