Love So Unexpected (The Lawson Brothers Book 6) Read Online Free PDF Page A

mind, but couldn’t come up with a good reason to say no. In fact, she didn’t want to say no. “You realize that I’m not staying here permanently.”
    “It’s just a date, not a proposal.”
    She laughed awkwardly. What was wrong with her? He was just a man—granted, a sexy man with nice, big hands. She’d always had a thing for hands ... and forearms. Caleb had those too. All tan and muscular.
    “I’ll be ready at six.”
    He canted his head from side to side. “Won’t be done in time for a shower. How about six-thirty, unless you like the smell of sweaty farmer.”
    Something took hold of her, bold and like her old self. She could flirt. She loved to flirt. “The smell of sweat from a hard day’s work can be very sexy on a man.”
    He didn’t say anything to that at first, but then his eyes got all heated. “I’ll remember that.”
    “But not tomorrow night,” she countered.
    “No, ma’am,” he said in a thick drawl that made her toes curl.
    Giddy, she finally allowed herself to leave the barn and head back to the house. Then stopped short as her foot touched the first step on the porch. What was she thinking? She’d only been here for a day. She wasn’t staying for the long haul and had told Caleb so, point-blank. Nothing could come of a date with him.
    It’s just a date, not a proposal.
    Well, he had a point. He knew her plans. So why shouldn’t she have some fun while she was here?
    But what if Dinah and David didn’t approve? It was one thing to open up their home to a not-so-complete stranger in need. Quite another for that not-so-complete stranger to go out with one of their sons.
    Carefully making her way up the stairs, she went over what to say to Dinah. No way would she hide it. For one, she was nobody’s dirty little secret, and two, if Dinah didn’t like it, Sofia wanted to know up front.
    Dinah sat at the kitchen table with a bowl of snap beans in her lap. She snapped each one in half and placed them in a different bowl on the table.
    Perfect. She could put herself to good use while working up the nerve to talk to Dinah.
    “Mind if I join you?” Sofia asked as she sat down.
    “I would love the company.”
    Dinah set her bowl on the table so that she could easily reach it. They sat in comfortable silence, snapping beans and listening to the quiet background noise from country music station on the radio.
    “Did you happen to see Caleb?” Dinah asked lightly.
    Sofia swallowed. “I did. He was busy talking to Mule.”
    Dinah laughed. “That boy always did have an affinity for God’s creatures. I remember when he was a tiny thing, barely out of diapers, and he sneaked out of the house. Almost went out of my mind looking for him. Finally, I found him in a stall, curled up by a momma cow and her baby. Cutest thing you’d ever seen.”
    Sofia imagined Caleb as a toddler, with big blue eyes and a mop of brown hair. “I hope you got a picture.”
    “David did. I refused to leave until all was said and done, and he was back inside. Safe.” Dinah shook her head. “Always an adventure with boys.”
    And that was her cue. “Speaking of adventures. Caleb asked me to go to dinner with him tomorrow night.”
    Dinah’s hands froze mid-snap, an indescribable look on her face. “He did?”
    Stomach twisting into knots, Sofia nodded and continued on, “I said yes.” She refused to ask if that would be okay. Refused to ask if she minded. Either Dinah would accept an innocent date and everything would be okay, or she’d ... well, it wouldn’t be pretty, Sofia guessed.
    Tears filled the older woman’s eyes, even as she smiled. “You don’t know how happy that makes me.”
    While Sofia was more than a little relieved that Dinah was happy, she was completely confused by the tears. Who cried over their son going out with a woman, unless it was a momma with grandbabies on the brain?
    Oh Lord.
    “It’s nothing really. Just dinner.”
    “Dinner is a great start.” Dinah sniffed.