you want some soup? Chicken noodle tonight—homemade noodles.”
“I don’t think so,” Ian said, no hint of regret in his voice.
“Fine.”
“Fine.”
They gathered up the baby’s things together in silence. “This place sure looks different,” Ian said.
“Amazing how unpacking a dozen or so boxes can make a difference.”
“Why did you wait so long?” Ian asked.
“Be careful, Ian. I might think your interest indicates you’ve decided to overlook my sordid past.”
“I just want an explanation,” he said.
“And why do I owe you that?” she asked. “You’re not my brother, not even a friend. You’re just a man I’ve been helping out. Not really for your sake, but for the baby and Anne’s sake. So why do I owe you an explanation?”
“You don’t,” he said gruffly.
“Well, then we’re both agreed,” she said.
“Thank you for today.” He stood there, spine stiff, face impassive.
“As I said, it wasn’t for you, it was for Ryane and Anne.”
He nodded and took the baby from her extended arms. He began to walk out the door.
“And, Ian?” Allie called.
“What?” He turned around and fixed those dark, brooding eyes, eyes that would look quite at home in a Brontë novel, on her.
“I didn’t know he was married. I was new in town and lonely, and we had dinner a few times. He made it clear he wanted more, but I wanted to know him better first. As soon as I found out he was married, I dumped him. But it wasn’t soon enough. His wife found out and made a scene. I’ve been wearing a scarlet letter on my chest ever since.”
Why on earth did she feel the need to tell him that? Cursing herself for being a fool, Allie began to close the door.
“Thank you,” Ian said.
Allie didn’t say a word but closed the door in his face and dutifully locked it.
She didn’t know why she’d done that. She didn’t make it a habit of explaining herself to people who didn’t matter. And Ian didn’t matter. He wasn’t the type of man she dated. Oh, he was the go-weak-in-the-knees sort of good-looking, but he wasn’t the type of man that shook her world. He wasn’t even the type of man she befriended. She liked her friends to be as happy and lighthearted as she was.
Ian was neither.
Not by a long shot. He was a man who apparently didn’t know a thing about smiling, even less about laughing.
No, he wasn’t someone she’d have in her life under usual circumstances. She didn’t want anything from him, not even his approval. And that little explanation was the last she would offer.
She stalked into the kitchen and turned off the soup.
She wasn’t very hungry.
“Well, here we are,” Allie said, bright and early Wednesday morning. She had Ryane in her arms and handed the baby to her mother. “I talked to Dr. Johns, and he agreed that Ryane can come in two or three times a day and nurse.”
Anne didn’t say a word, just held the baby close. “She’s bigger.”
“Not that much bigger,” Allie reassured her. She looked the woman over. Anne looked better since the surgery. Her leg was no longer in traction, but propped on pillows. “You started therapy today?”
Anne laughed. “Oh, let’s talk about good times. They put my leg on this little skateboard thing and I rolled it back and forth half a dozen times. Just six times and I was exhausted.”
“Your strength will come back,” Allie assured her.
“Not soon enough for me.” Disgust tinged Anne’s voice.
“I wanted to talk to you,” Allie said, pulling a chair next to the bed. “Dr. Johns said he hoped you’d be out of here soon, and Ian mentioned that your place has stairs and so does his. A two-story apartment complex doesn’t need an elevator, so that’s no help. So, what are you going to do?”
“I just don’t know.” There was worry in Anne’s eyes.
“I think you and Ryane should stay with me,” Allie said.
Anne shook her head. “I couldn’t.”
“Why not?” Allie knew it was a viable
“I don’t think so,” Ian said, no hint of regret in his voice.
“Fine.”
“Fine.”
They gathered up the baby’s things together in silence. “This place sure looks different,” Ian said.
“Amazing how unpacking a dozen or so boxes can make a difference.”
“Why did you wait so long?” Ian asked.
“Be careful, Ian. I might think your interest indicates you’ve decided to overlook my sordid past.”
“I just want an explanation,” he said.
“And why do I owe you that?” she asked. “You’re not my brother, not even a friend. You’re just a man I’ve been helping out. Not really for your sake, but for the baby and Anne’s sake. So why do I owe you an explanation?”
“You don’t,” he said gruffly.
“Well, then we’re both agreed,” she said.
“Thank you for today.” He stood there, spine stiff, face impassive.
“As I said, it wasn’t for you, it was for Ryane and Anne.”
He nodded and took the baby from her extended arms. He began to walk out the door.
“And, Ian?” Allie called.
“What?” He turned around and fixed those dark, brooding eyes, eyes that would look quite at home in a Brontë novel, on her.
“I didn’t know he was married. I was new in town and lonely, and we had dinner a few times. He made it clear he wanted more, but I wanted to know him better first. As soon as I found out he was married, I dumped him. But it wasn’t soon enough. His wife found out and made a scene. I’ve been wearing a scarlet letter on my chest ever since.”
Why on earth did she feel the need to tell him that? Cursing herself for being a fool, Allie began to close the door.
“Thank you,” Ian said.
Allie didn’t say a word but closed the door in his face and dutifully locked it.
She didn’t know why she’d done that. She didn’t make it a habit of explaining herself to people who didn’t matter. And Ian didn’t matter. He wasn’t the type of man she dated. Oh, he was the go-weak-in-the-knees sort of good-looking, but he wasn’t the type of man that shook her world. He wasn’t even the type of man she befriended. She liked her friends to be as happy and lighthearted as she was.
Ian was neither.
Not by a long shot. He was a man who apparently didn’t know a thing about smiling, even less about laughing.
No, he wasn’t someone she’d have in her life under usual circumstances. She didn’t want anything from him, not even his approval. And that little explanation was the last she would offer.
She stalked into the kitchen and turned off the soup.
She wasn’t very hungry.
“Well, here we are,” Allie said, bright and early Wednesday morning. She had Ryane in her arms and handed the baby to her mother. “I talked to Dr. Johns, and he agreed that Ryane can come in two or three times a day and nurse.”
Anne didn’t say a word, just held the baby close. “She’s bigger.”
“Not that much bigger,” Allie reassured her. She looked the woman over. Anne looked better since the surgery. Her leg was no longer in traction, but propped on pillows. “You started therapy today?”
Anne laughed. “Oh, let’s talk about good times. They put my leg on this little skateboard thing and I rolled it back and forth half a dozen times. Just six times and I was exhausted.”
“Your strength will come back,” Allie assured her.
“Not soon enough for me.” Disgust tinged Anne’s voice.
“I wanted to talk to you,” Allie said, pulling a chair next to the bed. “Dr. Johns said he hoped you’d be out of here soon, and Ian mentioned that your place has stairs and so does his. A two-story apartment complex doesn’t need an elevator, so that’s no help. So, what are you going to do?”
“I just don’t know.” There was worry in Anne’s eyes.
“I think you and Ryane should stay with me,” Allie said.
Anne shook her head. “I couldn’t.”
“Why not?” Allie knew it was a viable
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