the other qualities he had wanted in a wife, but she did love the children and that was what mattered the most now.
He might not love her , but Jared found he had a newfound respect for her and the sacrifices she had made for the sake of the kids. A cold, selfish woman would never have made those choices or even cared what happened to four orphaned children. She might not be the type of mother Jen had been, but Jared knew Kate would love them without reservation.
All in all, Jared figured things would work out fine, at least in his personal life. His professional career was another matter and something he had to check into soon. Jared frowned as he stood and made his way to the bathroom. A sense of unease had been pricking at him for days now , and he needed to do something about it soon.
When Jared stepped out of the bathroom fifteen minutes later he was surprised to see the bed made. The clothes that had been lying on the floor were gone. Kate had obviously stopped by while he was showering. She was certainly trying her best to be a better housekeeper. He wondered how long it would last and how long it would be before they ended up hiring a housekeeper.
Jared dressed quickly in a pair of pants and shirt that was suitable for church and headed downstairs to join Kate. She was in the kitchen with the kids, trying to maneuver them upstairs to get ready to go. The kids greeted him enthusiastically as they passed him on their way up the stairs.
"Morning," Jared said, aware that Kate watched him with reserve. "What’s for breakfast?"
As he drew near, Kate busied herself getting Dani out of the high chair. "There’s cereal and I managed not to burn all the toast this morning. It’s on the table."
"Sounds good." Jared paused on his way to the table wondering if he should greet Kate with a kiss, but from the way the tension radiated off her he decided not to. Best not to push things. Kate needed to find her comfort level in the relationship, and Jared would adapt.
"I’m going to get Dani and myself ready for church. We usually leave at ten."
Jared nodded and watched her leave the room, Dani perched on one hip. She’d abandoned the nightgown once again and wore a pair of baggy sweats and a large T-shirt. She looked as different as night and day from the woman who’d stood at his door the night before. There were many sides to this woman, Jared realized and wondered if she’d ever let him get to know them all.
They made it through church without mishap , and then Jared insisted on taking them all out for dinner. Anything to keep Kate from having to cook a major meal.
"Is something wrong with your dinner, Kate?" Jared asked when he saw she’d hardly touched the food on her plate.
Kate looked at him in surprise. "No, it’s delicious. I’m just not very hungry."
"You need to eat more," Jared insisted. "You’re too thin."
A deep blush spread across Kate’s face and she avoided looking at him. Jared knew instantly that he’d handled that wrong. He’d dug himself a hole and jumped right on it. Now, how did he get out?
"I’m sorry, Kate, I didn’t mean that in a bad way. You just look so fragile. Like a strong puff of wind could blow you away. You’re not trying to lose weight, are you?"
Kate shook her head. "No. I’ve always been thin , but these last few months have been hard, and then there’s my cooking." She gave him a shy smile, and Jared knew she was accepting his apology.
*****
Monday morning arrived with dark clouds and rain. Kate hoped it wasn’t a foretelling of what lay ahead. They hadn’t mentioned anything to the kids about the hearing that day, but Kate was sure they sensed the tension. Even Jared was more tense than she’d ever seen him before with shoulders rigid and jaw clenched.
When they had gone to bed the night before Kate had longed to talk to him. To voice the fears inside of her , but Jared hadn’t wanted to talk. He’d fallen asleep and left Kate alone to battle her fears.
He might not love her , but Jared found he had a newfound respect for her and the sacrifices she had made for the sake of the kids. A cold, selfish woman would never have made those choices or even cared what happened to four orphaned children. She might not be the type of mother Jen had been, but Jared knew Kate would love them without reservation.
All in all, Jared figured things would work out fine, at least in his personal life. His professional career was another matter and something he had to check into soon. Jared frowned as he stood and made his way to the bathroom. A sense of unease had been pricking at him for days now , and he needed to do something about it soon.
When Jared stepped out of the bathroom fifteen minutes later he was surprised to see the bed made. The clothes that had been lying on the floor were gone. Kate had obviously stopped by while he was showering. She was certainly trying her best to be a better housekeeper. He wondered how long it would last and how long it would be before they ended up hiring a housekeeper.
Jared dressed quickly in a pair of pants and shirt that was suitable for church and headed downstairs to join Kate. She was in the kitchen with the kids, trying to maneuver them upstairs to get ready to go. The kids greeted him enthusiastically as they passed him on their way up the stairs.
"Morning," Jared said, aware that Kate watched him with reserve. "What’s for breakfast?"
As he drew near, Kate busied herself getting Dani out of the high chair. "There’s cereal and I managed not to burn all the toast this morning. It’s on the table."
"Sounds good." Jared paused on his way to the table wondering if he should greet Kate with a kiss, but from the way the tension radiated off her he decided not to. Best not to push things. Kate needed to find her comfort level in the relationship, and Jared would adapt.
"I’m going to get Dani and myself ready for church. We usually leave at ten."
Jared nodded and watched her leave the room, Dani perched on one hip. She’d abandoned the nightgown once again and wore a pair of baggy sweats and a large T-shirt. She looked as different as night and day from the woman who’d stood at his door the night before. There were many sides to this woman, Jared realized and wondered if she’d ever let him get to know them all.
They made it through church without mishap , and then Jared insisted on taking them all out for dinner. Anything to keep Kate from having to cook a major meal.
"Is something wrong with your dinner, Kate?" Jared asked when he saw she’d hardly touched the food on her plate.
Kate looked at him in surprise. "No, it’s delicious. I’m just not very hungry."
"You need to eat more," Jared insisted. "You’re too thin."
A deep blush spread across Kate’s face and she avoided looking at him. Jared knew instantly that he’d handled that wrong. He’d dug himself a hole and jumped right on it. Now, how did he get out?
"I’m sorry, Kate, I didn’t mean that in a bad way. You just look so fragile. Like a strong puff of wind could blow you away. You’re not trying to lose weight, are you?"
Kate shook her head. "No. I’ve always been thin , but these last few months have been hard, and then there’s my cooking." She gave him a shy smile, and Jared knew she was accepting his apology.
*****
Monday morning arrived with dark clouds and rain. Kate hoped it wasn’t a foretelling of what lay ahead. They hadn’t mentioned anything to the kids about the hearing that day, but Kate was sure they sensed the tension. Even Jared was more tense than she’d ever seen him before with shoulders rigid and jaw clenched.
When they had gone to bed the night before Kate had longed to talk to him. To voice the fears inside of her , but Jared hadn’t wanted to talk. He’d fallen asleep and left Kate alone to battle her fears.
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