“Aw, that’s my favorite color.”
Ryleigh pointed her index finger to her hair. “I wouldn’t change my hair color, not even for a million bucks.”
“Oh, yeah?” Tommy stepped closer to Ryleigh and lifted his hand in the air as if he wanted to touch her hair. “It looks like auntie Deirdre’s hair.”
“It does?”
Ryleigh picked up on his peace offering and squatted down to his height. She captured some coppery strands hanging over her shoulder and extended her hair towards him. “If you can guess the smell of my hair, I’m going to make a special treat for you today. Something yummy and I’ll promise you it isn’t green or orange. Okay?”
His son jutted his chin at Keenan with wide eyes. Yeah, Keenan hadn’t expected that either. The brown bag Ryleigh fisted at her side had his cousin’s logo and name on it. Moore Farm
Ryleigh scored another few points for shopping at his aunt Shauni’s farm so she could make his son a healthy treat.
“You’ve got three guesses,” Ryleigh said, and Tommy returned his focus to her. Keenan couldn’t understand what this was all about, but it seemed to break the ice between them.
Keenan snickered when she added, “And don’t say smoke, like your dad. That’s not the right answer.”
She winked at Keenan, and he stopped mid-snicker. Had that been a flirtatious wink? Did she finally remember him? Or was that wink just Ryleigh being Ryleigh?
Tommy stuck out his tongue. “Ew. Smoking is bad for you.”
“I know, Tommy. I was a little nervous before meeting you today. And I used to think I needed a cigarette to calm my nerves. Pretty stupid, right? Because smoking is bad for you and I’m glad that I’ve quit. And besides, I had nothing to worry about. You’re cool.”
Ryleigh tickled Tommy’s nose with the same strand of hair.
Tommy beamed at Ryleigh and giggled.
After she nodded at him to go through with this absurdness, Tommy gravitated forwards and stuck his nose in the strands, smelling loudly while closing his eyes. He immediately said, “I know what this smells like.”
“You do?” Ryleigh asked.
Keenan wondered what his son would come up with. He had the sudden urge to run his nose through her inviting wavy locks. Damn. Not a good idea.
After a few envious seconds, his son opened his eyes and said, “Grandma’s apple pie.”
Ryleigh chuckled. “Is that good or bad?”
“Good.” Tommy and Keenan said in unison.