Another pause. “How exactly did that come up?”
She gave Cort a quick rerun of the conversation, then explained, “I think he wanted me to know why he hadn’t met his daughter sooner. Does the military really keep fathers from being present for births?”
“Not deliberately, but being on active duty can make it tough to get away.”
“So, like, you think he was on a mission or something?”
Cort exhaled. “Word of warning, hon, most military guys don’t want to talk about their experiences—at least that’s trueof the Marines and SEALs I’ve known. It’d be best if you put a lid on your curiosity.”
“Okay.” Guilt flushed her face, and she fanned a hand at herself. “I didn’t mean to pry.”
“No accusations from me. I know you, remember? Just cluing you in, in case you see the guy again.”
She bit her lip, then admitted, “I’ll see him again shortly. He had some questions about the town. You know, where to eat and shop, touristy stuff, things like that.”
The silence was damning.
And this time, it got to her.“What?”
“You’re a smart woman, Pixie, and a good judge of character. I’ll just say to tread carefully, okay?”
“You don’t like the idea of me being alone with him?” Funny, but she hadn’t even considered the risk. He was a renter. Like her, he obviously loved his child. Like Cort, he had a military background. “Andy and his daughter will be there, too.”
“Right. Just keep alert, okay? With Marlow and me gone, you’re there alone. In fact, I might ask Herman to keep an eye on things.”
“You mean keep an eye on me.” She rolled her eyes even as she smiled. It was nice to have people concerned about her and Andy. That hadn’t always been the case. Now that she had such terrific people in her life, she would never take them for granted.
“That too,” Cort said.
“I was going to suggest that Brogan try out his food anyway.” Herman ran the Dry Frog Tavern, and his burgers, pizzas, and appetizers were, in her opinion, the very best. Plus, the tavern gave newcomers a great feel for the town, and Brogan could meet a lot of locals there. “But, Cort?”
“Yes?”
“Thank you for caring.”
“It’s what family does. Hey, Marlow wants to say hi. Hang on.”
Marlow was nowhere near as quiet and contained as Cort. “Tell me everything.”
Laughing, Pixie teased, “Everything about what?”
“Not what,who. The new guy. I could tell by Cort’s posture that something’s going on.”
As she paced around the room, Pixie kept her eye on Andy. He sat in the playpen, stacking, unstacking, and rearranging his building blocks. The sight of him never failed to make her heart feel full.
Because this was Marlow, and Pixie could tell her anything, she whispered, “He’s gorgeous, but also a dad, and I don’t think he’s married, but he hasn’t actually said, so for now—really, I mean it, Marlow—I’m just being neighborly.”
“Say that all you want, but I hear it in your voice. You’re interested, and I’m cheering you on.”
“Hello? Did you hear a word I said?”
“I heard every word, smart-ass, and I know exactly what you’re thinking. But that whole debacle was a lifetime ago, and since then you haven’t shown the slightest interest in men. They’re not all bad, you know. They’re not all him.”
“Yes,” Pixie quietly admitted. “I know.” Cort was the perfect example. He was a dedicated husband to Marlow, a loyal friend to Pixie, and an amazing protector for Andy. “I guess … I am slightly interested?”
“You are.”
She was. After the debacle, as Marlow had put it, Pixie had sworn off men forever. Lived the disaster, learned from it, never planned to repeat it again.
