The Single Dad's Second Chance

by Brenda Harlen

  “Well, I’m going for a picnic.”

  “With her.”

  Andrew had never heard such venom in his daughter’s tone and was taken aback by it now, especially considering that it was directed toward Rachel, whom she completely adored. “If you mean Rachel, then yes.”

  His daughter’s blue eyes filled with tears. “You’d rather be with her than with me.”

  “I’d rather spend the day with both of you, but you decided that you don’t want to go,” he said with deliberate patience.

  “I don’t wanna go,” she confirmed.

  He left her pouting in her room and went to explain the situation—as best he could because he really didn’t understand what had caused her to change her mind—to Rachel.

  She immediately offered to take the boys on her own, but he shook his head.

  “We made plans,” he reminded her. “And I’m not going to renege on them just because my daughter’s having a temper tantrum.”

  But Rachel suspected it might be something more than that. “Can I talk to her?”

  “You can try.”

  While he went to call his cousin, Rachel went up to Maura’s room. She knocked lightly on the partially closed door.

  “Go away.”

  “I just want to talk to you, Maura.”

  “I don’t wanna talk to you.”

  Through the narrow opening, she could see the little girl standing with her back to the door, her arms folded across her chest. Her instincts urged her to push open the door and go into the room, but she held back. Instead, she asked gently, “Did I do something to upset you?”

  Maura didn’t answer.

  “Because if I did, I’m sorry.”

  The child remained silent.

  Rachel sighed. “I wish I knew what to do to make this better, but I can’t help if you don’t tell me what’s wrong.”

  Finally she turned to face the door. Behind the tears, the little girl’s big blue eyes were filled with confusion and sadness, and Rachel wanted only to take her in her arms and offer comfort.

  But when Maura spoke, the coldness of her tone assured Rachel that she meant what she said, and she knew that anything she offered would be rejected. “I don’t want you to help—I want you to go away.”

  “If that’s really what you want, I will.”

  Maura’s lower lip trembled and fat tears spilled over, tracking slowly down her cheeks. “It’s really what I want.”

  So Rachel nodded and headed back down the stairs.

  “Any luck?” Andrew asked.

  “No,” she admitted.

  He exhaled a weary sigh. “Okay. Jordyn’s on her way—she should be here in about fifteen minutes.” He looked over at the boys, who were on the couch in the living room playing video games while they waited. “I’m really sorry about this—the boys are probably starving.”

  “They don’t seem to be complaining,” she noted. “But I do think it’s best if we get going and just spend the day by ourselves.”

  He frowned. “Why?”

  “Because I don’t want Maura to feel like you’re choosing to be with me instead of her.”

  “Don’t you think that’s a little melodramatic?”

  She shook her head. “No, I don’t.”

  “Whatever’s going on with my daughter, she’ll get over it,” he assured her.

  “How can you be sure of that?”

  “Because she’s seven years old and occasionally moody.”

  “I don’t think this was a simple matter of Maura changing her mind,” Rachel noted. “It wasn’t about mini-golf so much as spending time with me.”

  “She loves being with you.”

  Rachel used to think so. But she’d noticed a distinct change in Maura’s attitude toward her since the little girl had come back from her trip to Myrtle Beach. And she didn’t think that was a coincidence. She might not know what or how, but she didn’t doubt that Carol Wakefield had said or done something to make the child wary of Rachel.

  But all she said to Andrew was “Not today she doesn’t.”

  “I’m not going to be forced to make a choice between you and my daughter.”

  “Of course not,” she agreed.

  Because she knew that there was no choice to be made—and no hope for a future for them together so long as Maura remained opposed to their relationship.

  * * *

  Rachel dropped the boys off at her brother’s house at the usual time, then she went home and poked around in the mostly empty refrigerator to figure out her own dinner before deciding that she wasn’t really hungry, anyway. Instead, she curled up on the couch with the television remote in her hand and flipped through various channels, but nothing piqued her interest.

  Her heart was breaking, because she knew her relationship with Andrew was over. It had to be over. She couldn’t endure another scene like the one that had played out with Maura when she’d refused to go on the picnic.

  She still didn’t understand what had happened with the little girl, but she knew it was more than a simple temper tantrum. For some reason, Maura had decided that she didn’t want Rachel to be part of her life anymore. And the reason didn’t really matter. What mattered was that Rachel couldn’t let Andrew get caught in the middle and she couldn’t bear to hurt his daughter, who had already been through so much.

  Maura was the only part of his wife that he had left, and he was the only parent his child had left. Rachel couldn’t blame her for resenting anyone who seemed to threaten that relationship. But she wished the little girl had talked to her, given Rachel a chance to explain that she wasn’t trying to come between Andrew and Maura, she only wanted to be part of the family unit that they already were.

