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Jim pushed the bakery box toward her. “My hands are full right now. Why don’t you open it?”

She lifted the lid and stared down at the little cake. Pink letters danced across chocolate frosting. It took her a minute to figure out that the letters weren’t moving at all, but that they seemed to be because of the tears in her eyes. “Happy One Week B-day, Diane,” read the script. Heather blinked rapidly so that Jim wouldn’t see that her hormones were still acting up, then she removed the cake from the box and smiled at him.

“This is a very sweet gesture.”

He beamed. “They couldn’t spell out ‘birthday’ because there wasn’t enough room, but I didn’t think Diane would mind.” He’d settled the baby so that her rump rested on the inside of his forearm and her head nestled by his shoulder. “Do you mind, sweet cheeks? It’s chocolate, which I know is your favorite. Or it will be when you figure out what chocolate is. It’s a girl thing. Women love chocolate. Guys do not understand this relationship, although we respect it.” He kissed the top of her head. “You can’t eat any today, but I wanted you to know I remembered your one week birthday. I thought for your one month celebration we’d have pony rides.” He looked at Heather. “What do you think?”

“I think you’re a very strange man.” She got up and collected forks, a knife and two plates. “Do you want ice cream with your cake?”

“Sure.” He shifted in his chair. “Uh-oh, this little one is fading fast.”

Heather looked over and saw that her daughter had closed her eyes and sagged against Jim. “Want me to take her to her room?”

“No,” he told her as he rose to his feet. “I can do it.”

With that, he disappeared into the rear of the house. Heather stared after him. When Diane had first been born, Jim had been afraid to hold her. He’d looked so awkward standing there in her hospital room. But a mere week later, he was an expert who even changed the occasional diaper. Just like a regular dad.

She paused in the act of slicing the cake. Jim Dyer wasn’t Diane’s father. He wasn’t her anything. Luke was the biological parent, although since signing away his rights, he’d never gotten in touch with Heather. She wondered how he’d cut her out of his life so easily. Apparently, the relationship had been a game to him. Something he played at while he decided if he wanted to get back together with his wife.

“You’re looking serious about something,” Jim said from the kitchen doorway.

“Just lost in thought.” She scooped ice cream onto both plates and set them on the table. “Thanks for this,” she said as she pushed his dessert toward him. “You’re right about women and chocolate.”

“It’s a scary thing,” he teased. “I try not to think about it.” He settled into the seat across from hers. “If it makes you feel any better, the lady at the bakery thought I was strange about the cake, too.”

“I’ll bet,” Heather said, realizing the lady at the bakery would have assumed that Jim was a doting father.

Which brought her back to the question that had plagued her for an entire week. Why was he still here?

She poured them both tall glasses of milk, then sat at the table. “We have to talk,” she said.

Jim paused in the act of raising a cake-and-ice-cream-laden fork to his mouth. He lowered his arm and pushed the plate away. “Sure. What do you want to talk about?”

If only he wasn’t so good-looking, she thought uncomfortably as she took in the dark blue eyes and slightly too long hair that fell across his forehead. And that stupid dimple. How was she supposed to resist a man with a dimple? Especially a man who went out of his way to make her laugh and feel safe? Her mother would have told her to stop looking a gift horse in the mouth.

Ignoring what was probably very sound advice, Heather plunged ahead. “I want you to know that I appreciate everything you’ve done. The gifts, putting together the furniture. I think I could have finished the dresser, but that crib looked really tough. Most of all, I appreciate the visits and the conversation. I hadn’t realized quite how trapped I would feel with a newborn. You’ve kept me from getting lonely and going stir-crazy.” She paused, not sure how to continue.

“By your serious tone, I suspect you have more to say,” Jim prompted gently.

She nodded. “This is very strange. Not you, but having you around. We don’t know each other. Who are you and why are you in my life?”

He flashed her a quick smile. “This probably isn’t a good time for my alien-abduction story, right?”

“It would explain certain things, but not in a way designed to make me feel comfortable.”

He leaned forward as if to touch her hand, then stopped himself. Heather suffered through a brief flash of disappointment because she secretly, or maybe not so secretly, wouldn’t have minded if he’d offered a little physical contact.

“When you ask who I am, I’m not sure how to answer,” he said slowly. “I can give you my life history if that’s what you’re looking for. As for the reason why I’m in your life—well, that one’s easier. I admire you, Heather, and I would like us to be friends. You’re in a tough place at the moment. You’re doing the right thing with your daughter, and I’ve learned that doing the right thing usually means taking a very difficult path. You don’t have any family here, you don’t have the father of your child to help. You have friends, but they have other commitments and can’t always be around when you need them. I’m interested in filling in the gaps, nothing more.”

He looked so incredibly earnest she wanted to believe him. Did he really admire her? She didn’t think she’d ever done anything especially admirable in her life. In fact, she’d made a lot of silly choices. But she did try to do the right thing, especially now, with Diane depending on her.

“Why do you want us to be friends?” she asked.

He laughed. “What a question. I can’t decide if you doubt yourself or me.”

This time, he did lean forward and touch the back of her hand with his fingers. A startling heat flowed through her skin and up her arm. She did her best to ignore it.

“I like you,” he said. “Why wouldn’t I? You’re bright and funny, and we’ve shared the most amazing and embarrassing moment it’s possible for two people to share, and we came out okay. I respect you. I think you like me. You know I can be counted on in a crunch. Many relationships have started with less and survived. But if this makes you too uncomfortable, I’ll leave right now and you’ll never hear from me again.”