It Takes Three

“Thea.” One corner of his wonderful mouth quirked up. “Or should I call you Obi-Wan?”

“Excuse me?”

“You did see Star Wars?”

“Of course. But I don’t get the reference.”

“The teacher and the student. Are you sure you don’t have children?”

None that she’d cop to just yet. “No. I mean yes, I’m sure. Why? What are you talking about?”

“Wise you are, as well as beautiful,” he said, imitating one of the movie characters.

“I think that’s Yoda-speak. But if it was a bona fide compliment, thank you.”

“It was. And you’re welcome.”

“Why am I wise?” she asked, refusing to acknowledge the beautiful part of that compliment.

“I managed to talk to Kendra without anyone leaving the room in hysterics, including me.”

She laughed. “What happened?”

“I took your advice and simply listened and asked questions. I tried not to lecture or offer advice.”

“And that didn’t make you hysterical?” she couldn’t resist asking.

“Of course it did. I’m a guy. And I build things. So the need to fix it now is especially strong. But I was a brave little soldier and didn’t let it show.”

“Wow. Congressional Medal of Honor material.”

He leaned a jean-clad hip against her desk and half sat. “It almost killed me not to bring up the pregnancy test, but I tried it your way.”

“And?”

“She admitted she feels bad when there’s an event and her mother isn’t there. Which proves your theory—listen you must, then talk to you she will.”

Thea laughed. “I didn’t say it like that.”

“No. But the message was the same. I hope by not lecturing this time, she’ll be more open to talking about it when I bring up the subject of the pregnancy test. Which I plan to in the very near future.” He frowned and worry lines bracketed his nose and mouth.

“Good instincts. Pick and choose your battles. Figure out which hill you want to die on.”

“Actually, I’d prefer not to die on any of them. But I suppose a single battle isn’t critical as long as I win the war.”

“Well said, General Solo.” She saluted. His responding grin hit her in the midsection like a fireball. She backed away and rested her backside against Connie’s desk.

“I—I’m glad you think I helped,” she said, hoping he hadn’t noticed her stammer. And especially hoping he didn’t get that her reaction to him caused it. “But, really, I didn’t do anything. There should be some kind of a medal for raising a terrific young woman like Kendra. I’m sure your older daughter is just as wonderful.”

“Gail,” he said.

She nodded. “She’s in college and on her way, thanks to you.”

“I don’t know how much is thanks to me. She’s just a good kid. So is Kendra.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “I always thought I 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.”