glanced around, then asked, “Is your wife home?”
“I’m widowed, too.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry!” Her heart twisted. How long had little Luke lacked a mommy’s love?
Peter put both of the boys down, then held Marie back. “Please let them have time together. Don’t rush Luke. He’s shy, and you don’t want to scare him. He’s been taught not to go near strangers.”
Marie shot him a pained look.
Peter gently squeezed her arm and urged, “Give him time. It’ll be worth it—I promise.” He frowned a few minutes later. He and she still stood side by side in tense silence while the boys played with toys and ignored one another. “Why won’t they play together?”
Kneeling on the floor, Marie stated softly, “I work in a day care, so I see this all of the time. Kids this age do what’s called parallel play. They play alongside of one another and sense companionship, but they don’t necessarily interact. In a while, they will.” She turned back to Ricky and laughed as he worked the jack-in-the-box.
Luke let out an unholy screech and grabbed for the toy. “Mine!”
“Share!” Ricky yelled back.
“Let’s take turns,” Marie intervened. “Ricky, it’s Luke’s turn next.” She slowly reached out to the son she’d never held. Her heart almost beat out of her chest as he stared at her with wide blue eyes. He turned his gaze toward his father and received a nod of approval. Very tentatively, he drew closer.
Lord, he’s all I have left of Jack. You already instilled a mother’s love for him in my heart. Please, Father, stir the love of a son in his heart for me.
Marie wanted to grab him and hold him close, but she knew she’d spoil everything if she did. Summoning control she didn’t know she possessed, she gently hitched the children by their waists and held one on each knee. In her softest voice she prompted, “Okay, Luke, show me how to do it.”
She wanted to squeeze him silly. She wanted to cover his dear little face with kisses and vent the laughter and tears that warred within her breast. She couldn’t do any of that—not here, not now. She felt Peter watching how she handled both boys. Glancing at him, she cocked a brow as if to ask what he thought.
“He doesn’t usually take kindly to strangers. He kicks up a royal fuss.”
“Really?”
Marie remained motionless as Luke curiously raised a finger to trace her dimple, then she took his finger and guided him to touch one of his own. Afterward, she took that finger and drew it toward her face. Suddenly, she turned her head and gobbled up his arm and neck. He dissolved into gales of laughter.
“Me, too!” Ricky demanded, and she pulled him right into the fun.
To Marie’s amazement, Peter Hallock forced out a lion’s roar. He disregarded his beautifully tailored, visibly expensive suit and pounced from the sofa. Both boys shrieked, and Peter grabbed Luke. He tossed him in the air, caught him amidst squeals of joy, and then did the same to Ricky. He lay on the floor and wrestled gently with the boys. They piled all over him, wiggled and kicked and screeched. Marie giggled, but her mirth came to a quick halt as Luke pressed a sloppy peck on his father’s cheek.
Marie went stark still. She felt the blood drain from her cheeks, and her stomach plunged to the hardwood floor.
Peter stopped chortling, sat up and leaned closer. “Marie?”
Fearing she was going to be sick, she dipped her head and rasped, “Give me a minute.”
“Marie, I know this is hard. Take a few deep breaths.” He knelt directly in front of her and cupped both of her shoulders, as if to brace her. “That’s right. Take your time.”
A few minutes passed, and Marie earned an approving nod from him. “There. Much better,” he said softly. She struggled to contain her feelings. Countless emotions flickered across his features. He cradled her cheek in one hand, and the other slid off to feather her hair back from her temple. “Marie, I know this is hard, but I don’t understand what happened. You were okay one minute, and then…what’s wrong?”
“What’s wrong? That’s my baby! He’s mine and he doesn’t even know me. He calls you Daddy. He’s never even kissed me.” Her trembling whisper finally cracked and she said, “He should have played with Jack.”
“You’re right.” The agreement whispered between them.
“He looks like Jack, too. Through the eyes. And the shape of his lips. The right arch of his lip is just a shade higher.” She drew in an aching breath. “Jack would have been so proud.”
Peter’s eyes glowed with love. For all the horror of the moment one thing came across very clearly—he cherished his son. “Luke is a very special child, Marie. Of course Jack would have been proud. I’m sure he was proud of Ricky, too.”
“Oh, he adored him! He had father-son portraits taken just the week before…the week before…”
“I understand,” he said, saving her from saying the words she found so difficult. “I’d like copies of those pictures, Marie. I’ll duplicate my favorite pictures of Luke for you, too. You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” Peter gave her a bolstering smile when she nodded.
“Mommy, I’m hungreeee!” Ricky stood next to Peter and gave her an accusing look.
“Yeah, tiger,” Peter chuckled, “I’ll bet you’re always hungry. A lady is going to bring us lunch in a minute.”
Gathering her wits, Marie tugged her rumpled dress down a few inches to her knees. “That’s not necessary.”
“But it would be nice.” Peter slipped his arm around Ricky’s hips and gave him a possessive squeeze. “I want you to stay. We ought to all get to know one another.”
“After lunch, we’ll need to leave. Ricky can nap in the car, but I have a fair drive home.”
“Where do you live?”
“Orange County.”
His jaw dropped, then his brows knit in vexation. “That’s over two hundred fifty miles away!”
Marie rubbed her forehead back and forth in line with the furrows. “I know. I said the same thing when I found out where you live. I’d hoped you lived much closer to the hospital. It’s halfway between us.”
“Why were you so far from home for delivery?”
“We lived in Melway at the time. Jack got a position down in Orange County, so we moved soon after I had Ricky.”
“I see,” he said tightly. “Where were you staying?”
“Staying?”
“Last night. Where did you spend last night?”
Marie gave him a puzzled look. “We were at home.”
Raking his hand through