  Sunday was Mother’s Day and, aside from the fact that Andrew and Maura would be visiting his parents and his former in-laws, it was a busy day at Buds & Blooms. Rachel focused on her customers and tried not to think about how much she wanted to be with the sexy single dad and his little girl. On Monday, she and Holly worked steadily to fulfill an order for fifty floral arrangements for a fiftieth birthday party. By the time she got home that night, her fingers were raw and bleeding. And when Andrew called, she didn’t have the energy to tackle the discussion she knew they needed to have, so she pretended that everything was okay, cutting their conversation short with the explanation that she was exhausted.

  But on Tuesday, she knew she couldn’t put it off any longer. She called him this time and asked him to meet her for coffee. It wasn’t until she reached for the handle of the door of the Bean There Café that she realized the last time she was here with Andrew was when he’d suggested cooling down their relationship. She wondered if it was apropos that they’d returned to the same place to say goodbye again.

  He was already seated with two mugs of coffee on the table when she walked in. He smiled, so genuinely happy to see her that her heart felt as if it would split right open.

  She couldn’t smile back. She sat down and set his key on the table. He frowned at it. “What’s going on, Rachel?”

  “I’m sorry...” Her throat was so tight she could barely get the words out. But she had to do this—and she had to get through it without breaking down so that he didn’t figure out that everything she was saying was a complete lie. “But I don’t want to do this anymore.”

  He just stared at her, uncomprehending. “Where is this coming from? Why now?”

  “Because I realized that we’re at different stages in our lives—we want different things.” She tried to keep her tone matter-of-fact, so he wouldn’t guess that her heart was breaking. “I enjoyed spending time with you and Maura, but I’m not ready to take on the responsibility of someone else’s child.”

  His gaze narrowed.

  “I didn’t mean to mislead you—
”

  “Mislead?” he said incredulously. “I told you I was in love with you, and I thought you were heading in the same direction.”

  She shook her head, because she wasn’t headed in that direction—she’d gone down that road way before him. But admitting that now would only make things harder for both of them. Their feelings for one another didn’t—couldn’t—matter, not when there was a little girl who was scared and hurting and needed to know that her daddy would always be there for her. And if she told Andrew the truth, that she was stepping back because Maura wasn’t as ready for a new family as he thought, she knew that he would try to change her mind. He’d argue that Maura just needed more time, and more time with Andrew and his little girl would only make it that much harder when she finally had to say goodbye. So instead all she said was “I’m sorry.”

  And then, before he could respond, she pushed back her chair and rushed out of the café.

  When she got back to the shop, Holly took one look at her and said, “Spill.”

  The obvious concern in her friend’s eyes was Rachel’s undoing. She’d made a valiant effort to hold back her emotions all morning, but now the tears spilled over.

  “Oh, Rach. I’m sorry.”

  She plucked a tissue out of the box on the counter. “Why are you sorry?”

  “Because I hate to see you cry.”

  “I hate to cry,” Rachel admitted. “I hate knowing that I made the same mistake and let my heart get broken again.”

  “Oh.” Holly’s eyes misted. “You broke up with Andrew.”

  She nodded.

  “Damn.” Her friend grabbed a tissue and dabbed at her own eyes. “I really thought he was the one. The guy certainly acted like he was head over heels for you.”

  “He told me he loved me,” Rachel admitted.

  Holly’s jaw dropped. “And then he dumped you?”

  “No.” She swiped at more tears. “It was my decision to end things.”

  “But why? You’re obviously as head over heels as he is.”

  “Because me being with Andrew was making Maura miserable.”

  “You broke up with him because his seven-year-old was a little miffed about having to share time with her daddy?”

  “There was no way we could make a relationship work when his daughter was so obviously unhappy about it.”

  “She’s had him to herself for the past three years—it’s natural that there would be some resistance.”

  “Resistance I could deal with,” Rachel agreed. “Maura is downright hostile.”

  Holly frowned. “What happened?”

  She just shook her head, because she didn’t know for sure, and she didn’t feel comfortable sharing her suspicions about Maura’s grandmother with Holly.

  Besides, the reason wasn’t nearly as important as the result.

  * * *

  Maura was sitting in a chair in the principal’s office.

  Mrs. Barnhart wasn’t there, so she didn’t think she was in trouble. And she didn’t know why she’d be in trouble when she hadn’t done anything wrong, except that she’d started crying in class. Lotsa kids cried in kindergarten, but maybe when you got to first grade, crying got you sent to the principal’s office.

  Now she was just sitting and waiting for her daddy to show up because Mrs. Patterson was “concerned” about her outburst.

  Maura didn’t want to talk about it. She didn’t understand why the teacher cared that she didn’t want to be in the stupid play. It was only for their class anyway, and a lot of the other girls had put up their hands because they wanted what Mrs. Patterson called “the starring role.”

  Maura looked up when her daddy walked into the room and, for some reason, just seeing him started her crying again.

  “What’s this about?” he asked Mrs. Patterson.

  The teacher shook her head. “I’m as baffled as you are.”

  He crouched down by her chair. “Maura?”

  “I d-don’t wanna be in the p-play.”

  He brushed her hair away from her face and wiped the tears on her cheeks. “Is that what has you so upset?”

