I think it should be okay.” Fiona was dumbfounded
. How the hell should she know if it would be okay
? What wouldn’t be okay is if her son formed a deep attachment to Everett and then one day he wasn’t there—that would be far from okay.
Fiona squatted next to Ryder’s pillow. “Hey, you better get into bed.” There was no reaction. After the events of the day, Ryder was sound asleep.
“Don’t wake him. I can carry him to his room.” Everett bent and gingerly scooped Ryder into his arms, something Fiona hadn’t been able to do for quite some time, given his size.
Fiona led the way back to Ryder’s room, turning on the lamp to give light. He placed Ryder beneath the sheets with the same delicate care as when he’d lifted him into his arms. Tucking the sheets around him, he was careful to place the casted arm across his chest. And then he bent and kissed Ryder on the cheek. “It’s not a proper tuck-in without a kiss.”
Fiona quite agreed and so she bent to kiss Ryder’s forehead. In the hallway Everett asked, “Where would you like me to sleep? I’m perfectly comfortable taking the couch.”
“If you’re staying here tonight you’ll sleep in my bed with me.”
“I won’t argue with that.”
***
In her bedroom, sitting on her stonewashed Belgian linen bedding Everett asked, “Do you not want me to stay?”
“I’m sorry, Everett. I know I haven’t been saying much, but the truth is I really don’t know if it’s a good idea.”
“Why?”
“You honestly have to ask why? You can’t see how much Ryder has already begun clinging to you? I haven’t brought a man around him for that very reason. It’s actually much worse than I thought.”
Her voice cracked. Everett hoped she wasn’t on the verge of tears, but that hope became incinerated when the drops began to fall.
He pulled her to sit next to him on the bed and held her hands in his. “I’m not sure your plan worked out so well.”
“What?” Incredulous, she looked at him, her large blue eyes blinking.
“I’m just saying, he may be exceptionally curious about men since he hasn’t been around many, and that’s why he’s clinging so tightly to me.”
She stood and placed her hands on her hips, bending toward him at the waist. “So you’re saying I’m not doing a good job, raising him without a male figure in his life?”
Shit. He shouldn’t have said anything. Her eyes and lips were tight—she’d become defensive and angry.
“I think you’re a great mother. I shouldn’t have said anything. I’m sorry.”
She stared at him, contemplating. “You think I’m a great mother, but that’s not enough.”
“I never said that.”
“You implied it.”
“I did not.”
“On second thought, I think you should leave.” She pointed toward the door.
Fuck
. His life would be so much easier if he didn’t like this little doll of a woman—but he did. Even when she was angry she was inspiring. She did nothing halfway—her chest heaved and her face had become red as she tapped her foot and pursed her mouth at him. She was so tiny and yet she protected what she loved with fierce vengeance, using all she had at her disposal.
“I think there’s a possibility we may be able to salvage the evening—”
“No. You should go. I should have asked you to leave after dinner. This was a huge mistake.”
Everett sighed as he stood. He didn’t know what to say to her. The last time he’d spoken his true feelings he’d unwittingly hurt her. He walked to the door of the bedroom. Looking back he said, “I believe I was sorely misunderstood. I think Ryder is a wonderful child—your nurturing has everything to do with that. I can’t say I’m not a little hurt that you wished me gone at dinner, because I had a great time spending the evening with you and Ryder.”
Everett drove home feeling reluctant, given little Ryder’s pleas that he should stay. However, when he’d seen the fury in Fiona’s eyes he knew he was
. How the hell should she know if it would be okay
? What wouldn’t be okay is if her son formed a deep attachment to Everett and then one day he wasn’t there—that would be far from okay.
Fiona squatted next to Ryder’s pillow. “Hey, you better get into bed.” There was no reaction. After the events of the day, Ryder was sound asleep.
“Don’t wake him. I can carry him to his room.” Everett bent and gingerly scooped Ryder into his arms, something Fiona hadn’t been able to do for quite some time, given his size.
Fiona led the way back to Ryder’s room, turning on the lamp to give light. He placed Ryder beneath the sheets with the same delicate care as when he’d lifted him into his arms. Tucking the sheets around him, he was careful to place the casted arm across his chest. And then he bent and kissed Ryder on the cheek. “It’s not a proper tuck-in without a kiss.”
Fiona quite agreed and so she bent to kiss Ryder’s forehead. In the hallway Everett asked, “Where would you like me to sleep? I’m perfectly comfortable taking the couch.”
“If you’re staying here tonight you’ll sleep in my bed with me.”
“I won’t argue with that.”
***
In her bedroom, sitting on her stonewashed Belgian linen bedding Everett asked, “Do you not want me to stay?”
“I’m sorry, Everett. I know I haven’t been saying much, but the truth is I really don’t know if it’s a good idea.”
“Why?”
“You honestly have to ask why? You can’t see how much Ryder has already begun clinging to you? I haven’t brought a man around him for that very reason. It’s actually much worse than I thought.”
Her voice cracked. Everett hoped she wasn’t on the verge of tears, but that hope became incinerated when the drops began to fall.
He pulled her to sit next to him on the bed and held her hands in his. “I’m not sure your plan worked out so well.”
“What?” Incredulous, she looked at him, her large blue eyes blinking.
“I’m just saying, he may be exceptionally curious about men since he hasn’t been around many, and that’s why he’s clinging so tightly to me.”
She stood and placed her hands on her hips, bending toward him at the waist. “So you’re saying I’m not doing a good job, raising him without a male figure in his life?”
Shit. He shouldn’t have said anything. Her eyes and lips were tight—she’d become defensive and angry.
“I think you’re a great mother. I shouldn’t have said anything. I’m sorry.”
She stared at him, contemplating. “You think I’m a great mother, but that’s not enough.”
“I never said that.”
“You implied it.”
“I did not.”
“On second thought, I think you should leave.” She pointed toward the door.
Fuck
. His life would be so much easier if he didn’t like this little doll of a woman—but he did. Even when she was angry she was inspiring. She did nothing halfway—her chest heaved and her face had become red as she tapped her foot and pursed her mouth at him. She was so tiny and yet she protected what she loved with fierce vengeance, using all she had at her disposal.
“I think there’s a possibility we may be able to salvage the evening—”
“No. You should go. I should have asked you to leave after dinner. This was a huge mistake.”
Everett sighed as he stood. He didn’t know what to say to her. The last time he’d spoken his true feelings he’d unwittingly hurt her. He walked to the door of the bedroom. Looking back he said, “I believe I was sorely misunderstood. I think Ryder is a wonderful child—your nurturing has everything to do with that. I can’t say I’m not a little hurt that you wished me gone at dinner, because I had a great time spending the evening with you and Ryder.”
Everett drove home feeling reluctant, given little Ryder’s pleas that he should stay. However, when he’d seen the fury in Fiona’s eyes he knew he was
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