to…”
Go through your dead mother’s things.
The unspoken words hung in the air. He tensed again.
“Oh God. I’m sorry,” she said. “I can tell this is hard for you, and I’m only making it worse.”
“It’s okay,” Cole said, and he meant it. While thinking about his mother did upset him, things seemed just a little better with Jill here. “Don’t worry about it.” He ran his hand through his hair. “Would you like a drink?”
He’d offered her a drink last night, too, and look what that had led to.
She blushed as if having the same thought, ducking her head.
“I meant water, or maybe there’s still some soda left in the pantry.”
A quick smile flashed across her face and she looked back up at him. “Oh no, but thank you. I should probably get back. My business partner, Liz—she was with me last night at the bar—she’s with the kids, but I’m on duty until 5:30.”
“All right. Are most daycares open on Sunday?”
“No. Ours is a little different.”
“How so?”
“Some of the parents we cater to have special needs. They work on weekends. Or need odd times off because they’re going through a difficult time.”
“What kind of difficult time?”
“Um…we cater to families who are going through an illness of some sort.”
“Like with cancer?” The words came out of his mouth before he could think. Why had he gone there?
A slight wince formed around her mouth, but she said softly, “Sometimes. Illness doesn’t maintain a nine-to-five schedule. We aren’t open seven days a week, obviously, but we try to be as flexible as we can.”
“That’s really great. I’m sure it helps,” he said, wondering what he’d said to make her uncomfortable. “Is that how you met my mom? Did she know someone who was sick and in need of childcare?”
She hesitated a moment. “She didn’t introduce me to anyone. I just needed a place to run the daycare, and it can be difficult to rent and do all that, especially in a residential area. Insurance and county restrictions, things like that. But Stella was open to helping. She was wonderful.” In mentioning his mom’s name, her expression had lightened. She hadn’t exactly answered his question, but he saw no reason to give her the third degree about it. “Well, I’m glad you had a chance to know her.”
“Me, too. It was great seeing you again, Cole.”
He stifled the urge to ask her stay or to come back later. That wouldn’t be fair to her. What he’d told her last night had been the truth. He had too much going on, too many problems to offer anything to a woman. Besides, he was a protector; it was more than his job…it was his persona. She was attracted to the guy in the bar who’d stepped up when she needed help, not a simpering wuss who missed his mother and wanted to cry every time he thought about never seeing her again.
“Anyway,” Jill said, getting up from the stool.
“Anyway.” He followed her back to the front door, then opened it for her. “Thanks for coming in.” He tensed when Jill placed her hand on his arm. He stared at her hand for a moment.
Then into her pale green eyes.
Before he knew what was happening, Jill stepped closer and threw her arms around him. Instinctively, he returned the hug, pulling her against him. In that simple embrace, his worries ebbed away, his pulse rose, and his breathing sped up to keep up the pace. He smelled the sweet shampoo in her hair and remembered being wrapped in her scent while he explored every part of her body. His body hardened, and his stomach jolted in that way only Jill seemed to provoke lately.
And then just like that, Jill pulled away.
“Your mom talked about you all the time, Cole. She couldn’t have been prouder of you.”
He nodded, the sudden arousal leaching from his body, replaced by the now familiar heavy weight of sadness. And yet, he realized, the weight wasn’t as heavy as it had felt before. “Yeah?” He was glad to hear his mom had spoken
Go through your dead mother’s things.
The unspoken words hung in the air. He tensed again.
“Oh God. I’m sorry,” she said. “I can tell this is hard for you, and I’m only making it worse.”
“It’s okay,” Cole said, and he meant it. While thinking about his mother did upset him, things seemed just a little better with Jill here. “Don’t worry about it.” He ran his hand through his hair. “Would you like a drink?”
He’d offered her a drink last night, too, and look what that had led to.
She blushed as if having the same thought, ducking her head.
“I meant water, or maybe there’s still some soda left in the pantry.”
A quick smile flashed across her face and she looked back up at him. “Oh no, but thank you. I should probably get back. My business partner, Liz—she was with me last night at the bar—she’s with the kids, but I’m on duty until 5:30.”
“All right. Are most daycares open on Sunday?”
“No. Ours is a little different.”
“How so?”
“Some of the parents we cater to have special needs. They work on weekends. Or need odd times off because they’re going through a difficult time.”
“What kind of difficult time?”
“Um…we cater to families who are going through an illness of some sort.”
“Like with cancer?” The words came out of his mouth before he could think. Why had he gone there?
A slight wince formed around her mouth, but she said softly, “Sometimes. Illness doesn’t maintain a nine-to-five schedule. We aren’t open seven days a week, obviously, but we try to be as flexible as we can.”
“That’s really great. I’m sure it helps,” he said, wondering what he’d said to make her uncomfortable. “Is that how you met my mom? Did she know someone who was sick and in need of childcare?”
She hesitated a moment. “She didn’t introduce me to anyone. I just needed a place to run the daycare, and it can be difficult to rent and do all that, especially in a residential area. Insurance and county restrictions, things like that. But Stella was open to helping. She was wonderful.” In mentioning his mom’s name, her expression had lightened. She hadn’t exactly answered his question, but he saw no reason to give her the third degree about it. “Well, I’m glad you had a chance to know her.”
“Me, too. It was great seeing you again, Cole.”
He stifled the urge to ask her stay or to come back later. That wouldn’t be fair to her. What he’d told her last night had been the truth. He had too much going on, too many problems to offer anything to a woman. Besides, he was a protector; it was more than his job…it was his persona. She was attracted to the guy in the bar who’d stepped up when she needed help, not a simpering wuss who missed his mother and wanted to cry every time he thought about never seeing her again.
“Anyway,” Jill said, getting up from the stool.
“Anyway.” He followed her back to the front door, then opened it for her. “Thanks for coming in.” He tensed when Jill placed her hand on his arm. He stared at her hand for a moment.
Then into her pale green eyes.
Before he knew what was happening, Jill stepped closer and threw her arms around him. Instinctively, he returned the hug, pulling her against him. In that simple embrace, his worries ebbed away, his pulse rose, and his breathing sped up to keep up the pace. He smelled the sweet shampoo in her hair and remembered being wrapped in her scent while he explored every part of her body. His body hardened, and his stomach jolted in that way only Jill seemed to provoke lately.
And then just like that, Jill pulled away.
“Your mom talked about you all the time, Cole. She couldn’t have been prouder of you.”
He nodded, the sudden arousal leaching from his body, replaced by the now familiar heavy weight of sadness. And yet, he realized, the weight wasn’t as heavy as it had felt before. “Yeah?” He was glad to hear his mom had spoken
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