A Dad of His Own

This time, she looked up. Relief filled her face. “I have a flat.”

“Flat?” He slipped past her and crouched. “It’s flat all right.” He rose and grinned. “Now’s a good time to pull out that wrench.”

She eyed her purse and shrugged. “Sorry.” A grin stole to her mouth.

Ethan’s chest tightened. “Better yet, a jack will do.”

Her grin deepened. “I think I actually have one of those.” She motioned toward the trunk. “And thanks for noticing my predicament.” She brushed a strand of hair from her cheek with her cell phone. “I realized after you went to your car, I hadn’t introduced myself. I’m Alexandria Carlson, but everyone calls me Lexie.”

He grasped her warm hand, feeling its slender shape, while his gaze swept over her again and tangled in the strands of brown hair with streaks of gold. He apprehended his senses. “Do you have a spare?”

Her smooth brow wrinkled. “One of those spares that’s not a real tire.”

“A donut.” He noticed how the purple color of her sweater made her eyes even more amazing.

“Yes, a donut.” She gave him a quizzical gaze.

Apparently she’d noticed him gaping. “You can’t go far on one of those, anyway. It’s better we just take the tire in for repair.”

“No. You don’t have to do that.” She held up her cell phone. “I’ll call for road service.”

Her expression sent his pulse hopping. “I can’t leave you here without knowing everything’s okay.” One of the idiosyncracies his wife had always teased him about.

Her eyes widened. “You’re a real gentleman.”

“Thanks. I try, and who knows how long road service would take? Anyway remember, I wanted time to talk.” His ulterior motive turned to guilt. “I’ll pull your tire off, and we can have it fixed. There’s a place right up the street.”

“Okay. I’m not silly enough to argue. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” He grinned and held out his hand. “I need to get into your trunk for the jack.”

Lexie dropped the keys into his palm and stood back. Ethan rolled up his sleeves and went to work. Grateful that the lug nuts came off without a hacksaw, he pulled the tire from the axle and leaned it against the car. “I’ll pull my car up and throw this in my trunk.” He slid past her, brushing his arm against hers, and felt like a teen again. “Make sure your door is locked.” He strode to his SUV, telling himself to stop whatever crazy thoughts were in his mind and be the gentleman she’d said he was.

When he reached her car, Ethan jumped out and opened the passenger door. She slipped in, her cell phone absent from her hand. Somehow he twisted that fact into the thought that she trusted him. Otherwise she would have had her fingers ready to call 911. He stepped back and rolled his eyes. He’d been attacked by the crazies. After he tossed her tire into his trunk, he settled back inside and shifted into gear.

“I hope I’m not making you late for work.”

He forced his eyes to stay focused on the road. “I kept the morning open for the meeting, so no problem. I’m a contractor for a construction firm and spend much of my day on the road. No one misses me except my clients.” He gave her a smile. “And I don’t have an appointment until this afternoon.”

“Then I can relax, I guess.”

“You sure can.” He pulled into the street. “I think our meeting was meant to be.”

She faced him with a questioning look.

“You’d be waiting for road service.” True, but he meant much more than that.

A grin played on her mouth. “You’re right.” She leaned against the headrest. “How did you get involved in Dreams Come True?”

“Short story. When the foundation was looking for people for the governing board from a variety of businesses in the community, I volunteered.”

“You volunteered.” A quizzical look played on her face. “Any special reason other than you’re thoughtful?”

A knot tightened his throat. Did he really want to get into all of that? He glanced at her and noted her apologetic expression.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.”

As always, he tensed when he talked about Laine. “It’s fine.” Getting it out in the open. “This is the hard part.”

Lexie touched his arm. “No. Please. You don’t have to tell me. I prefer my privacy, too. I didn’t mean to—”

“It’s not prying. When my wife died, I realized how lonely life had become.”

Her face washed with sadness. “I’m sorry, Ethan.”

He kept going, wanting to tell the story, then move to something less depressing. “We had no children, although we’d wanted them, and when my wife died, I was alone. No longer a family. Nothing. It took a while to find my identity as anything more than a contractor for Pelham Homes.” He slowed at the traffic light and stopped.

Lexie nodded as if she understood.

“When I learned about this organization that did great things for sick kids, I hoped it would be a way to show compassion, and on a personal level, it helped me connect with children. Sometimes I still wish we’d had a child, though I know it would have made my life even more difficult to raise one without her.”

She shifted to face him, her eyes filled with tenderness. “How long has it been since your wife died?”

“Four years. I’ve been functioning for about two.” He managed to smile, not wanting her to think he was still the mess that he had been. Watching the woman he loved suffer and die from ovarian cancer had been a nightmare, but he’d pulled himself together. Only his faith had gotten him through.

