His brain raced through the information he’d learned over the past few days. Did Sam
need insulin? Matt recalled a classroom session about low blood sugar. No. Not insulin.
That would drop Sam’s blood sugar even more. His level needed to rise. “I need to
check his blood-sugar level. If it’s low, he needs some juice or a glucose tablet.”
Dani smiled and nodded.
“And then I need to take his blood sugar again.”
“Perfect.” Dani beamed like Matt was a star pupil.
Except he wasn’t a star. More like a failure. He’d almost unnecessarily given his
son insulin. Sam’s blood sugar would have dropped to a dangerous level. If Dani hadn’t
been there, would Matt have figured it out on his own? He’d like to think so, yet
lately he’d made a lot of stupid mistakes.
Except for asking Dani to help out. That had proved to be his smartest decision in
a long time—until his hormones had taken over and he’d planted his lips on hers. At
least he’d had enough brain cells to walk away.
Fifteen minutes later, Sam smiled up at Matt. “I feel okay now.”
“Let’s recheck your blood sugar.” Once again, he sent Dani a questioning glance.
She nodded.
At the normal reading, he took what felt like his first breath since Sam had entered
the kitchen. “Okay, bud.” Matt ruffled Sam’s hair. “Guess we did all right.” Matt’s
reward was an admiring look from Sam. “Time to get you back to bed.”
Sam’s glance skipped over Matt to land on Dani. “Will you come with me?”
In a silent question, she raised her eyebrows to Matt. He nodded. “I’ll check on you
soon, buddy.”
Warmth shone bright in Dani’s eyes. What would it feel like to have her direct such
affection toward him?
She smiled and held out her hand to Sam. “I’d love to.”
Chapter Ten
Head bent, elbows resting on his thighs, Matt sat on one of the Adirondack chairs
bordering his backyard pond. While Sam and Dani said their good nights, he figured
he’d sit outside with the bugs. Wallow in self-doubt and guilt. Maybe throw a little
shame into the mix, too. What started out as an innocent, relaxing evening had turned
into a lust-a-thon followed by a near medical emergency.
He’d failed both events.
Sam’s diabetes was serious. There were consequences to everything he ate. Everything
he did or didn’t do. The penalty for failure could mean life or death. Sure, Matt
intended to learn everything he could to care for Sam, but Dani provided backup. Pretty
soon she would go back home. Matt’s gut stirred at the reminder. He couldn’t count
on her forever.
Dani cleared her throat as she approached behind him.
“Figured you might finally want to eat.” She reached his chair and set two plates
of food down on the small wooden table to his left.
“Thanks.”
“You did great with Sam.”
He rubbed the back of his hand across his mouth. “Sure, by almost giving him insulin
when he didn’t need it?”
“You’ve been playing double duty as his only parent. I know you’ve had a little help
from your mom, but you’ve essentially been a single parent. You must be doing a lot
of things right because Sam is an incredible little boy.”
“I couldn’t remember how to care for him.”
“Yeah, this one time. But you’re trained in handling crises, and I have no doubt that
the next time the situation comes up, you’ll manage it with a clear head.”
He gave her a nod of thanks that didn’t quite register in his brain. Seemed like he’d
been doing a lot of second-guessing in his life lately.
She reached into her sweatshirt pockets and pulled out two beers. When she bent to
place them on the table, he caught her scent. She smelled like fresh air. Pure. Simple.
He now knew from experience that her skin was soft and warm, like she’d just come
in from the sun.
Where in the hell had his brain been earlier? How could he have believed that sampling
the lips of a certain sassy nurse was in any way a good idea? Matt allowed his gaze
to wander to her face, landing on her full lips. He was haunted by her taste, sweeter
than anything he’d ever sampled.
Easing into the other chair, she popped open her beer, then raised the bottle to her
lips. The condensation slid down the can, onto her throat before slipping beneath
her sweatshirt. His fingers curled against the chair’s armrests. His nails sank into
the soft wood as he remembered how her body had brought his to life. His mind rewound
to the moment he’d taken hold of her zipper, revealing the pale skin of her breasts
with each tug.
Dani stabbed at some fruit and threw him a sideways glance. “Not hungry?”
Starved
. But he’d have to go for his second choice and eat the meal she’d prepared. He two-handed
his sandwich—on bread, not buns—and finished in a few bites.
Funny how good his memory worked to recall his lust. Maybe he should start taking
that memory herb his mother was always trying to push on him. He needed to remember
that he wasn’t in the market for a fling no matter how hot the woman.
“Look, about earlier,” he said, his voice straightforward. He nodded toward the house.
Dani held up a hand in a stop gesture. “You don’t need to go further. We made a mistake—one
not to be repeated. We both know that.”
