was doing a good job as both mother and father. That they wouldn’t miss their mother too much. After listening to my daughter, I realize I was wrong. She missed a lot.”
“It’s not your fault, Scott. You shouldn’t feel guilty.”
“No? I picked the woman who walked out so who else is there to blame?”
“You couldn’t make her stay. Any more than—”
“What?” he prompted.
She’d been about to say any more than she could prevent her husband from dying. But this conversation wasn’t about her. It was about a breakthrough with his daughter. Thea knew saying something about her own loss would completely shift the topic to her. Talking about herself could get awkward.
“I was going to say you couldn’t make her stay any more than you could keep your girls from growing up.”
“Isn’t that the truth?” A tender look stole into his eyes. “But I wanted to give my kids everything, every advantage. And I couldn’t give them a mom, which is what they needed most.”
The words were like a stone pressing on Thea’s chest. She’d made a choice to do everything humanly possible to ensure that a part of her husband went on. Now she was well on her way to keeping her promise. But she’d never stopped to consider the child’s feelings. Scott’s ex-wife was alive and well somewhere and, if she had a change of heart, could be involved with her girls. But there was no way her child would ever know its father.
How profoundly sad was that? When she and David had first started trying to have a baby, she’d had dreams about parenting together. She so very much wanted to share the experience with him. But fate had other plans. Now she was in this alone. And Scott was alone, too. For a long time now. Why was that? A good-looking guy like him. Was he commitment-phobic? If so, she certainly couldn’t blame him.
“Thea?”
“Hmm?” She looked up and noticed Scott was frowning.
“You drifted off there. Anything wrong?”
“No.” She took a deep breath. “I was just wondering—”
“What?”
“Feel free to tell me to jump in the lake. But I was wondering how a mother could simply walk out on her children.”
“There’s the million-dollar question.” He lifted one broad shoulder drawing her attention there.
His light blue collared golf shirt molded to his upper body in a most intriguing way. He was alternately lean and muscular in all the right places. Her gaze slid to the sturdy work boots he wore and she tried to remember if she’d always thought the look was sexy. Or if it was more a matter of the man in the boots.
He sighed. “I was focused on how hard her leaving was on me and the difficulties of raising the girls alone. They seemed to be doing fine, so I took that at face value. I believed it because it was easier. I buried my head in the sand and left my backside exposed.”
And a very nice backside it was, Thea thought. Unfortunately, she’d noticed a lot more than his backside and had the spiking pulse and sweaty palms to prove it.
“You’ve obviously done a fine job with the girls, Scott. And that’s the last time I’m going to pump up your ego. It’s entirely possible that Kendra hasn’t missed her mother all that much. Until now. Graduation from high school is a big step. I still remember the emotional trauma.”
“Really?” He folded his arms over his chest. The movement showcased his superior biceps.
“Spoken like a man,” she said, shaking her head. “She’s grieving the loss of a comfortable way of life as well as the familiar faces she sees every day.”
“But she’ll make new friends in college.”
“She doesn’t know that yet. All she can see is what will be gone. What’s changing. Maybe this has triggered some emotional upheaval she hasn’t felt until now.”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “Interesting theory. She’s had bouts of rebelliousness here and there. But until yesterday, she’s never done anything without running it by me first.”
“Reading between the lines, I’d say that behavior is an indication of something pretty important to her.”
“Yeah. When I listened to her, I got that impression.”
Thea knew men were action-oriented, and Scott more than most. She wondered how many fathers would have taken her advice and actually listened to their daughters. She met his gaze across the space separating the desks and realized he was certainly more than just another pretty face. In addition to his good looks, he was thoughtful, introspective and boyishly charming. The triple threat.
She had a vague sense of relief that she hadn’t gotten the catering job. He was the first man she’d noticed in a long time and the sensation wasn’t the least bit comfortable. She didn’t want to notice a man. It was act one in a play she wouldn’t audition for.
Obviously Scott had dropped by to thank her for the advice. And the courtesy was very nice. But she was grateful she wouldn’t have to see him again after this.
“I appreciate the 4-1-1 about Kendra.”
“Hmm?” he said, obviously puzzled.
“Information. That she’s communicating,” Thea clarified.
“Yeah.” He blew out a long breath.
She straightened away from the desk. “I’m glad things went well with the two of you. Now I have to get to an appointment.”
He stood up. “And I have to get to work.”
“Kendra said you’re a building contractor?”
“Matthews and Sons Construction. My father is retired now, but my brother and I run the company.”
“Aren’t you doing that big housing project over in Northbridge?”
He nodded. “And I have a crew there waiting for me.”
“You shouldn’t keep them waiting any longer. Thanks for stopping by, Scott.”
“Actually, I didn’t come by just to give you an update. I want to hire Thea Bell to toil for me. Will you cater my daughter’s graduation party?”
Talk about burying your head in the sand. Thea hadn’t seen that one coming. Or maybe she just hadn’t wanted to see it. Now what was she going to do?
Chapter Four
“You want to hire me?”
“That’s what I said. You sound surprised.”
“That’s because I am.” There was an understatement, she thought.
“Why?”
“I guess because you acted as
