Free Tides of Hope by Irene Hannon Page B

to have a friend her own age. So I’m hoping you’ll consider my request. For my daughter’s sake.”
    Several beats of silence ticked by as Kate studied him. At last she took a deep breath. “That’s quite a story.”
    â€œI know.” And she hadn’t even heard half of it. But that could come later. Maybe.
    The waiter delivered their food, giving them both a chance to regroup. Kate picked up her spoon. Dipped it in her soup. Set it down.
    For a long moment she regarded him with those intelligent, insightful green eyes. “I’ll tell you what. Let’s give it a try. If the girls don’t get along, or some other problems arise, we can revisit it. Does that work for you?”
    Relief poured through him. “Yes. And thank you.”
    Her expression softened. “I know how tough it is to be a single parent.”
    â€œEdith told me you’d lost your husband.” He didn’t mention the information he’d received from Maddie. “You’ve done a better job of coping than I have. Maddie seems happy and well-adjusted.”
    A whisper of a smile touched her lips. “She knows she’s loved. That makes all the difference.”
    His stomach knotted. “That’s exactly where I’ve failed with Vicki.”
    â€œGrief can be very destructive.”
    So could guilt. But his spoken response was different.
    â€œYou’re cutting me way too much slack. I was selfish and wrapped up in my own anguish. Vicki deserved better. But I’m determined to do whatever I can to make things right with her. If she’ll give me the chance.”
    â€œChildren are very forgiving creatures.”
    â€œI hope you’re right. In fact, I’m counting on that.” He gestured toward her bowl. “Now eat your soup before it gets cold or you run out of time.”
    She picked up her spoon again. “When is Vicki coming?”
    â€œI’m flying to Wisconsin to pick her up this weekend.”
    â€œSo you’ll need Edith starting a week from today?”
    â€œYes. I’ll give her a call to finalize the arrangements.”
    They ate in silence as Craig tried to think of some innocuous topic to introduce to fill the sudden quiet. But he came up blank. Small talk didn’t seem to fit their charged relationship.
    In the end, Kate rescued him by spooning the last of herchowder into her mouth and reaching for her purse. “Sorry to have to run. But it looks bad when the teachers are late.”
    A speck of the soup’s cream base clung to the corner of her lips, and without thinking he reached for her napkin and gently wiped it away. At her muted gasp, however, he jerked his hand back and tucked it in his lap, willing the surge of heat on his neck to stay below his collar.
    â€œSorry.” He tried for a smile. “There was a little misplaced quahog.”
    She positioned her purse in front of her chest. “Thanks. The kids would have had a field day with that. Teacher with egg—or in this case, chowder—on her face.” She rose. “I guess I’ll see you around.”
    Shooting him a quick, uncertain smile, she hurried toward the exit.
    He stood, too, waiting until she disappeared through the door to retake his seat.
    When he did, however, his focus wasn’t on his barely touched sandwich…but on the faint traces of lipstick that clung to the napkin he’d dropped into his lap.
    Fingering the square of linen, he thought about Kate’s comment that Maddie knew she was loved. And how that made all the difference.
    That wasn’t true only for children, Craig reflected. Love had once made all the difference in his life, too, thanks to Nicole. And he yearned to find that kind of love again. To fill the empty space in his heart.
    But that wasn’t to be, thanks to the part of the story he hadn’t told Kate.
    The part that proved he never deserved to love—or be loved—again.
    His