True, but why did hearing her admit it bring him down?
“Yeah.” Matt cleared his throat. “Let’s stick with simple flirtation. It’s fun. Nobody
gets hurt. Nothing wrong with harmless teasing, especially if we both know it won’t
lead anywhere.”
“Right.” Dani took a bite of her sandwich.
Someday.
Someday after things with Sam settled down and he was ready for a woman in his life,
he’d be sure to make the perfect choice. He wanted to really know a woman before getting
involved, to make sure there would be no surprises. No deception.
He didn’t want to repeat his disastrous marriage. He wanted someone he could trust.
Someone different than Gina. Someone who would love his son.
He assumed he’d known what he wanted with her. A partnership. A best friend. A lifetime
lover. And when the time was right, a mother for his children. With Gina, Matt had
been a poor judge of character, and now his confidence was shaken.
…
Dani stood alone in front of the living room fireplace, studying the photographs on
the mantel. Multiple various-sized frames ran the length of the shelf. A two-year-old
Sam with a spaghetti-stained face smiled back at her. The next picture showed him
at about age four holding up a small sunfish by a fishing line. Dani blinked through
sudden tears and studied the next photo. Sam and his grandmother stood in front of
a school on a sunny summer day. He held a rolled-up piece of paper, closed with a
blue ribbon. Dani’s guess was kindergarten graduation.
“I never knew it’d be so hard,” she whispered to herself. “I didn’t know I’d miss
this much.” She’d thought endlessly about Sam, especially on birthdays and Christmases—all
the major, emotion-provoking holidays. But what about the small occasions? Years’
worth of simple daily events could never be recovered. Yes, they were little things,
though added together, they summed up Sam’s life.
And she’d continue to miss out. Because in a few short months, she’d leave Lake Bliss
without knowing if she’d ever see Sam again. It’d be unbearable to leave after experiencing
the joy of knowing her little boy. Of being in his company. Of loving him. That would
be the price she’d have to pay for her deception, even though she’d had no choice
but to hide the truth.
Sam and Matt deserved her honesty, but the truth would cost her time spent with her
son. If she revealed who she was, Matt would have questions and demand answers she
didn’t want to reveal. Information that would only cause pain.
She sniffed and swiped a hand over her eyes. A wet nose nudged her leg. She peered
down to see Larry giving her a sympathetic look. “I’m okay, boy.”
While she patted the dog’s head, a small, warm hand slipped into hers.
Sam
. She dabbed at her face before attempting a smile in his direction. He gave her hand
a squeeze.
“Why are you sad?” He glanced at the mantelpiece photos. His attention stalled at
the one with his grandmother. “Don’t you have a grandmother?”
“No, honey. All my grandparents have passed away.”
“Do you have a mom?”
Dani shook her head. “Not anymore. My mom died a few months ago.” With her mother’s
death, Dani was now alone in the world. No siblings. No aunts or uncles. Totally alone.
Except for Sam, now her only living relative.
“Was your mom a nice person?”
“My mother was wonderful. I loved her very much.”
“Was she your real mom?”
No doubt where this was headed. “Yes, she was.”
“I wonder if my real mom is nice.” Sam crinkled his eyebrows together. A crease formed
above his nose. “Probably not or she wouldn’t have let me be adopted.” He hung his
head.
His words slashed a hole in Dani’s heart. She wanted to come clean. Wanted to scoop
this sweet little boy into her arms and promise to be the nicest mother in the world.
To beg his forgiveness for letting him go.
She smoothed a hand over his shoulder. “Women give up their children for many different
reasons, honey. It’s hard to understand the decision of adoption. Sometimes they value
their child more than themselves. Many times a mother wants what’s best for her child.
To give her little boy or girl the best possible life, even if it means giving them
to other people.”
“I know the story of my adoption day. Wanna hear it?” Sam’s eyes glowed with excitement.
“Dad says it was the happiest day of his life.”
Dani put a hand on the mantel to steady herself. She barely found her voice. “Sure.”
“He and my mom went to somebody’s office that day to get me.”
The attorney’s office
, Dani thought. After she’d placed Sam in the nurse’s arms, someone had been designated
to turn him over to the adoptive parents.
“Dad says he was so excited. I was little and wrapped in a blanket.”
Blue. A light blue blanket.
“And then the lady said to Dad, ‘I’d like to introduce you to your son.’” Sam aimed
his thumb at his chest. “That was me.”
Dani bit her lip.
“He said his heart about stopped because I was so little, and he was scared of hurting
me. My hand snuck out of the blanket and grabbed onto his finger.”
No doubt Sam had heard this story many times. It warmed Dani’s heart to hear this
version—the happy one. Not the horrible day she’d never been able to forget.
