Wyatt’s bad moods, and helped out with cooking and serving dinner and then the dishes, never once acting as if she were a superstar or a diva.
And then she’d sat on the floor cross-legged and played with his daughter. For hours. Not out of any sense of obligation, but as if she’d truly enjoyed playing with a seven-year-old. They’d done puzzles, sang together, read together, played dolls and even make-believe fairies. Riley hadn’t once acted as if it were a chore to play with his kid. She’d seemed to be having a great time with Zoey.
Now they curled up together on the sofa watching a movie. Riley stroked Zoey’s hair as his daughter’s eyes drifted closed, and so did Riley’s. They looked comfortable together, right together, as if they belonged to each other.
Shit.
He was making something out of nothing. Riley was being polite, was being herself. And Zoey had a monster case of hero worship. Though she didn’t take to women all that well. Ethan had tried dating a few times, had included Zoey once or twice, and while Zoey was friendly, she didn’t have mad love for the women like she did with Riley. And despite Riley’s star status, he didn’t think Zoey would be snuggled up against her like this if she didn’t have feelings for her, considering Zoey’s bullshit meter and all, which was outstanding. The kid just knew whether someone genuinely cared or not.
Which was just making the fact Riley would leave them both even harder. He should separate them before his daughter got hurt. He could handle it. Zoey wouldn’t understand it.
Coward that he was, he went into the kitchen and grabbed a cup of coffee, and found his mother pulling down plates from the cabinet.
“Let me help you.”
He reached the top cabinet and pulled the plates down.
“Thank you. And why aren’t you in there watching television with Riley and Zoey?”
“They’re both asleep. Or almost asleep.”
“Aww, how sweet. Zoey really likes her.”
“Too much, I think.”
His mother frowned. “What does that mean?”
“It means when Riley leaves town it’s going to hurt her. I need to put a stop to the two of them getting any closer.”
She put her hands on her hips. “Don’t you dare, Ethan Kent. I never thought of you as a coward before.”
He backed up a step. “What do you expect me to do, Mom? Riley will be leaving after the holidays. And by then Zoey will think she can keep her.”
“Oh, I see.” She pushed the plates to the side and pulled out a chair, then pointed to another. Ethan sat. “We’re not really talking about Zoey now, are we?”
“Yes, we are.”
“Okay, we’re not talking only about Zoey. You’re afraid for your own heart, too.”
He shrugged. “I’m a big boy. I can take it. She’s just a kid. She won’t understand.”
“You still love her.”
“I’ve always loved her. I never stopped.”
She laid her hand over his. “It’s okay to feel that way. Have you told Riley how you feel?”
“What good would that do? She still has to leave.”
“But you never told her before. Maybe it’s time you do. Maybe it’ll make a difference.”
He laughed. “No, it won’t.”
“See, that’s always been your problem, Ethan.”
“What’s my problem?”
“Guilt. It’s been your best friend for so long you don’t know how to live without it.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t you? First it was guilt over the whole Amanda thing. It kept you from seriously trying to find Riley. Then it was Amanda’s pregnancy, so you ended up staying married to her when maybe you shouldn’t have.”
“If I hadn’t stayed married to Amanda, I wouldn’t have Zoey.”
“That’s true, and we’re all grateful for Zoey. But what about what you want, Ethan?”
“I have everything I want.”
“No, you don’t, and you’re once again going to let guilt decide for you. You feel guilty for letting Riley down. You’re still feeling guilty about it, and it’ll
And then she’d sat on the floor cross-legged and played with his daughter. For hours. Not out of any sense of obligation, but as if she’d truly enjoyed playing with a seven-year-old. They’d done puzzles, sang together, read together, played dolls and even make-believe fairies. Riley hadn’t once acted as if it were a chore to play with his kid. She’d seemed to be having a great time with Zoey.
Now they curled up together on the sofa watching a movie. Riley stroked Zoey’s hair as his daughter’s eyes drifted closed, and so did Riley’s. They looked comfortable together, right together, as if they belonged to each other.
Shit.
He was making something out of nothing. Riley was being polite, was being herself. And Zoey had a monster case of hero worship. Though she didn’t take to women all that well. Ethan had tried dating a few times, had included Zoey once or twice, and while Zoey was friendly, she didn’t have mad love for the women like she did with Riley. And despite Riley’s star status, he didn’t think Zoey would be snuggled up against her like this if she didn’t have feelings for her, considering Zoey’s bullshit meter and all, which was outstanding. The kid just knew whether someone genuinely cared or not.
Which was just making the fact Riley would leave them both even harder. He should separate them before his daughter got hurt. He could handle it. Zoey wouldn’t understand it.
Coward that he was, he went into the kitchen and grabbed a cup of coffee, and found his mother pulling down plates from the cabinet.
“Let me help you.”
He reached the top cabinet and pulled the plates down.
“Thank you. And why aren’t you in there watching television with Riley and Zoey?”
“They’re both asleep. Or almost asleep.”
“Aww, how sweet. Zoey really likes her.”
“Too much, I think.”
His mother frowned. “What does that mean?”
“It means when Riley leaves town it’s going to hurt her. I need to put a stop to the two of them getting any closer.”
She put her hands on her hips. “Don’t you dare, Ethan Kent. I never thought of you as a coward before.”
He backed up a step. “What do you expect me to do, Mom? Riley will be leaving after the holidays. And by then Zoey will think she can keep her.”
“Oh, I see.” She pushed the plates to the side and pulled out a chair, then pointed to another. Ethan sat. “We’re not really talking about Zoey now, are we?”
“Yes, we are.”
“Okay, we’re not talking only about Zoey. You’re afraid for your own heart, too.”
He shrugged. “I’m a big boy. I can take it. She’s just a kid. She won’t understand.”
“You still love her.”
“I’ve always loved her. I never stopped.”
She laid her hand over his. “It’s okay to feel that way. Have you told Riley how you feel?”
“What good would that do? She still has to leave.”
“But you never told her before. Maybe it’s time you do. Maybe it’ll make a difference.”
He laughed. “No, it won’t.”
“See, that’s always been your problem, Ethan.”
“What’s my problem?”
“Guilt. It’s been your best friend for so long you don’t know how to live without it.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t you? First it was guilt over the whole Amanda thing. It kept you from seriously trying to find Riley. Then it was Amanda’s pregnancy, so you ended up staying married to her when maybe you shouldn’t have.”
“If I hadn’t stayed married to Amanda, I wouldn’t have Zoey.”
“That’s true, and we’re all grateful for Zoey. But what about what you want, Ethan?”
“I have everything I want.”
“No, you don’t, and you’re once again going to let guilt decide for you. You feel guilty for letting Riley down. You’re still feeling guilty about it, and it’ll
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