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The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. Even knowing that Willow was only responding to the feelings of inadequacy that he’d given off before didn’t make him want to take that back.
“I am doing it without her. Every day.”
“Yes, you seem to be—”
“Am I doing a perfect job?” He interrupted her, on a roll and unable to stop. “Absolutely not. But I’m...here.”
Asher hoped she hadn’t heard the slight break in his voice, but he doubted he’d gotten that lucky. He was relieved when she excused herself to take Luna into the ladies’ room for a clean diaper. He’d planned to change the subject when she returned, but Willow spoke up again before he had the chance.
“Wow, we’re a pair.”
“What do you mean?”
“My ex dashed before he died, too. I was still pregnant when he filed for divorce to be with one of his women.”
“One of them?”
“There were three that I knew of.”
An ache settled in his chest. If Willow was aware of three, then that total was probably much higher.
“Legally, the divorce couldn’t be fin
alized until after the birth, but he got married again before the ink on the papers dried. He never bothered to meet Luna.”
“How did it happen?”
“He and his uh, wife, died in a car accident two months after Luna was born.”
Willow tucked her chin and slid Luna’s curls behind her ears, her movements jerky instead of fluid as they’d been earlier.
“What are the odds that both of us would have exes who left us and then died?” They weren’t perfectly chosen words, but he couldn’t help saying something to distract her from her sadness. He could relate to it more than he cared to admit.
The corners of her mouth tipped up again. “After this morning, neither of us should be betting on odds. Especially you. How could something like that happen in a family once, let alone twice?”
At least she hadn’t named it out loud. Talking about the possible switch made it all too real.
“Guess you and I have a little in common, after all,” he said finally.
Willow shrugged. Maybe she wasn’t ready to go that far.
“Luna inherited your husband’s estate, right? At least the guy could give his kid something.”
“She doesn’t need anything from him.”
At the fierce look in her eyes, he grinned. “I’m sure she doesn’t.”
Still, he couldn’t help wondering whether she was talking about Harper or herself.
“The way that Xavier blew through our money, there won’t be anything left anyway, by the time the probate court is finished with it. He left no will. We didn’t have anything to divvy up in the divorce, either.”
He tilted his head, squinting. “Didn’t you say you owned a day-care center? Tender Years? It’s about a block off the main boulevard, right? I remember it. A big, blond, stucco place with an outdoor staircase to the second floor.” At her nod, he continued. “And don’t you own your home?”
“This might come as a surprise to a Colton, but not everyone is a homeowner.”
Asher lifted his hands in surrender. “That’s not what I... I mean—”
At her chuckle, he frowned.