“Then he cried ’cause he was happy.” Sam flashed his adorable grin.
She ruffled his hair. Because she couldn’t help it, she allowed herself a few strokes
to smooth it down, forcing her mind to catalogue the softness, the thickness, the
chestnut color so she’d have one more memory after she returned home.
“Someday Jack’s gonna build us a guy house right on the lake.”
Dani blinked back tears and smiled. “A guy house?”
“Yep. We get to pick out everything we want. No frilly stuff. We’re even gonna build
a long fishing dock.”
“Sounds like a fabulous plan.”
“Dad gets smart ideas, then passes them on to me. I think of plans too.”
“You’re a very bright young man.”
He shrugged his shoulders. “Guess it works for us. We don’t mind sharing.”
“He’s a good father, isn’t he?”
Sam’s face lit. “Yep, he’s the best.”
Late that afternoon, Dani handed Elaine measuring spoons and a jar of honey.
Elaine turned wary eyes toward Dani. “I thought we were going to make a cake?”
“We are. Some of the original ingredients in your recipe need to be replaced with
healthier items.” Dani cast a look at Sam who sat at the kitchen table. He had his
index finger at the ready to enter ingredient amounts onto her laptop.
Beautiful day
, she thought. The sun was bright. The smell of fresh-cut grass blew in with the breeze.
And she had her little boy at her side.
Elaine shoved her hands in her apron pockets. “I’ve never heard of that before.”
“You’ll love it. The honey provides texture to the cake and adds moisture.” Dani smiled
at Elaine. “This will come darn close to tasting like yours.”
The bonus will be dodging a sugar-induced coma for anyone eating a piece.
Elaine grudgingly took the honey and poured out the right amount. After measuring
the rest of the ingredients, she stirred the mix with a large wooden spoon. Elaine
beamed. “That was easy.” She popped the cake in the oven and set the timer. “Let’s
try another when it’s done.”
They sat in the kitchen drinking lemonade with Sam, and Elaine shuffled through her
recipe box. Without meeting Dani’s eyes, Elaine said, “I want to thank you. I must
admit I was skeptical about learning to cook differently. Life used to be so much
easier. Nobody had to worry about healthy cooking.” She rubbed a hand down the back
of Sam’s head. “But I’d do anything for this little guy.”
Dani patted Elaine’s arm. “I understand. Change is hard. And I hope I never made you
feel like I was replacing you.”
“I guess I’m territorial about my kitchen. It’s nice after so many years as a widow
to feel needed again.”
Dani understood that in spades. Wasn’t it a basic human need to feel useful? To feel
like you belonged somewhere? She pushed aside those thoughts because she had no idea
what her future held in that regard.
The finished cake was cooling on a plate when a soft knock sounded at the back door,
and Gina cracked it open. “I’m leaving town. I wanted to say good-bye.”
“Come on in. I’m learning how to alter recipes for Sam,” Elaine said, pride evident
in her voice. “Dani might add them to her cookbook. My name would be included, too.”
Huh?
Dani recalled mentioning
one
recipe and nothing about Elaine’s name.
“That sounds nice, Elaine.”
Gina moved to the table, kneeling in front of Sam. “It was nice seeing you, Sammy.
Be good for your daddy, okay?” Sam nodded. Gina gave him a halfhearted hug and then
headed toward the door.
Elaine handed the cake they’d just finished to Gina. “Hope you enjoy this. Take care
of yourself.”
Gina hooked her purse on her shoulder. “Thanks.” She headed for the back door but
paused for a second to look back over her shoulder, her focus on Dani. “Can I talk
to you for a minute outside?”
Curiosity about the woman who’d pretended to want Sam and then abandoned him drove
Dani to follow Gina to her car. She opened the passenger’s door and sat the cake on
the seat before turning back to Dani.
“Matthew looks at you like he used to look at me,” she said.
Dani crossed her arms over her chest. “And how is that?”
Gina’s gaze shifted to look off in the distance. “Like he cared about me deeply. That
he loved it when we were together. Like he couldn’t get enough of me.”
“There’s nothing going on between me and Matt,” she half lied. Maybe that could be
her new mantra, though.
“I could be wrong, but I don’t think so.” Gina moved to the driver’s side and opened
the door. “Matthew falls hard, Dani, so if you’re not interested, make that clear
to him sooner rather than later.”
Gina sat in the driver’s seat, tossing her purse next to her. It landed on top of
the foil-covered cake, squishing it. Dani bit back an irritated response.
“Because believe me, if he ever looks at you with anger or disappointment, it will
haunt you forever.” Gina closed the car door and turned the ignition. “Oh, and thank
you for your help with Sam. I wish I was cut out to be a mother, but I’m not. I don’t
really care much for children, and I would never want to deal with a sick child.”