“I think it’s admirable, Ethan. You volunteered and turned a negative into a positive. Everyone should do that.”

The light in her eyes told him so much. “You’ve done the same, haven’t you?”

“I try. It’s not easy.”

“Nothing worthwhile is.”

She looked thoughtful and seemed to ponder his words. “You’re right. I’ll keep that thought for times when things look dark.”

When things look dark. Ethan had a difficult time picturing her letting things knock her down. She exuded strength. The light turned green, and he moved ahead, then past the intersection, he pulled up to the tire shop.

Lexie had become quiet, but when he turned off the ignition, she opened the door and stepped out before he did. He met her by the trunk, and she followed him inside with her tire.

Once the mechanic had written up their order, Ethan motioned toward the chairs. “We might as well sit.”

She sank into one, but before joining her, he spotted a vending machine. “Want a pop?”

“Do they have water?”

He ambled to the machine and nodded. He dropped in the coins and pulled out a bottle of water for her and a cola for himself. Before he gave her the bottle, he unscrewed the cap.

She grinned. “Thanks. Always the gentleman.”

Ethan gave her a playful shrug and settled beside her. Back in the meeting room, he’d longed to get to know her better, and now he couldn’t help but grin, recalling he hadn’t even learned her name until the tire incident. Thank you, Lord, for that flat.

Lexie’s intense look warned him he’d been quiet too long.

“I was just thinking. Earlier I’d said I would like to know more about…the group.” Good cover. “And here we are.”

“The group?” She gave a shrug. “Everyone has a sick child, as you know, but I don’t know them all. I’m good friends with Kelsey. She was the moderator. Her daughter has a brain tumor, but Lucy’s doing well.” She quieted a moment. “And Ava…you remember her. Her son Brandon has Hodgkins lymphoma.”

“Ava?”

Lexie grinned. “She’s the one with all the questions about the foundation donor. She’s curious to a fault.”

He chuckled at her description. “Curiosity is okay.” His own had reached fever pitch.

“Tell me about your son.”

Her face brightened. “Cooper.” She ran her finger around the rim of the water bottle. “He’s my joy. Cooper’s seven. A second-grader. He’ll be eight soon. He was diagnosed with leukemia a year ago.”

Leukemia. The word hit him hard. Cancer. He managed to maintain his composure. “That’s very hard on you.”

“It’s harder on him.” She lowered her head. “He’s a great kid. You should meet him.”

A jolt of panic shot through him. He’d like to meet her son. He’d like to get to know her, but cancer? Again? “You sound like a proud mom.”

“I am. He’s a brave boy. Never complains about the treatment, and he’s very optimistic.”

The urge to flee came over him, soon usurped by shame. A little boy without a dad. Or maybe he had a dad who spent time with him. “I’m sure his dad’s proud of him, too.”

Her face darkened, and Ethan realized he’d made a grave error.

“Cooper doesn’t see his father.” Her jaw tightened, and she looked away.

“Mrs. Carlson.”

Lexie’s arm jerked as Ethan looked up at the mechanic.

“I found a nail embedded in the tire. The repair will take about twenty minutes.”

She glanced at him. “Ethan, is this okay with you?”

He nodded, his mind scrambling to find a new topic to discuss. His job—anything to keep him from thinking about the little boy with cancer and no dad.

“I should call the sitter. She might worry.” Lexie dug into her bag and pulled out her cell. “I’ll just step outside.”

She rose and strode to the door while Ethan watched her through the window, disappointed at his sense of relief. Somewhere in his crazy mind, he’d been attracted to this woman with the amazing eyes and captivating manner, but his dream had been shot down by one word. Cancer. Laine’s face filled Ethan’s mind. They’d had such hopes and dreams. She’d looked radiant when her CA 125 test came back with good results, and she’d been so brave each time the report was bad news. He’d lived with heartbreak for over two years. He couldn’t watch it happen again. Not to a little boy.

Chapter Two

“Can I go to school today, Mom?” Dressed in his jungle-print pajamas, Cooper leaned his head against his mother’s arm, his thick hair only a memory. His chemo treatments had taken their toll.

“Not today, Coop.” Lexie swallowed her dismay and ran her hand across his bald scalp. She would be overjoyed when he would greet her once again in the morning with his usual bed-tousled hair. “Maybe in a couple more weeks. We have to talk with Dr. Herman first.” She managed a bright smile even though she ached for him. “Brush your teeth and get dressed while I make you breakfast.”

“Cinnamon buns?”

An honest chuckle lightened her mood. Her son had the same propensity that she did for those gooey, fattening treats. “Let’s eat healthy today. How about scrambled eggs?”

He curled up his nose. “Okay.”

