A Dad of His Own by Gail Gaymer Martin Page A

much Cooper thought of him. “You know kids. They love attention.” She hoped that softened what she’d said.
    “Yes, I suppose they do.”
    Silence settled over the line, and Lexie clung to the receiver wishing she’d kept her mouth shut about Cooper’s excitement.
    “I’ll see you on Thursday at six then. And, Lexie, thanks for the invitation.”
    “You’re welcome.” She lowered the receiver and leaned back in the chair. Whatever she’d said had dampened the situation. Moments earlier the conversation had caused her to grin, and she hadn’t done that in days.

Chapter Four
    E than eyed the empty place at the table and cut into his pork chop. Lexie had dinner ready when he arrived, so serious conversation had been put on hold. He didn’t want to ask questions that would make the meal a downer, and he feared talking about Cooper’s illness would send their moods down the drain.
    He wished he knew how to apologize for his behavior on the phone. Hearing Cooper’s excitement caused a warning buzzer to sound in his mind. He didn’t want to be that important to the boy, and the more he thought about the situation the more he feared he might hurt the boy unintentionally. One day he would possibly walk away, and what then? The idea ran cold through his veins. How long could a man linger around a woman and child without allowing his feelings to emerge? And though Lexie had been friendly, he sensed her interest in him was about her purely thinking of Cooper. Not of him.
    Lexie gazed at him a moment, obviously noticing his focus on the empty place setting and his silence. “We’ll check on Cooper after dinner.” She extended the dinner rolls. “Have another. They’ll go to waste here with Coop not eating much.”
    “How bad is he feeling?”
    “Bad. He turned down dinner and said he’d wait for the cake.” She shrugged. “Eating cake instead of dinner isn’t very healthy, but—”
    “Right. Give him what he’ll enjoy. It’s his birthday.”
    They silenced again, and he felt the stress surrounding them. He took another bite, uneasy with the quiet. “These chops are really tender. Mine always cut like leather.”
    “You probably fry them.”
    He nodded.
    “These are baked. I have a pork rub that I use.”
    Their stilted conversation bothered him. In their short acquaintance, they had talked with ease, and right now he wished he could put them in that frame again. Instead, he concentrated on enjoying the tender chops and the mashed potatoes with gravy. She’d even prepared carrots, one of his favorites.
    Lexie nibbled at her food, distracted by her thoughts, he suspected. She handed him the potatoes again but this time, he declined. His own appetite had waned with the tension he felt.
    “I can’t eat another bite.” He straightened in his chair and shifted the plate to the side. “Thanks so much for the excellent meal.”
    “You’re welcome. It would be a rather sad party without you.”
    He thought it was sad even with him being there. But he hoped that could change. “I’m glad to be here for Cooper.” He clenched his teeth to keep himself from telling her he wanted to be there for her, too.
    “I wish he’d eaten with us, but I knew he’d wear out too fast. I’d rather he enjoy his cake and the short celebration.”
    Ethan offered a mundane comment and sank back into his thoughts.
    When Lexie rose and reached for the dishes, Ethan jumped to action, anxious to do something other than feel sad. He pitched in and carried the bowls and glasses to the kitchen sink, then turned on the water and ran the salad bowls under the tap.
    But Lexie moved beside him and shooed him away. “You’re company. I can take care of this later.”
    He stepped aside but didn’t leave. “If we do it now, it’s done.” He rested his hand on her arm, relishing the feeling of intimacy standing together over the sink. “You have better things to do with your time.” He stopped himself from referring to