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Chapter7
Sarah arrived home to dinner on the stove, a chilled glass of wine and a handsome husband waiting for her with a warm, welcoming smile. It was still such a wonderful surprise to be greeted that way when she was far more accustomed to being ignored or screamed at.
When she approached him at the stove to see what he was cooking, he put an arm around her and kissed her cheek. “How are things in town?”
“Pretty good. Jo and Jon had fevers this morning,” she said of Owen and Laura’s twins, “but they’re feeling better now, and Holden has a new favorite word.”
“Dare I ask?”
“No.”
Charlie gave her a quizzical look.
“That’s the word. No.”
“Ah,” he said, smiling. “I love it. It must be driving his parents crazy.”
“It is, but they think it’s funny, too. Not that they can let him see that. I told Owen how he had a ‘no’ phase, too. Of course, with his father, that didn’t last long.”
“I hate the way your whole demeanor changes when you mention him.”
“I’m sorry. I have no business bringing him into our happily ever after.”
“It’s not that, love. I just hate to see him still hurting you after all this time.”
“He’s not. I swear. I hardly ever think of him, except when something comes up with one of the kids. Like with Cin.”
“What’s up with her?”
“She’s found a new roommate.”
“Oh yeah?” Charlie stirred the meat sauce he’d made with onions, peppers and mushrooms. “Who’s that?”
“Jace, the bartender at the Beachcomber.”
Charlie’s entire body went rigid. “How does she know him?”
“Apparently, she’s a regular at the bar.”
“I thought she didn’t drink because of the migraines.”
“She doesn’t. She goes in for dinner a few nights a week, and they’ve become friends. When she put up the notice for a roommate, she didn’t know he was looking until he answered the ad and showed up to see the place. Do you know him?”
“I knew him inside.”
“Oh. What kind of guy was he?”
“Kept mostly to himself, which I respected. I did the same. It’s how we survived. Did he tell Cindy that he’s the father of the boys Seamus and Carolina are raising?”
“Cindy mentioned that. Is Seamus unhappy that he’s here?” Seamus and Charlie had become friends over the last year or so.
“I don’t think he’s thrilled about it, especially since Jace didn’t tell him he was taking a job and moving here until he was already here.”
“Oh wow.”
“Yeah, it was a little unsettling for Seamus and Carolina. They’re crazy about those boys and have bent over backward to give them a good home since their mother passed so tragically. He was a bit undone by the sudden appearance of their biological father.”
“He’s not angling for custody, is he?”