While he meandered toward his room, Lexie pulled herself from the table where she’d enjoyed her morning coffee before sitting behind her computer, her graphic design program open. She’d always been grateful that her career as a graphic designer allowed her to work from home and still make a living.

She opened the refrigerator and tackled the eggs, and by the time Cooper reappeared, she’d prepared eggs with cheese—he liked that—and toast with jelly. The jelly offered him the sweet taste that took the place of the cinnamon buns he really wanted. The lesser of two evils. “How are you feeling today?”

“Good.” He grinned.

Good had become his standard answer so she took that with a balance of reality. She would know soon enough by his behavior. Yesterday she’d noticed a small bruise on his arm. Bruises triggered a gut-wrenching fear when she saw them. Bruising had been one of the symptoms that caused her to question Cooper’s health.

“If you’re so good, then you need to study your arithmetic today. Work on your addition and subtraction.”

His nose curled again, but he didn’t object. If she could avoid his whining, it would be a good day for her also.

Cooper’s fork dove into the eggs, and he nibbled on his toast, washing it down with milk. He had eyes shaped like hers, only a slightly darker shade of blue. His brown hair had the same highlights hers had in the sunlight, and she longed to see the day when he had a full head of hair again. She had given birth to him, and no one who saw them together could argue the point.

She smiled as she cleared the dishes, and when Cooper finished, he vanished to his room, where she hoped he was doing his schoolwork. She would check after another cup of coffee. Adding more to her mug, Lexie sank into the chair, her mind once again shifting to Ethan Fox. Questions had arisen since the day they’d met. What had happened? He’d seemed so friendly and more than thoughtful, but when he finished replacing her tire, he’d said goodbye and walked off without a look backward. The memory hurt.

Though foolish, she’d let him add a bit of excitement to her day. Even now when she pictured him, her pulse sizzled. The attraction happened fast, but the seeming rejection happened even faster. She didn’t know how to handle rejections or her unexpected feelings. Too many years had passed since she’d experienced the skittering emotions she associated with going gaga over a man. The last time was college. The memory settled like a lump in her stomach.

When the doorbell sounded, Lexie sat a moment, questioning who it could be. Rosie Smith, the visiting teacher, was scheduled to come on Friday. Today was Monday. Company wasn’t usual. She pushed back her chair and strode to the front door. When she pulled it open, she found Kelsey Rhodes standing on her porch with a sheepish grin.

“Sorry I didn’t call. I was out and just thought I’d see if you were home.”

Lexie pushed open the screen door and stepped back, feeling relief mixed with an emotion she didn’t understand. “Anytime. I always like to see you.” But Ethan’s warm eyes filled her mind. “How’s Lucy?”

“Good. She’s in school this week again. No setbacks.”

Lexie gave her a hug, disguising the envy she felt. “I’m having coffee. Join me. Come into the kitchen.” She closed the door and led the way to the coffeepot.

Kelsey leaned against the counter, watching her fill the mug.

Lexie sensed Kelsey had something on her mind, and she knew it would take time to really get to the bottom of it. She set Kelsey’s cup on the table and refilled her own. Kelsey pulled her hip away from the counter and slipped onto a chair. Lexie joined her without prodding the conversation. Kelsey would talk when she was ready.

Finally her friend broke the silence. “I’ve been thinking about Dreams Come True.”

Lexie sipped her coffee while air escaped her lungs. Ethan plowed back into her thoughts. He could easily make someone’s dream come true.

“I’d love to apply.”

Pulling her focus back to the topic, Lexie reflected on Kelsey’s statement. “Then do it. It sounds like a tremendous opportunity.” Cooper’s eager gaze swept through her mind.

Kelsey shrugged. “I don’t know. Things are going well, and I suppose I’m afraid if…”

Lexie searched her face. “Afraid if what? Lucy would be a wonderful candidate for the program. Think of all she’s been through and how well she’s doing now.” Bitterness poked at her again. Cooper’s journey had been slow, and he deserved a trip as much as anyone. He was a great kid. But reality was reality. Cooper hadn’t progressed as well as Lucy.

“I worry it’s bad luck.” She pressed her lips together and wet them with her tongue. “I’m ashamed to say that, but that’s what I’m feeling. We get our hopes up, and then they come crashing down. It’s like we’re tempting fate.”

Lexie had to stop her eyes from gaping. “Fate?”

Kelsey flinched and lowered her head. “I know. And that’s why I’m ashamed of myself. I should have faith and not worry about fate.”

“Don’t be ashamed. It’s natural to get nervous about good things happening. We all tolerate the bad news, but…” But what? “But we just have to hang on to…hope.”

Her shoulders relaxed. “You’re right.” A faint grin stole to her face. “It’s easy to be pessimistic. It takes work to be positive.”

