blew out a pent-up breath. She accepted the papers and started to read. Her stomach quivered as she realized the overwhelming challenge set before her.
A half an hour later, with her life signed away to East Riverview Hospital, Kate took comfort in knowing she’d done the right thing. This surgeon had performed miracles before. He could do it again. Kate was spurred on by the thought of Molly healthy once again. She could do this—somehow. She just needed time to think.
The elevator pinged and the doors opened. Kate stepped inside. A man stood in front of the control panel.
“Five, please.” She moved to the other side of the elevator and stared down at the paperwork in her hand, wondering how she’d pull off this miracle.
“Kate?” a male voice spoke.
The door slid shut as Kate lifted her head. When her gaze latched on to the man, her breath caught. This couldn’t be happening. Not here. Not now.
“Chad, what are you doing here?”
His dark brows scrunched together beneath the brim of a blue baseball cap. “Now, is that the way to greet your husband?”
“Ex-husband.” She pressed her hands to her hips. “I tried to reach you months ago. You didn’t have time for us then. Why have you suddenly shown up now?”
“My daughter’s sick. My family needs me—”
“That’s where you’re wrong.” There was no way she was letting him walk in here and act as if he was their saving grace. “We don’t need you. We’ve been fine all of this time without you.”
His gaze hardened. “I’ve been busy.”
After he’d refused to settle down in one place and create a nurturing environment for their daughter, he’d left Kate on her own to have their baby. He’d succeeded in confirming her mistrust of men.
The elevator dinged and the door slipped open. Kate stepped out first and left Chad to follow. They stopped outside Molly’s door. Kate didn’t want anything to upset her little girl, not after everything she’d been through in the past several months. And certainly not now that she was scheduled for a very delicate procedure.
“How is she?”
“The tumor is causing her some mobility problems.”
“Is she in pain?”
Kate shook her head. “Thankfully she feels fine...for now. If they don’t do the surgery soon that will change. But...”
“But what?”
“Money has to be raised to cover the surgery. Lots of money.” Kate stood between Chad and the doorway to Molly’s room. “You should go before she sees you.”
He crossed his arms. “I’m not going anywhere.” His voice rose. “My Molly girl will be excited to see her daddy.”
Before she could utter a word, Molly called out. “Daddy, is that you?”
“Yes, sweetie. I’m here.” He leaned over and whispered, “I always was her favorite.”
Kate bit back a few unkind words as she followed her ex into the room. She hated how he dropped into their lives whenever it suited him and disappeared just as quickly.
Maybe that was why she’d been initially drawn to him—he was so much like her family, always chasing happiness in the next town. Having a child had been too much for her father, who’d split when she was ten. But her mother had stuck it out until Kate’s eighteenth birthday, before skipping town with the current flavor of the month.
But when Kate became pregnant, her priorities changed. She wanted her child to have a real home. She promised herself that her little one would have something she never had—stability.
The same town.
The same house.
The same bed.
She wondered what it’d be like to live in a home like Lucas’s, rich with family history. The man didn’t know how good he had it. The errant thought brought her up short. Why should she think of him now? And why did just the mere thought of him have her heart going pitty-pat? Maybe because she hadn’t anticipated his kindness after finding her, a total stranger, in his house.
“Yay! Daddy’s here.” Molly’s smile filled the room with an undeniable glow.
Chad gave their daughter a kiss and a hug. Kate watched the happy reunion and wondered whether she should be furious at her unreliable ex or grateful he’d made Molly’s face light up like Christmas morning. A child’s ability to forgive was truly impressive. And right now Molly’s happiness was all that mattered.
“How long are you sticking around?” Kate asked, wondering if she had time to grab some much needed coffee and gather her thoughts.
“For a while. Molly and I have some catching up to do.”
“Daddy, wanna watch this with me?” Molly pointed to a cartoon on the television anchored to the wall.
All three of them in the same room for an extended period would only lead to problems. Chad had a way of finding her tender spots and poking them. And having Molly witness her parents arguing was certainly not something her little girl needed right now. Kate struggled to come to terms with the fact Chad was suddenly back in their lives.
“I’m just going to step out and get some coffee. I’ll be right back.” Kate couldn’t help thinking that she was a third wheel here, an unfamiliar feeling. “You should know she sleeps a lot.”
“No need to rush.” Chad used his take-charge tone, which caused every muscle in Kate’s body to tense. “How about I stay until this afternoon and then you can spend the evening with our girl. No need for both of us to be here. After all, you have money to raise.”
Just the way he said the last part let her know that coming up with the money for the surgery would be solely her responsibility. Her blood pressure rose. What else was new?
She was about to inform him of his responsibilities toward their daughter when common sense dowsed her angry words. An argument between her and Chad was the last thing Molly needed. Still, with all three of them crowded in this small room all day, an argument was inevitable.
“You can leave,” Chad said dismissively.
“Yeah, Mommy. Daddy and me are gonna watch TV.”
Maybe it was the best way to keep Molly happy. She caught Chad’s gaze. “Are you sure you want to stay that long?”
“Absolutely. Molly and I have lots of catching up to do. Is that a stack of board games over there?” He pointed to the corner of the room.
Before Kate could speak, Molly piped up. “Yeah. Wanna play?”
While Chad wasn’t reliable for the long haul, when he was with Molly, he was a good father. Kate smiled at her daughter’s exuberance. “What time should I be back?”
“Three. I have some things
