No Matter What

Molly found herself wanting to touch him. It was probably just as well that his hand wasn’t lying there conveniently close. “I suspect most fathers feel that way when their daughters became teenagers,” she said gently.

His eyes met hers finally. The skin was crinkled at the corners. A smile that hadn’t reached his mouth. “You’re probably right. The sad part is, I thought I did know my son. Turns out I was wrong.”

“Maybe you did. Maybe he’s not the same person he was a year ago, or whenever you last spent time together. Or maybe the person he was is only submerged.”

“Submerged.” He shook his head. “How do you change that fast?” He seemed to be appealing to her, but didn’t wait for an answer, even assuming she’d had one. “No, it’s been even quicker than that. I was thinking back the other night. I must have talked to him for an hour toward the end of July. I heard all about his job—he worked at a Boys & Girls Club, supervising kids, coaching. Yeah.” He grinned ruefully. “Marvel at the idea, I don’t blame you. But that’s the kind of kid he was. Until…”

“Until what?”

“I have no idea. He won’t talk about it.”

They talked about that, too. He was easy to talk to, she couldn’t help thinking, and he seemed to be relaxing with her, too.

He told her that his ex-wife had remarried twice now, and that she’d separated from husband number three in August. That might or might not be related to Trevor’s current problems. “He never seemed that attached to the guy. Davis.” He said the name carefully, as if it left a taste in his mouth, but Molly couldn’t tell what kind. He wasn’t jealous, was he?

“Did Trevor have a girlfriend?” she asked. Oh, she hated to mention this, but… “Is there any chance he got her in trouble, too? That he was…I don’t know, running from it?”

Richard stared at her. “God. That’s an ugly thought.” But almost immediately, he was shaking his head. “That doesn’t make sense. No, he didn’t have a girlfriend, or, at least, not anyone serious. There was someone, but her dad got transferred to Houston and they moved the previous summer. And if he’d gotten another girl pregnant, surely he wouldn’t have been stupid enough to leave off the condom the next time he got in a girl’s…” He stopped, cleared his throat. “Sorry.”

She, who had winced at the words that almost came out of his mouth, gave what was probably a sickly smile. “Teenagers are stupid, remember?”

“Yeah, and he was clearly bewildered by the idea that pulling out wasn’t an adequate and recommended form of birth control.”

Silly to become self-conscious, but she did. She could talk about pregnancy with this man, but change the topic to sex—yes, the act itself—and she was instantly flustered. So aware of him, all man.

“Yes, he was. I haven’t asked Cait yet if she was fine with it at the time, too.”

The way he watched her was almost enough to have her squirming in her seat. She’d never seen eyes of such a dark brown—except his son’s. His hair was as dark, thick, wavy enough to keep it looking disheveled most of the time. With that lean face and stark cheekbones, he had the fallen angel look. Except she associated that with men who exuded sin, and somehow he didn’t. If she had to guess, it would be that Richard Ward had spent a lifetime disciplining himself.

“What about you?” she asked on impulse. “You haven’t mentioned a wife. Lucky woman, to have to put up with Trevor’s cheerful attitude.”

“No wife. I’ve never been sure…” He stopped himself, expression closing down. Yes, definitely disciplined. “If nothing else, I didn’t want the kids to see both parents with revolving spousal doors. They’ve adjusted with their mother. I figured, enough is enough.”

Did that mean he never intended to remarry? She didn’t know why that shocked her, as she wasn’t exactly in the market for a second husband, but…she wouldn’t rule it out, if she met someone. The right someone.

Tempted to roll her eyes like a teenager, she thought, Uh-huh. Sure. What you mean is, a completely trustworthy someone. Her standards this time around would be so exacting, she couldn’t imagine finding him.

And, oh, yeah, he couldn’t be someone wanting to start a family.

Richard Ward wouldn’t be, it occurred to her. He had two kids.

“You’re going to live alone, all so your kids don’t have to get to know a new stepmother?” Molly congratulated herself on her tone, casual, possibly a little amused.