Uncomfortable with the kid’s tears, Adam’s roving gaze fixed on a photo on the wall of Lizzie and Louisa, their arms locked around each other as they grinned at the camera. He remembered the moment so well, it hurt. They’d been teasing him and laughing so hard he’d had trouble taking the picture. He abruptly averted his gaze.
“Look, I’d better go.”
“Sure.” Lizzie didn’t turn around as she rocked her son. She probably thought he was terrified of kids. “Take care now, Adam.”
He headed down the stairs, his steps slowing as he reached the street. He felt unsettled, like he’d been drawn into something, and couldn’t set himself free again. Seeing Lizzie . . . seeing how she loved her son had reminded him of everything he’d lost when Louisa died.
He’d never hold a child like that; he’d never have to worry about anything hurting him. He winced, the sound of Roman’s crying filling his ears as he walked back to his truck and got inside. After checking the time, he determined he might as well make one or two more stops before he finally made it home.
* * *
Lizzie finally persuaded a sobbing Roman to get back into bed, but only after she’d allowed him to put every single stuffed toy he owned in the bed as a substitute for Doofus. There was barely room left for him, but he didn’t seem to mind. As he’d stopped crying, Lizzie was fine with it.
She went back into the living room and collapsed on the couch. What an awful day. For the first time in a long while she wished she had someone there to hold her, to offer support, and tell her that everything would be okay. She could call her parents in Vegas, but then they’d be worried, and she didn’t want to do that to them.
She’d dealt with worse; a crying baby with colic while she had the flu and had to get the tax forms out for her clients for the end of the year came to mind.
The sharp ring of her downstairs doorbell made her jump. Had Coretta followed her home, or was it one of her friends come to commiserate with her? Lizzie got to her feet and peered out of the window, frowning as Dell Turner waved cheerfully back at her.
She went down to open the door and smiled at Dell. He wore a green and gold cap with GINA’S on it, and held out a flat pizza box.
“Hey, Ms. Lizzie. Your pizza’s here.”
She frowned. “I didn’t order pizza.”
“I know.” He didn’t seem fazed by her weird attitude as he handed over the box then fumbled in his backpack. “Don’t worry, I chose your favorite toppings. He said to give you this as well.”
Dell gently set Doofus down on top of the pizza box. “Here you go.”
Lizzie stared at the dinosaur. “Who did this?”
“Adam Miller,” Dell said. “He also paid the tip. Have a great night, Ms. Lizzie.”
She walked back up the stairs, her mind grappling with what had just happened. She put the pizza on the countertop and went through to Roman’s bedroom where he’d already fallen asleep surrounded by his toys. When she slipped Doofus under his arm, he smiled, rubbed his cheek against the dinosaur, and gave a satisfied sigh that went straight to Lizzie’s heart.
Her stomach rumbled as she approached the pizza box. She hadn’t eaten since midday. What would she have done if Adam had brought the pizza back himself? Sat here with him at the counter? Tried to repair the damage of over a decade of hurt?
She took out a slice of pizza and inhaled the sweetness of pineapple. Maybe it was better that he hadn’t come back. He’d looked out of place in her apartment—too big, too masculine, and yet somehow she’d liked the contrast between his frowning presence, and her obvious femininity. Did he ever smile? She couldn’t imagine him sitting on her couch, much less moving fifteen frilly pillows off the bed....
Lizzie almost choked on her pizza. Too much of Adam Miller in one day was hard for a girl to take. She’d eat her pizza, make sure Roman was sleeping peacefully, and see how he felt in the morning before she made any definite plans for the following day.
Chapter Three
“I had a letter from your mother this morning.”
Adam and his siblings looked up from their dinner, shared a surprised glance, and all stared at their father.