  She nodded.

  He looked at Mrs. Patterson. “Is this a curriculum requirement?”

  “Yes, it’s part of the drama component, and every student is expected to participate.”

  He lifted Maura’s chin up, forcing her to look at him. “Why don’t you want to be in the play?”

  “I don’t wanna be Cinderella,” she said, and burst into tears again.

  * * *

  Andrew went directly to his former in-laws’ house after he dropped Maura off at home with Sharlene. He found Carol on the back deck, watering planters filled with flowers. Of course, the sight of those cheerful blooms made him think of Rachel, and the pain that sliced through his chest was so sharp and swift it nearly staggered him.

  His former mother-in-law looked up when he stepped onto the deck. She was obviously surprised by his unannounced visit, but she smiled. “Hello, Andrew.” She looked past him, hoping to see the little girl who was never far behind. “Where’s Maura?”

  “She’s at home with Sharlene. I didn’t want her to overhear any part of the conversation we’re going to have.”

  “Oh?”

  “Is Ed around?”

  “Right here,” Carol’s husband said, stepping out onto the deck. “What’s going on?”

  “I need to talk to both of you.”

  “What’s the matter?” Carol’s face went white. “Did something happen to Maura?”

  “Maura’s fine,” he hastened to assure them. “Although she’s a very unhappy little girl right now.”

  “Maybe we should go inside and sit down,” Ed suggested.

  Andrew nodded and followed him into the house.

  “Can I get you anything?” Carol asked. “Coffee? Beer?”

  He shook his head. This wasn’t a social visit, and he didn’t want to give either of them the impression that it was.

  “So tell us what this is about,” his former father-in-law said, when they were all seated in the living room.

  “I want to clear some things up, and then I’m not going to talk about them again,” Andrew said.

  “Okay,” Ed agreed cautiously. His wife nodded.

  “I want to start by reminding you that I loved your daughter,” he told them sincerely. “Every minute of every day of our life together. I loved her so much that I was sure there wasn’t room in my heart for anyone else.

  “Then Maura was born, and I realized that the human heart has an infinite capacity for love. There isn’t anything I wouldn’t have done for either of them.” He had to swallow around the lump in his throat. “If there had been any way to save Nina, I would have done so. I would have given my life for hers if I could have.”

  Carol’s eyes filled with tears. Her husband took her hand, linked their fingers together.

  “I grieved for a long time,” Andrew continued. “I’m not sure I would have got through the darkest days without Maura. She was my reason for getting up in the morning, for moving forward when I wanted to stand still.

  “And then—” He swallowed again. “And then I met Rachel.”

  “Maura said that you aren’t seeing her anymore,” Carol said, just a little smugly.

  He ignored the emptiness in his heart that was an actual physical ache. He wasn’t here to talk about Rachel, except insofar as his relationship with her had affected Maura. “The status of my relationship with Rachel—or anyone else—shouldn’t be any of your concern.”

  “I’m concerned about anything that affects my granddaughter,” she insisted.

  “Your concern crossed the line,” Andrew told her.

  “I don’t know what you mean,” she insisted.
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  But he wasn’t buying her innocent act, and the more he thought about what she’d done—using her own granddaughter as a pawn—the angrier he got. “Maura loved spending time with Rachel...until the weekend she spent with you in Myrtle Beach.”

  “Just what are you implying?” Ed demanded.

  “I’m not implying anything. I’m telling both of you that I won’t tolerate any more interference in my personal life.”

  The older man scowled. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Maura had a wonderful time at the beach.”

  Andrew focused on Carol. “Tell him—” He had to clear his throat. “Tell him about the bedtime stories you chose to read to my daughter.”

  “They were classic fairy tales,” she said defiantly.

  “Coincidentally the ones that included evil stepmothers.”

  “That’s ridiculous,” Ed blustered.

  But Carol remained silent.

  “She had a meltdown at school today,” Andrew told them, his own eyes blurring as he recalled the heart-wrenching sobs that had emanated from his little girl. “Because the class is doing a production of The Fairy Godmother and her teacher asked Maura to play Cinderella.”

  His former mother-in-law pressed a hand to her lips and her eyes filled with tears, but Andrew didn’t let himself feel any sympathy for her. It was Maura who mattered—Maura whose innocent heart had been manipulated by her vindictive grandmother.

  “Is she okay?” Ed asked.

  “She will be,” Andrew promised. “But right now, she’s scared and hurt and confused. She doesn’t know how to feel or what to believe.”

  A single tear slid down Carol’s pale cheek. “They were just stories,” she said again.

  “I’ve done everything I can to ensure that Maura has a close bond with both of you,” he reminded them. “But I promise you, if you ever interfere in my personal life again, I will limit her contact with you.”

  She gasped. “You wouldn’t do that.”

  “I will if you push me, Carol,” he promised.

  Then he walked out, confident that he’d made his point to Maura’s grandparents. He knew it was going to take a little more work to reassure his daughter, but he would do it.