The living room was empty when she walked in, but she heard sounds coming from the kitchen. Talking and laughter. Connor’s and Alexis’s voices. How she had missed them both, she thought with a clench in her throat.
She noted that the living room was very tidy. Maybe there was a little dust on the tables, but everything was in its place. Anxious to see Connor and Alexis, she left her bags sitting in the living room when she went in search of them.
She stopped in the kitchen doorway and felt her heart trip at the sight of them. Alexis wore one of Mia’s aprons and was stirring something in a big bowl. A tea towel tucked into the belt of his jeans, Connor stood at the stove, ladling something from a steaming pan into a serving dish. The oven timer dinged and he reached for a potholder.
Alexis noticed Mia first. Dropping her spoon onto the table with a clatter, she pelted forward. “Mia, Mia! We’ve missed you.”
Catching the child in her arms, Mia hugged her tightly. “I’ve missed you, too, sweetie. So much.”
Connor set a pan of cornbread on a trivet before coming forward to greet her. His eyes searched her face, and she knew she looked tired and a little pale after her stressful week, but he said merely, “We’re glad you’re home. How’s your dad?”
“He was doing well when I left. Glad to be home, of course, and already getting impatient to get back to his old routines. Mom’s going to have her hands full making him follow all the doctor’s orders, but I have no doubt she’ll win the arguments. Carla’s staying with them tonight, even though both Mom and Dad told her there was no need for her to do so.”
“I’m glad to hear he’s making such good progress.”
“So am I,” she said with a heartfelt nod. “He scared us all, but the doctors said if he takes care of himself and abides by their instructions, he should be almost fully recovered in a matter of weeks.”
He looked at her mouth. She wondered if he was considering kissing her hello. She swallowed her disappointment when Alexis tugged at her shirt to reclaim her attention. “Mia, we made dinner for you. Daddy made chili and cornbread and he let me stir the dressing into a package of cold slaw.”
“Coleslaw,” Mia corrected automatically. “It all sounds delicious. I’ve had your daddy’s chili before and he makes some of the best I’ve ever had.”
Connor grinned and motioned toward the table. “Have a seat. I’ll serve. I hope you’re hungry.”
“I’m starving.”
It felt so good to be at the table with them again. Mia took a bite of thick, mildly spiced chili as she tried to listen to Alexis breathlessly reciting everything she had done in the week Mia had been away. Schoolwork, play dates with McKenzie, dance classes, a toy store and ice-cream outing with her daddy that morning.
“It sounds like you’ve had a busy week.”
Alexis nodded, her mouth smeared with chili as she took a big bite of cornbread. Mia assumed Connor had made his signature dish much less spicy than usual for Alexis’s sake. Normally Mia’s mouth would be burning—in a good way—by now.
Taking advantage of his daughter having her mouth full to get in a few words of his own, Connor asked, “How’s your mom, Mia?”
“She’s fine, now that she knows Dad’s going to be okay. I told her I’d drive down next weekend to check on them again, but I think they’ll be okay in the meantime. Carla and Paul will make sure of that.”
“I got a new doll this morning, Mia,” Alexis said after swallowing hastily. “Daddy bought her for me. Her name’s Penny and she’s going to be my new student.”
Dragging her gaze from Connor’s, Mia gave Alexis her full attention. “That sounds like fun. You’ll have to show her to me after dinner.”
Alexis claimed Mia’s full attention for the remainder of the meal and the two hours after that. Connor remained quietly in the background, letting Mia and Alexis catch up. He opened his books to study while they admired the new doll and Mia saw all of Alexis’s school papers from that week.
Bedtime came and Alexis gave Connor a big kiss before heading off to her room. “Mia will tuck me in tonight,” she said.
He wasn’t at all surprised. “Okay. Good night, princess. Sleep well.”
“I will.”
Turning, she tucked her hand into Mia’s and skipped off.
He stood to pour himself a cup of coffee. He told himself he could relax now that Mia was back to take care of Alexis. The past week had been a challenge, but he had survived it. Now things could get back to the way they had been before.
Even as that thought crossed his mind, he knew it was bull. Go back to when? Before he and Mia had shared the first real kiss? Before they’d made love on that one perfect evening? Before he’d fallen in love with her? He’d have to go way back in time for that one, he thought glumly. He suspected that he’d been in love with Mia for a long time, although he’d been too stubborn and too deliberately distracted by other things to admit it.
Nothing could ever be the same. He only hoped that whatever changes lay ahead for them, he wouldn’t get his heart kicked around again. Brandy had bruised it, Gretchen had dented it, but only Mia had the power to shatter it.
“That smells good,” she said from the doorway.
He glanced around. “You want a cup? It’s not decaf, I’m afraid.”