Page 71 of Her Summer Hope

She looked around to distract herself. The air was a little chilly after the heat of the day. The trees on the mountain were beginning to change. The seasons were about to shift—she could feel it in the air.

Fall was so close and in some ways, she couldn’t wait, in others, she dreaded it.

The passage of time was terrifying to her. Her babies were growing so fast and she was getting older. She found one grey hair while looking in the mirror the other day, and while it seemed to be the only one for now, it was a terrible reminder that she wasn’t getting younger.

It seemed a bit silly to be thinking about that, to be worrying about it, she was only twenty-nine. Thirty was close though, and then forty, and on and on. Her life was slipping through her fingers and she had nobody to share it with. Her kids would grow up and leave and then she’d be alone.

It was ironic that even if Rob was still around, she would still be growing old alone.

Kyle’s arm brushed hers where they sat together, and she let the wash of warmth pool in her belly at the sensation. She was so lost in it, that she didn’t notice when the conversation faded and the guys were staring at her.

“What?” she asked, red-faced. “I’m sorry. I was thinking about something.”

“I just wondered where Em stays when you work,” Kyle said. “I know it can’t be easy being apart from her for so long,” he said gently.

He was right.

It was a torturous feeling to be away from her baby and the other kids for so much of each day. The only time she got with them was a couple of hours at night and even then they couldn’t just play together, they had school lessons and then bedtime.

“She stays with a friend, an older woman who lives next door,” she said carefully. “I do miss her, but I don’t have a choice,” she said baldly. “I have to work.”

“Your husband can get a better job,” Murdock muttered, raising an eyebrow at his cup of melting ice. “Or a second job.”

She froze.

“Cal, that’s not fair and you know it. Jobs are hard to come by, and I’m sure he’s doing his best,” Kyle argued, giving her a supportive nod.

She was grateful for coming to the defense of her dead husband, but this was all getting too weird and honestly, much too intimate. She was afraid of having a slip of the tongue. It would ruin everything.

“I had better go start on the dishes. It’s getting late,” she said, standing and cradling Em more closely.

“I’ll help you,” Kyle said, standing abruptly and putting a hand on her lower back to guide her around the chair. She didn’t need his help, but she appreciated it just the same.

“Murdock, wrap up five or six of those burgers and send them home with Maddy along with a bunch of that other stuff.”

“Kyle, no. I can’t take your food,” she started.

He put his hands on her biceps. “Maddy, you and Aiden made enough food to feed an entire company of men. Trust me, we are going to need all the help we can get eating it before it spoils.”

There was a lot of food and he sounded sincere.

“Thanks.”

She put a sleeping Emma in her car seat while she washed up the dishes. Kyle dried them and put them away, teasing her about leaving invisible water spots on the glasses. She flicked bubbles at him and laughed when they landed in his hair.

He glared at her and ‘accidentally’ let a pot slip from his hands and back into the sudsy water, the water splashed up onto them both and she couldn’t help but dissolve into laughter as she wiped herself off.

He turned toward her and gave her a sexy grin. “You’ve got some on your face.”

Before she could wipe her face, he raised the dishcloth and dried the drips of water that trailed from her cheek to her jaw. His hand was covered with the cloth and there was no skin contact, but she burned just the same.

She felt electricity crackling between them, much as it had earlier and had been since they met. She started to lean in and the wanting in his eyes scorched her. He stayed still, letting her make the move and she wondered why. He didn’t seem like the passive type.

Then, she remembered. He thought she was married.

Her stomach churned and twisted itself into knots. He was going to think she was disloyal, a cheater.

She pulled away and quickly picked up a dirty plate. “I’m sorry.”