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‘I’ll have to see. Things can get busy at the surgery.’
The resigned expression on his young face smote at Morgan’s heart. ‘I’m sure I can make time. Even doctors get days off.’
He looked up, shocked to see Becca’s face drawn in pain. She carefully smoothed out the lines of strain and fixed a smile on her mouth as she put the basket on the sink. ‘You don’t have to.’
‘I enjoyed it. I used to make models when I was about his age.’
Edward nodded, his smile wide. ‘Grandpa Ned showed me. Airplanes.’ He hesitated. ‘A couple of the ones in my room came from your place. Ones you hadn’t finished. You can have them back if you want.’
Morgan ruffled the dark hair so like Becca’s. ‘You finished them, you get to keep them.’
‘Cool.’
He vanished into the hall leaving Morgan alone with Becca. She busied herself unpacking the basket, clearly avoiding interacting with him.
‘He’s a clever lad, Becca.’
‘Both of them are intelligent.’ She leaned against the sink, her hands gripping the edge of the bench beside her hips. The jeans showed off her shape, showing the lean muscular thighs from cycling and the narrow waist. She had more curves these days, but motherhood would account for the increase in size of her breasts and hips. Her overall build was still slight, her bones fine.
‘Is there anything I can do to help?’
‘Can you chop vegetables?’
‘If you supply me with a knife.’
They worked in silence for a time, her kneading dough for the pizza bases and him slicing and dicing the vegetables and tomatoes. ‘Do you always make pizza from scratch?’
‘Not always. It depends what I have in the pantry.’
This was what he’d dreamed of for years—family life lived simply. Time spent with a wife and children in the evenings. He might have had it all if he hadn’t let jealousy overrule his good sense all those years ago. His best hope was as an outsider, watching his daughter and her mother living as a family with another man, with another child. He wouldn’t marry now. Wouldn’t have more children.
‘Morgan? Is something wrong?’
He shook off the grief and forced a smile, putting the knife to use again. ‘Sorry, I was off with the pixies.’
Her look was intent, searching his face as he focused on the job, not wanting her to see his vulnerability. If she had any idea of his feelings, she wouldn’t allow these snatched moments. Wouldn’t encourage or understand his need to pretend for a few hours he could have anything approaching a normal life.
***
It seemed strange having Morgan here. She’d resigned herself to never seeing him again, or only at a distance. Now she worked with him every day, and he was edging his way into her personal life. Because of the children. Or Gabby, anyway. He seemed to have made a connection with her. She couldn’t help wondering why he hadn’t brought a wife home with him. The way Grace talked, he’d had any number of women lined up for a happy ever after over the years. Yet here he was, still single. She patted out the dough onto the trays and slathered the tomato paste over the surface.
‘I thought you might have been seeing Sabine tonight.’
Morgan looked up from grating the cheese. ‘I’m meeting her tomorrow.’
He sounded so matter-of-fact, but her heart rebelled, squeezing tight in her chest. She’d been numb for so long, all her feelings tied up with the children, these aches and pains caused by Morgan’s presence in her life were debilitating.
Forcing herself to remain calm, she started spreading the toppings. ‘Seriously, Morgan. You don’t have to spend time with Gabby and Edward. Don’t let them nag you into doing things.’
He pushed away the board with the pile of cheese. ‘I spend time with them because I choose to. You know why.’
Now she’d offended him. ‘I won’t stop you seeing them, but you’ll be busy enough with work, without taking on the demands of two children who’ll take up a lot of time if they have their way.’
‘Why doesn’t Dan help with the model building?’
‘Dan? He wouldn’t have the patience for a start. He’s clumsy too. That’s why Edward usually plays in their room.’
Morgan folded his arms, glowering across the table. ‘Clumsy? Like you used to be clumsy?’
