always so busy. To make it less stressful he usually took them out to dinner. Tonight they were going to Brady’s Bistro and Bakery for pizza. They all loved the thin slices and best of all he didn’t have to cook.
As often as possible he tried to give the girls nutritious meals. He was trying to make up for the time when they hadn’t had them. By the end of his marriage, Rachael hadn’t cared enough to prepare meals. Every cent she’d been able to get her hands on had gone toward her next fix.
Cody had promised himself that his girls would have home-cooked, locally grown, wholesome food as much as possible. For the most part he’d managed to achieve that. Still, it was nice to get out of the kitchen and concentrate on having more quality time with his kids.
He held the door to the bistro open. The place was full, noisy with the sounds of talking, laughter and dishes rattling. He looked around the space with its red chrome tabletops and yellow chairs covered in plastic. The black and white tile floors added to the fifties vibe.
With a moan and a hunger pang, he resigned himself to the fact they would have to wait. He scanned the dining area with irritation. It wouldn’t be a short wait. Stepping to the left a pace, he searched again. There was a booth with some empty seats. Looking closer, he saw Stacey sitting in one corner of it.
The thought that it wasn’t a good idea to join her was interrupted by Jean’s plaintive announcement, “I’m hungry.”
Cody drew a fortifying breath for reasons he couldn’t put a finger on. They had worked well together over the last few days. Stacey had a great rapport with the patients, could anticipate many of the things he needed done, and she took direction without complaint. Most of all she was friendly and always wore a smile. So why did he have an issue with her? Could it be he found her attractive and that made him uncomfortable? Even if that was the cause of his hesitation, he had an immediate problem to solve that overrode his feelings.
“This way, girls.” He weaved between the tables, glancing back to make sure they were following.
When he reached Stacey’s table she looked up in surprise. “Dr. Brennan.”
“Hey, do you mind if we join you? There don’t seem to be any more seats and the girls are very hungry.”
“Please do.” She waved her hand toward the open places and smiled at the girls.
“Daddy, do you know her?” Jean asked in a suspicious tone.
Lizzy gave Stacey a look of wonder. Finally, she burst out with, “You’re the woman who fixed my bow.”
Stacey smiled. “Yes, I am. You’re Lizzy, right?”
His younger daughter bobbed her head up and down.
“Yes, I know her,” he said to Jean, then looked at Stacey. “And this is Jean.” He placed a hand on his other daughter’s shoulder.
Jean gave Stacey the sulky look that had become her standard greeting to unknown women. His elder daughter was having the most difficulty with the loss of her mother. She could remember Rachael being a part of their lives, but had been too young to understand her mother’s problems.
“Hey,” Jean said belatedly, with zero enthusiasm.
“Hi, Jean. It’s nice to meet you.” Stacey gave her an encouraging smile. “I work with Dr. Brennan...uh...your father. Why don’t you sit over here beside me?” She patted the bench beside her.
Jean offered her father a doubtful look. He nodded and gave her a light nudge of encouragement. Jean slid in beside Stacey. He said to her, “And you can call me Cody.”
Stacey instantly produced the smile that made him want to return one. “Cody it is.”
He appreciated the way she pronounced his name, as if it were a sweet she was tasting for the first time and finding she liked it.
“You go first,” Lizzy said, leaving Cody no choice but to scoot in until he faced Stacey. His knees bumped hers. Their looks caught. “Sorry.”
“No problem.”
His fascination with Stacey’s green eyes was broken when Lizzy scrambled into her spot beside him.
The awkwardness he was experiencing disappeared when Brigid Brady, their waitress today, walked up to the table. “Hi, Jean and Lizzy. Cody.”
Her look lingered on him a little longer than mere politeness allowed, much to his annoyance. More than once she’d made unmistakable overtures. He wasn’t interested in a relationship with her now or even later. He glanced at Stacey. She watched them with a quizzical smile. No, she definitely hadn’t missed Brigid’s extra attention.
“Uh... Brigid, we’d like a medium pepperoni and cheese pizza.” His gaze returned to Stacey. “I’m sorry. Have you already ordered?”
“No. But pizza sounds good.”
“Then make that a large,” he said to Brigid. “And four sodas.” He looked at Stacey again.
“That work for you?”
“It does.”
“It’ll be out in a few minutes,” Brigid said with a huff of disgust in her voice.
As she left a soft chuckle came from across the table. “Charming in and out of the OR, I see.”
He twisted the corner of his mouth and shrugged.
Her attention went to Jean. “I heard you’re a dancer.”
“I take dancing. I’m not very good, though.” Jean stared at the tabletop.
“I take it too,” Lizzy proudly announced.
Stacey acknowledged her with a look of wide-eyed wonderment and asked, “You’re a dancer too? Awesome!”
Stacey’s focus was completely on his girls and it was genuine. They needed that in their lives. Their mother had never been there for them. The few women he’d had anything to do with in the years since his divorce had been more one-night stands than anything. He certainly had not brought them home to meet his daughters.
“That’s great. I never had a chance to learn.” Stacey leaned toward them as if enthralled with what Jean and Lizzy were telling her.
“Why not?” Lizzy asked, but Jean appeared uninterested.
“I moved around a lot and my mother didn’t put me in any classes.”
“You could come to ours,” Lizzy offered so emphatically that Cody couldn’t help but chuckle. The action felt good. He could only imagine Stacey in an eight and under class of girls in tutus.
“I think that would be fun but I don’t think I’ll be on Maple Island long enough to take lessons now either.” Stacey hadn’t taken her eyes off the girls, especially Jean.
“Where’re you going?” Jean asked, frowning at the tabletop.
“In a few weeks I’ll be going to Ethiopia after a quick stop to visit my mother for a couple of
