Love and the Single Mum

“Seems?” Tom was the least impulsive person she’d ever known. On the other hand, he liked having a woman around to take care of him, which was one of the reasons their marriage had failed. Margo had expected to be an equal partner sort of wife. Not a mother fill-in. “This Catherine must be something else.”

“She’s wonderful. As soon as I met her I knew she was the one.”

Margo closed her eyes. Tom had once said that about her. Did he remember?

He’d told her she was the prettiest, most amazing woman in the world and that nothing would make him happier than spending the rest of his life with her.

Apparently he’d meant his life or ten years, whichever came first.

Damn, she never had been one to read the fine print. Good thing she’d left the law. Like her marriage to Tom it was one of those things she’d thought she’d wanted, only to be disillusioned with the reality.

“Well…” Spit it out, Margo. “Congratulations. Have the kids met her?”

“Sure. They get along great.”

Funny. Neither Ellie nor Peter had ever mentioned Catherine to her. Then again, neither had they mentioned anything about the new silver Audi roadster that Margo had seen in the garage the last time she’d dropped them off at Tom’s for the weekend.

“Catherine loves them, too. This is going to work out really well, Margo. I have no doubt about that.”

God help them all if he was wrong. “So when is this wedding taking place?”

“That’s the thing. See, we’d been planning a big church wedding, then last week we got the idea to do something simple and easy at city hall.”

“Okay… But when?”

“That’s what I needed to talk to you about. I know this is your weekend to have the kids, but I was hoping—”

“This weekend? You’re getting married this weekend?”

“Would you calm down, Margo. Yes, I’m getting married this weekend. And I’d like the kids to be there.”

In ten years of marriage, he’d never surprised her so much.

“If it’s okay with you, I’ll pick Ellie and Peter up after school on Friday—”

“That’s tomorrow.” Did Ellie’s pink dress shoes still fit her? Well, they’d have to. He’d left them no time to go shopping. “Do they know that you and Catherine are getting married?”

“Well, Catherine has practically been living with me the last few weeks, so I don’t think they’ll be too surprised.”

“Tom—”

“Don’t worry. I’m sure they’ll be fine with it. Like I said, they like Catherine.”

This was all so very not fine that Margo didn’t have a clue where to start. The kids were going to be overwhelmed. A new stepmother, at the drop of a hat. How could Tom sound so cavalier about something that was going to totally change all of their lives?

Including hers.

Adjusting to a separate life from the father of her children was one thing. Having another woman in her children’s lives was something else. Margo had known this would happen one day. She hadn’t expected the day to arrive so soon, though.

“Margo? Are you still there?”

“Yes.” Barely.

“Catherine and I were hoping you’d come to the reception, after city hall. We’re having a few people to that new rooftop restaurant at Embarcadero Center and we feel it’s important for the children that they see this wedding has your support.”

Good God. Did he know what he was asking? Margo rubbed her forehead. Forget the children being overwhelmed. What about her?

It was dizzying how fast her life had changed this year. She’d gone from being a married woman and practicing lawyer, to a single mother with a business of her own. She’d adjusted marvelously—at least she felt she had—but was she ready to watch her ex-husband marry another woman?

And yet, she knew Tom had a point. For their kids’ sake, she had to do this. “Give me the restaurant name and time and I’ll be there.”

Margo jotted down Tom’s instructions, then wished him the best and disconnected the call. Slipping the phone back into her apron, she leaned into her chair and just sat.

This was so unreal.

In the year they’d been living apart, Tom had had his affair with Janna and now he was marrying someone named Catherine whom she had never met.

Her ex had been busy.

And in all that time, she hadn’t gone on a single date.

CHAPTER TWO

Days Unemployed: 4

“DID YOU GET MY RÉSUMÉ? I faxed it to your office yesterday.” As Robert Brookman spoke into his BlackBerry, he kept his eyes on the pretty blonde behind the counter.

He’d heard the older woman who served the coffee, and several of the other customers, refer to her as Margo. Which meant she must be the bistro owner.

Shifting his gaze to the notebook in front of him, he focused his attention back on his call.

“Great. Well, let me know as soon as you hear something.” He said goodbye to his headhunter, then frowned. Finding a new job was going to take some time, he knew. He just wished Donald Macleod was a little more bullish about the job market in San Francisco right now.

He checked out the blonde again.

Margo. He liked the sound of the name. Just as he liked the woman it belonged to. She greeted all her customers as if she was glad to see them. And he didn’t think it was an act. She was just one of those naturally warm, sincere sort of people who enjoyed the company of others.

She was also a terrific cook.

He forced his gaze to the career section of the San Francisco Chronicle. He circled a few possibilities, then sent an e-mail to Donald. What Donald didn’t understand was that Robert hadn’t been unemployed since he’d graduated from college over ten years ago.

Though he’d lost his job through no fault of his own, and had received a nice compensation package in exchange, Robert didn’t like the feeling of being out of work. He needed to get back behind a desk as soon as possible.

Robert finished his cup of coffee and considered requesting a refill. But at that moment, Margo disappeared into the kitchen. A moment later she reemerged, without her apron, and left the restaurant with a wave and a smile to the older woman behind the counter.

He checked the time. It was quarter past three. She’d left the bistro at this time yesterday, too. He sighed, then snapped shut his briefcase and pocketed the BlackBerry.

Tomorrow he’d just have to get here earlier.