hand in front of Buster’s face. It was a technique he used to get the deaf dog’s attention. “Green ball.”
Instantly, Buster dashed over to a wicker basket in the corner of the room filled with dog toys. He stuck his nose in the basket and came up with a bright green tennis ball, which he brought back to Jacob.
Cody stared in amazement.
“That’s nothing,” Jacob said and told Buster, “monkey.”
The dog dashed off again to the toy basket and brought back a stuffed monkey with one arm and one eye missing. Buster was a little hard on his toys.
“Okay, here we go.” As Cody watched, Jacob set both the ball and the monkey on the floor in front of Buster. The dog sat and stared intently but didn’t move. “Buster, if I say three, you pick up the ball. If I say four, you pick up the monkey. Ready?”
Thump, thump, thump. The dog’s wagging tail hit the floor.
“Seven, nine, one, sixteen, twelve.” Jacob looked at Cody and winked. The boy couldn’t count, but he seemed entertained. “Ten, four.”
Buster snatched up the monkey in the blink of an eye.
Cody burst into laughter.
“Good dog.” Jacob patted Buster’s head. “Tell him he’s a good dog.”
Cody patted Buster as Jacob had done and said, “Good dog,” over and over.
A tug pulled at Jacob’s heart. It was admittedly tiny, but definitely there and something to build on.
He showed the boy a few more of Buster’s tricks, finishing with a display of Buster’s vocalizing abilities.
“Say hello,” Jacob commanded, and the dog yowled comically.
“That’s amazing,” Mariana said.
Hearing the warmth in her voice, Jacob glanced up. The matching warmth in her expression had him unable to stop staring. She was more than pretty, she was compelling, and the effect she had on him was potent.
“I can’t take any of the credit,” he said. “My friend trained him.”
She came over and petted Buster. “I bet he was something to see.”
“If you go onto YouTube and search his name, you’ll find a few videos from his heyday. They’re fun to watch.”
“I just might do that.” She moved to the couch and sat next to Jacob. “We can’t stay much longer. Cody’s bedtime is eight.”
“Thanks for bringing him by.”
“I think it went well.”
“Before you go, can we spend a few minutes discussing visitation?”
“Oh.” She abruptly tensed. “Don’t you want to wait for the DNA test results?”
“That’s a week away, at most.”
Sensing his performance was over, Buster stretched out at Jacob’s feet. Cody tumbled on top of the dog, whose only reaction was a soft grunt.
“Have you told your family yet about Cody?” she asked.
“Like you, I was waiting. I mentioned him to a friend the other day.” Jacob turned the tables on her. “Have you told your mother?”
There was a slight flicker in her expression and then she finally said, “Yes.”
“How did she take it?”
“She’s concerned for Cody’s welfare. Please don’t take that wrong. It’s nothing against you personally.”
“I don’t. I’m a complete stranger. Perhaps she and I can also meet. In fact, I’d like that.”
“Eventually.”
Again, her tone rubbed him the wrong way. “Wow, she must be really upset. Is she going to fight me?”
“There’s nothing to fight. You haven’t been proven to be an unfit father.”
“I’m not any kind of a father.”
“Which is one of the reasons I’d prefer to start with weekly supervised visits. Like tonight. Then, we could progress to unsupervised visits. After a few months, you could take Cody for a whole day.”
If her expression weren’t so serious, he’d think she was joking. “Am I a criminal?”
“What?”
“You’re treating me like one. Supervised visits?”
“This is going to a big adjustment for Cody. Moving too fast will only confuse him, and he’s already suffered so much.”
“I get big adjustments, Mariana. My mother married Brock Baron when I was nine, and my life changed completely. I promise you I’ll be sensitive to Cody’s needs.”
“I’m sure you will. But he’s only two.”
“And he’ll probably adjust a lot faster than a nine-year-old. Look at him.” Both their glances traveled to Cody, who lay snuggled beside Buster, the thumb of one hand shoved in his mouth and the fingers of his other hand entwined in the dog’s thick fur. “Does he look like he’s struggling?”
“It might be a different story if I weren’t here.”
“Why are you backpedaling all of a sudden?”
Her lips thinned. “I’m not.”
“You came to me. You suggested I have a role in Cody’s life, to whatever extent I choose.”
“After an adjustment period.”
“According to you, a very long adjustment period. Did your mother change your mind?”
“My mother does have reservations and raised some valid points. After considering them, I reviewed my original position.”
Always the carefully worded answer. She was definitely an attorney.
“Look,” he said. “I’m the first to admit I lack parenting experience. And I’m going to need help. But I won’t be treated like a criminal, either.”
“I apologize. I was out of line.”
He nodded. “Thank you for that.”
“I really want for us to work together on what’s best for Cody.”
“Agreed.”
“Good.” She relaxed. “What if Cody and I come by—”
“I’d like for Cody to move in with me. Right away.”
“What!”
