Free Another Chance to Love You by Robin Lee Hatcher Page A

started kindergarten, Heather shared the details with her dad. The two of them sat at the kitchen table, looking so alike with their matching black hair and gray eyes and heart-stopping grins.
    Monica understood her daughter’s excitement, but she still felt left out. Excluded. And she was ashamed of herself for feeling that way.
    On Thursday, Daniel arrived early, showing up at the door with several bags of groceries in his arms. “You’ve fed me every night this week,” he said in explanation. “I decided it’s time I returned the favor.”
    “You’re cooking?”
    “Do I detect skepticism in your voice, Ms. Fletcher?”
    She couldn’t help herself. She laughed.
    He stepped around her. “I’m wounded to the quick.” His retort was softened by a chuckle.
    “Sorry.” She followed him into the kitchen. “What are you fixing? Wieners and beans?”
    He set the bags on the counter, then turned to look at her. “I thought you liked wieners and beans.”
    For an instant, it seemed they were back in their old apartment near the Boise State campus. They were struggling to make ends meet plus find enough hours in each day to work and study and still spend time with each other. They’d eaten wieners and beans—an affordable meal—by candlelight more than once back then.
    Oh, how she’d loved him. She would have done anything for him. Anything.
    Suddenly breathless, she turned toward the cupboard. “I’ll set the table.”
    “Monica.”
    Reluctantly she faced him again.
    He stepped closer. “I wish you’d stop being nervous around me.”
    “I can’t help it.” She shrugged and tried to smile.
    “Why?”
    “You know why. I’m worried about Heather. This…having a dad around…is all new and different to her. At the moment, she’s excited by the novelty of it. But there are serious issues we haven’t discussed yet. We still have so much to work out before you go back to Chicago in the fall.” Monica stopped, swallowed the lump in her throat, then added, “She’s going to hate it when you leave. She loves you already, Daniel.”
    “I love her, too. And I know we’ve got lots of things to work out.” He moved even closer. “But is that the only reason?”
    “Reason for what?” She was held mesmerized by his gaze.
    “For you being nervous around me.” He leaned toward her.
    “Nervous?”
    His voice lowered a notch. “I’d like very much to kiss you, Ms. Fletcher.”
    Her heart pounded like a jackhammer. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
    “Maybe. Maybe not.” His lips brushed lightly over hers.
    Oh, she was positive it wasn’t a good idea. They shared a past but couldn’t share a future. She wouldn’t be unequally yoked with an unbeliever—and Daniel was most definitely an unbeliever. There was enough at risk, introducing Heather to her father, without Monica risking her own heart, as well.
    He cradled her face between his hands, tilting her head as he pressed his mouth more firmly against hers. The kiss was sweet, tender, alluring.
    And then the front door slammed. “Mama, I’m home. Where’s Dad?”
    Monica jumped out of his embrace. A guilty heat rushed into her cheeks.
    “We’re in the kitchen,” Daniel called in reply.
    Heather appeared a moment later. She dropped her backpack on the counter, then kicked off her shoes and slid themunder the end table beside the family room sofa. “Guess what happened at school today?”
    Daniel grinned at their daughter. “Couldn’t possibly guess. Tell us.”
    Heather launched into her story, but Monica didn’t hear a word of it. Her thoughts lingered on Daniel’s kiss. Why had he done it? Unconsciously she touched her fingertips to her lips. Why had it affected her the way it had? It was only a kiss.
    She cast a surreptitious glance in his direction.
    She supposed a woman always harbored some remnants of feeling for the father of her child, no matter what else happened in the relationship. Was that what that kiss had been? Just