interested in a husband.”
“Probably not after being married to Christopher,” Martha said crisply. “But Sara needs a father, and Molly could use some help around here.”
“She’s managing just fine,” he insisted. The thought of Molly and another man didn’t seem right to him, but he didn’t examine his feelings too closely.
“Are you coming to the open house on Sunday?” Kaitlin asked him, changing the subject.
“Yeah, of course. I think Dad and Brady are coming, too. And I’m sure Seth and Jenna will be here. Jenna has designed Molly’s stationery and things.”
“From what I hear,” Pam inserted, “I think most of the town will be here. There’s a lot of curiosity, partly caused by Ursula’s animosity.”
“That woman is half-crazy, don’t you know,” Martha said.
Quinn realized it was Ursula’s behavior that had sent Molly running to his office. Not such a bad thing.
“It’s time to open presents!” Sara announced.
“Sara,” Molly remonstrated quietly, “your friends haven’t finished their cake and ice cream yet.”
“Hurry!” Sara exclaimed.
Quinn suspected Sara’s response wasn’t quite what Molly had hoped for.
Kaitlin rose from the table. “I think it’s time for cleanup again.”
Martha started to get up. Quinn reached out a hand and stopped her. “You stay put, Martha. I’ll help.”
Martha nodded.
As he moved away from the table, he heard Pammurmur, “My, I had no idea Quinn was so—so domesticated.”
Truth to tell, he hadn’t, either. If someone had told him a month ago that he’d be attending a child’s birthday party, he’d have laughed in his face. But it seemed so right to be at Sara’s party.
To be helping Molly.
Being part of the afternoon’s events satisfied something he hadn’t even known he needed. He suddenly realized he felt part of a family.
He froze.
“Quinn, is something wrong?” Molly asked as she dumped the remains of the dessert into the trash bag.
His gaze flew to her face. “No! No, nothing at all. How long does the party last?” The sudden urge to escape had nothing to do with the party—and a lot to do with the panic filling him.
“If you need to leave, we can manage. You’ve been a big help. I appreciate it. Just tell Sara you have to go back to work.”
Her easy acceptance of his need to escape surprised him. And calmed him. Molly wasn’t trying to trap him into anything. In fact, she’d encouraged him not to come. And now that he was here, she wasn’t demanding he stay.
“No, I just wondered. It’s hard to believe they can keep this energy level going for so long.”
“Now that they’ve had sugar, they can go for several more hours.” The rueful smile on her beautiful lips made him want to kiss her. He took a step backward.
“Quinn? Just tell Sara—”
“I’m not going anywhere,” he assured her, eventhough he was shaking inside. He’d never been attracted to a mother before. But then, Molly was an exceptional mother.
He’d get over it. In fact, better that he stay. She’d get ornery when the children continued to be so demanding. He was sure she would. Better to see her feet of clay than to leave now, thinking her perfect.
W HEN SHE HAD THE CHILDREN seated in a circle on the rug, Molly handed the first present to Sara, hoping her daughter remembered the rules she’d drummed into her last night.
The first gift was a picture puzzle. “Oh, look, Mommy! A puzzle! I love puzzles. Thank you, Margaret.”
Pride swelled in Molly’s heart. She smiled at her daughter and nodded.
Sara began to get a little giddy as the presents piled up. She’d never received so much at one time. Molly carefully tried to keep her in check, reminding her of her manners when she forgot.
Finally all the presents had been opened, even one from Martha, except for the large box Quinn had carried in. Sara eyed it with awe. “It’s so big!” she squealed.
“Maybe it’s a train!” Jeremy suggested.
“I
“Probably not after being married to Christopher,” Martha said crisply. “But Sara needs a father, and Molly could use some help around here.”
“She’s managing just fine,” he insisted. The thought of Molly and another man didn’t seem right to him, but he didn’t examine his feelings too closely.
“Are you coming to the open house on Sunday?” Kaitlin asked him, changing the subject.
“Yeah, of course. I think Dad and Brady are coming, too. And I’m sure Seth and Jenna will be here. Jenna has designed Molly’s stationery and things.”
“From what I hear,” Pam inserted, “I think most of the town will be here. There’s a lot of curiosity, partly caused by Ursula’s animosity.”
“That woman is half-crazy, don’t you know,” Martha said.
Quinn realized it was Ursula’s behavior that had sent Molly running to his office. Not such a bad thing.
“It’s time to open presents!” Sara announced.
“Sara,” Molly remonstrated quietly, “your friends haven’t finished their cake and ice cream yet.”
“Hurry!” Sara exclaimed.
Quinn suspected Sara’s response wasn’t quite what Molly had hoped for.
Kaitlin rose from the table. “I think it’s time for cleanup again.”
Martha started to get up. Quinn reached out a hand and stopped her. “You stay put, Martha. I’ll help.”
Martha nodded.
As he moved away from the table, he heard Pammurmur, “My, I had no idea Quinn was so—so domesticated.”
Truth to tell, he hadn’t, either. If someone had told him a month ago that he’d be attending a child’s birthday party, he’d have laughed in his face. But it seemed so right to be at Sara’s party.
To be helping Molly.
Being part of the afternoon’s events satisfied something he hadn’t even known he needed. He suddenly realized he felt part of a family.
He froze.
“Quinn, is something wrong?” Molly asked as she dumped the remains of the dessert into the trash bag.
His gaze flew to her face. “No! No, nothing at all. How long does the party last?” The sudden urge to escape had nothing to do with the party—and a lot to do with the panic filling him.
“If you need to leave, we can manage. You’ve been a big help. I appreciate it. Just tell Sara you have to go back to work.”
Her easy acceptance of his need to escape surprised him. And calmed him. Molly wasn’t trying to trap him into anything. In fact, she’d encouraged him not to come. And now that he was here, she wasn’t demanding he stay.
“No, I just wondered. It’s hard to believe they can keep this energy level going for so long.”
“Now that they’ve had sugar, they can go for several more hours.” The rueful smile on her beautiful lips made him want to kiss her. He took a step backward.
“Quinn? Just tell Sara—”
“I’m not going anywhere,” he assured her, eventhough he was shaking inside. He’d never been attracted to a mother before. But then, Molly was an exceptional mother.
He’d get over it. In fact, better that he stay. She’d get ornery when the children continued to be so demanding. He was sure she would. Better to see her feet of clay than to leave now, thinking her perfect.
W HEN SHE HAD THE CHILDREN seated in a circle on the rug, Molly handed the first present to Sara, hoping her daughter remembered the rules she’d drummed into her last night.
The first gift was a picture puzzle. “Oh, look, Mommy! A puzzle! I love puzzles. Thank you, Margaret.”
Pride swelled in Molly’s heart. She smiled at her daughter and nodded.
Sara began to get a little giddy as the presents piled up. She’d never received so much at one time. Molly carefully tried to keep her in check, reminding her of her manners when she forgot.
Finally all the presents had been opened, even one from Martha, except for the large box Quinn had carried in. Sara eyed it with awe. “It’s so big!” she squealed.
“Maybe it’s a train!” Jeremy suggested.
“I
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