“You’re supposed to say, ‘Thank you, Mr. Adam,’” Simon said to Joanna in a stage whisper, giving her a nudge under the table.
“Thank you, Mr. Adam,” she parroted with a forced smile, making her son laugh and Adam chuckle.
The sprawling fun center was a kids’ fantasy complete with colorful rides, flashing lights and cheerful music. The rides included a small Ferris wheel, bumper boats in a concrete “lagoon,” a merry-go-round and whirling ladybug cars. Four go-cart tracks twisted around the central arcade building, each designated for different ages and skill levels of drivers. Simon’s eyes were wide as he gazed around, trying to take it all in at once.
“What do you want to do first, Skipper?”
Gazing up at Adam, Simon spread his arms. “All of it.”
Chuckling, Adam put one hand on Simon’s shoulder and one on Joanna’s back. “We’d better get started, then.”
Joanna felt the warmth of his hand through her thin cotton dress. The fabric might as well not have been there, considering the way she responded to his innocuous touch. During the years they’d been apart, she’d thought of him, of course, as Simon’s biological father. But she’d almost forgotten how strongly she’d reacted to him during those heady days they’d had together. Reminding herself that they were now surrounded by children—including her own—she tried to push the hormones and erotic memories aside.
For the next hour, they played with Simon, making sure he had a wonderful time. And Joanna enjoyed herself, too, though her awareness of Adam simmered beneath the surface all evening, fueled by fleeting touches and lingering glances. Anyone watching them would assume they were a family—mom, dad, son. They would be right, of course, though she doubted any of them could imagine the circumstances. She knew Adam was equally aware of the impression they gave. True to his word, Adam took Simon for rides in the go-carts. Both snugly strapped in, they sped around curves and up and down inclines, to the boy’s squealing delight. Afterward Adam stood with her on the sidelines and called out suggestions when Simon drove the kiddie carts. The boy basked in his attention.
She propped her elbows on the low fence beside Adam, watching as Simon maneuvered the small blue car with an expression of intense concentration. “He’s having a wonderful time. He’s pretty good at driving that thing, isn’t he?”
“Yeah. Ten years or so, he’ll be wanting a real one.”
She groaned. “Don’t remind me.”
“You’re doing a hell of a job with him.”
The off-handed compliment shouldn’t have pleased her as much as it did. “You’re good with him, too,” she said a bit hesitantly. “He likes you.”
Adam kept his eye on the boy in the blue car. “Yeah. His new buddy, Mr. Adam.”
She moistened her lips before asking quietly, “Would you rather he called you Dad?”
She couldn’t actually hear him swallow over the roars, buzzes, beeps and shrieks surrounding them, but she sensed her question had made him uncomfortable. She wished she understood better why he was so intimidated. Was it the daunting responsibility inherent in fatherhood—or the difficulty in walking away from it once accepted? Whichever, he pretended like he hadn’t heard her. Flushed and windblown, his cowlick sticking straight up, Simon ran up to them after his ride ended. “That was fun. I drove good, didn’t I?”
“You were the best driver on the track,” Adam assured him.
The way Simon’s face lit up in response to the compliment cooled Joanna’s irritation a bit. “Really?”
“No doubt.”
“Adam? Adam Scott?” The man’s voice was barely audible over the noise around them.
They all turned to see an older man with a shock of silver hair and black-rimmed glasses above a prominent nose. His neon-yellow T-shirt was emblazoned in orange with the name of the fun center beneath a drawing of a bright red go-cart. “I thought that was you, Adam. Good to see you again.”
Adam shook the man’s hand. “Nice to see you, too, Leon. Looks like business is going well.”
“It is that time of year. How are things out at Wind Shadow?”
“Busy as always.”
Leon looked then at Joanna and Simon, giving them a broad smile that revealed a flash of gold crown. “I didn’t know you were married, Adam. Your boy looks just like you. Spitting image. Good looking kid.”
An awkward silence fell over Adam and Joanna. Simon might have been the only one who didn’t notice. He laughed. “Mr. Adam isn’t my father. He’s our new friend.”
“Ah. My mistake.” Leon looked quickly from Adam to Joanna when no one contradicted Simon.
Adam filled in the gaps. “Leon, this is Joanna Zielinski and her son, Simon. They’re visiting our resort from Georgia.”
“Nice to meet you, ma’am. Simon. Having a good time on your vacation?”
“I like your place,” Simon gushed. “We’ve been having fun.”