Page 16 of Healing Hope
Just because she was here for Hope, though, it didn’t mean she wanted to hear about his crappy day. “It’s not important. Just a rough day at work.”
“I’m sorry. Is there anything I can do?”
“No, but thank you. I’m going to put together a sandwich or something.” He started to get up, but she beat him to it, resting a hand on his shoulder to keep him in the seat.
“I have a plate for you in the microwave.”
Paul watched as she crossed the kitchen to the microwave and pushed a few buttons. Then she turned to lean against the over door. Tonight she wore a light summer dress thing that kind of hung off her, the hem ending just above her knees. If she hadn’t been wearing a tank top, it would have been indecent, but it suited her. Free and flowy. And pretty. Paul scrubbed his hand down his face, feeling old.
“What did you want to talk to me about?” he asked as she removed the plate. Turning, she brought it to the island and set it in front of him, then moved to her chair.
Paul looked down at the plate. His mouth had been watering as soon as he’d walked into the house, and now he understood why. She’d made some kind of pork loin roast sitting in a little pool of sauce, with tiny potatoes. And what looked like roasted garlic broccoli? For a moment he was struck speechless. The plate looked restaurant quality. He glanced around the kitchen, looking for takeout bags. “You made this?”
Jess lifted a sardonic eyebrow. “Yes…” she drawled.
Paul reached for the silverware he hadn’t even been aware of her setting down. He cut a piece of the roast and lifted it to his mouth, then chewy slowly. “Oh, hell,” he groaned as it melted on his tongue.
Jess laughed, leaning an elbow on the edge of the island to prop her chin and watch him.
He glanced at her. “You made this?” he asked again.
She made a face at him. “Isn’t this what we bought at the store the other day?”
Damn, it was. “You said you cooked, but I never expect you to cook for me,” he said firmly. “As long as you take care of my daughter, that’s really all I require from you. This is a nice treat, though.”
She shrugged lightly, one smooth, tan shoulder riding high. “She ate and there were leftovers. You don’t appear to eat enough, so I made you a plate. It was no big deal.”
Paul looked down at the food. It was a big deal to him. “Thank you. It’s delicious. Better than anything else I’ve had for a long time.”
Jess gave him that crooked smile he’d come to expect.
“I’m glad,” she said softly. “I’ve had some excellent teachers.”
For a moment, Paul wondered if she meant men. Had they instructed her how to cook after a lazy weekend of making love? What business was it of his if they had? What she did before she came here was none of his business.
The food still tasted good. Period. Stop worrying about things you can’t control.
“How was your day with Hope?”
Jess blinked, and her green gaze sharpened. “Something happened today, and it’s not anything you can change,” she said, holding up a hand when he opened up his mouth. “But it’s something we should talk about and be aware of. And you might let her counselor know.”
“Okay,” he said, putting his fork down, too concerned about his baby girl to eat. “Tell me.”
Jess grimaced and glanced down the hallway, making sure no one had crept out of their bedroom unexpectedly. “We went to the park today, and she had a bit of a meltdown. A little girl came over to play and I told her she could go ahead, but she refused to leave me. When I asked her to explain her fears, she eventually told me her mother had left her in parks before. I don’t know how many times, or anything, but it was enough to traumatize her. I eventually eased her mind enough that she could go play for a while, but watching her deal with it was hard.”
Paul was boiling. His hand clenched into a fist on the table, and if Tara magically appeared before him he wasn’t sure he wouldn’t do something drastic to her. This situation was so infuriating.
Then a cool hand covered his own, drawing his attention back to Jess. “I didn’t tell you this to make you mad, but to give you an insight into her heart. The people she relied on most treated her poorly, and learning how she should be treated is taking her a while to learn. I put her to bed every night at eight, but she doesn’t actually go to bed until she sees you pull into the drive. Did you know that? She stays up until she sees you get out of the car, then she goes to bed.”
He shook his head. “Does she really?” His heart softened at the thought.
“She does. And I haven’t said anything to her about it, because it’s a coping mechanism she’s created to deal with your absence.”
“How can I convince her I’ll always be back?”
Jess frowned, her thumb rubbing circles over the back of his hand absently. “I don’t think it’s smart to tell her you’ll never leave her. She knows that never isn’t real. Her mother probably told her that as well over the years. If she was any kind of mother at all, it’s natural to want to reassure your children when you go somewhere. Hope just needs to learn that she can rely on us to be there for her to the best of our abilities.”
She looked down at their clasped hands and seemed a little flustered. “Sorry,” she murmured as she let go, tucking her hand into her lap. “This little girl has had a rough life, and I want you to just be aware that it will take her time to come around. But she’s getting there. The dog definitely helps. Sophie is a real icebreaker, and Hope is always willing to talk about her. When in doubt, bring up the dog,” she laughed.