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She parked her hands on her hips and stared him down. “It’s not your problem. It’s mine. I’m the one who caused the damage, not you.”

“As thanks for calming Jamie?”

Stephanie blinked. “It will probably cost hundreds of dollars. All I did was hold him for a minute.”

“Let me.”

Chapter Two

What had he been thinking? Probably that adult conversation would be a pleasant change. He’d have made the same offer if she were a seventy-something matron Jamie had connected with. Right?

Nice try, buddy.

Tate realized what things looked like as the hotel doors slid open upon their approach. Like they were a little family. Yeah, not the case at all. But he’d called for a tow for Stephanie’s car, and they’d said it would likely be ready by ten in the morning. New tires — he’d insisted on replacements for both fronts — and the bumper straightened enough not to rub. She’d be able to drive back to Jewel Lake safely.

But now… now they stood in the foyer of a decent-looking hotel. How was he going to handle this? He glanced at Stephanie, who held Jamie. “I’ll see if they have two adjoining rooms available.”

Her startled hazel eyes swung to his. Was she always so jumpy?

“I can get my own room.” She bit her lip and looked around the lobby.

She’d had an overnight bag along but said nothing about a previous reservation. Maybe she’d planned for a cheaper place.

“I’ve got it.” It wasn’t like he couldn’t afford it. He stepped to the desk and made arrangements for a suite. Doubtless the clerk assumed one room was for the toddler and the other for his parents, and Tate didn’t clarify. It wasn’t anyone else’s business.

Big question, though. Could he trust this woman with Jamie when he wasn’t overseeing? Because it seemed silly for all three of them to go back to the SUV for their bags then to go everywhere together, just because Jamie refused to let go of Stephanie’s neck.

God? Please make me super uncomfortable if this is wrong.

Yet all he felt was peace, like she was exactly who she said she was. She’d made an error checking her text when she had, but that wasn’t actually a sin. Her car had been damaged in the process, and Tate was a nice guy. Or, at least, he liked to think so.

Stephanie needed help, whether she believed it or not. He needed help, too. One dinner, one evening, one night in separate rooms, one trip across town to make sure her car was drivable, and then they’d never see each other again.

Except she lived in Jewel Lake, so they might run into each other in the community. At church. Tate might not have much time to explore the town, but he would attend church while he was here, if he wound up staying more than a few days.

Surely Grandfather’s project would be short-term, though, right? He probably planned to flip the ranch and make some coin. That project would be right up Maxwell’s alley. Tate’s youngest brother had enjoyed some success as a flipper between hotel renovations for their esteemed grandfather.

Then Tate would take Jamie back to the penthouse in Chicago and figure out how to do life as a single parent. In all his years, he’d never thought this would land on him.

They rode the elevator to the third floor in silence and found their suite. Not what Tate had been expecting. Instead of two sleeping areas off a common area, there was one bedroom, and the second bed was in the main room.

“The bedroom is yours.” He gestured toward the open door.

“I can’t—”

“You can.” Tate sighed. “The rest of this is just an average hotel room like I got last night in Casper. I’ll get Jamie’s playpen from the Lexus and set it up in that corner over there. We’ll be fine.”

“Last night you didn’t have a woman walking through your room to use the restroom. At least, I assume you didn’t?” Her eyebrows tilted up.

Tate’s face flushed. “I did not. Don’t worry, I’ll wear more than my boxers to bed. You’re not going to get an eyeful, and you’re welcome to lock your door to keep me out. In fact, I insist on it.”

Stephanie looked around with a huff. “If they didn’t have adjoining rooms available, you should have just gotten any two rooms.”

Probably true. “I didn’t think of it, but if you want me to, I’ll go back to the desk and get you another room.”

“And do what with this one?”

Was she trying to kill him here? “Sleep in it.”