“Now, that I agree with.” Lexie watched Kelsey’s grin grow. “Have you told Lucy about the foundation?”

“No. I didn’t want her to get excited and then have something awful happen.” She lowered her head again, her neck pivoting from side to side. “There I go again. I’ll get a grip on myself, and I should talk with her doctor first.”

“Good idea. He’ll reassure you. Then you can decide one way or the other.” Decide. Decisions were nebulous. She had so few options, which was another truth she tried not to think about. It made her feel she had no control. And she didn’t really. “It’s difficult to stay positive, but it’s important that we do. Ethan said something about people without hope, and that spoke to me. I don’t want to be someone feeling hopeless. Neither do you.”

Kelsey’s eyes widened. “Ethan?”

Lexie’s heart flew to her throat, but she managed to give a no-big-deal shrug. “After you left, I tripped over him, and he stopped to talk.”

Her wide-eyed look vanished, and she gave way to a quizzical grin. “Hmm? This sounds interesting.”

Lexie shook her head. “No. Nothing like that. One thing led to another. He asked about Cooper.” She rolled her eyes at Kelsey’s expression. “And he helped me with my flat tire.”

“Flat tire?” She chuckled. “How convenient.”

“I didn’t make it flat by myself.”

“I know, but the plot thickens.” Her grin grew to a smile, and she leaned closer on her elbows. “Tell me more.”

Lexie gulped back her discomfort, but knew Kelsey wouldn’t give up until she gave her details. She related their conversation about Ethan’s deceased wife and about Cooper. Lexie opted not to tell her about Ethan’s sudden coolness. She didn’t understand it, and the situation was too personal to share.

“So that’s it? He didn’t ask for your telephone number?”

Lexie gnawed on the inside of her cheek, remembering how she’d said he should meet Cooper. If that wasn’t a flirtation, what was? “No, he didn’t ask.”

“Really?”

Lexie winced.

Kelsey shook her head. “Why didn’t he? He isn’t married, is he?”

“No. I told you his wife died.”

“Children?”

“No.” She gave her the evil eye. “What are you? A cop?”

Kelsey tossed her head back and chuckled. “Maybe I should be. Ethan’s a nice guy and good-looking. And single. He showed an interest in you, so tell me why no phone number.” She scowled. “No hints of seeing you again.”

“No. We’d just met. He’s a gentleman.”

“Are you crazy then? You should have asked him for a card in case you wanted more information.”

“Me? I don’t ask men for their phone numbers. And no, I’m not crazy.”

“I question that. If you don’t want him, then I should proceed.” A grin grew on her face. “Forget that, but let’s think of how we can fix this.”

We? Lexie didn’t need help in the romance department. And she wasn’t looking anyway.

“Seriously, if nothing more, it would be nice for Cooper to have a man in his life. He never sees his father, does he?”

The question hit Lexie in the gut. “No.” What could she tell Kelsey about Coop’s father. Lexie barely remembered him, and what she remembered hurt too much.

“Okay, then. We’ve settled that. If you do see him again, think of Cooper.” Kelsey drained the coffee mug and slipped from the chair. “Thanks for listening to me. What you said helped. I need to cling to hope. God’s in charge, not me, and despite my silliness, I had really hoped that Ethan might find you interesting. I noticed he smiled at you a couple of times, and I checked his ring finger. Empty, and no telltale tan line, either.” She stepped back. “I think I’ll add the situation to my prayer list.”

Lexie rose and gave her a hug. “I don’t know about the prayer list, but thanks for caring about us.” She drew back and shook her head. “Even if your ideas are a bit off the wall.” But not too far off. The realization slithered down Lexie’s spine. She’d had a flash of those dreams for a couple of hours.

“When I mentioned a nice man spending time with Cooper, I was thinking of someone like a big brother. You’re a great mom, but Ethan or some other man like him would be nice for Cooper.”

Lexie hadn’t thought about that. Yes, Cooper could use a man’s influence in his life. “Thanks for caring.”

“Welcome.” Kelsey gave a wave and strode through the kitchen doorway.

Lexie followed her to the foyer and watched her slip into her car. When Kelsey drove away, she closed the door and drew in a breath. Ethan. Why had he stepped in and out of her life in a couple of hours? Her pulse skipped, wondering what it would be like to enjoy a man’s company again, and one that didn’t walk away the day they met.

Ethan squinted into the sunlight glinting off the hood. He’d had a headache for the past five days, and once again he didn’t have an aspirin on him. Stupid.

Everything seemed stupid. He couldn’t get Lexie out of his mind, and he’d walked away from her like a coward. He’d let cancer take something else from him and hadn’t even left the door open for an opportunity to see her again. All of his talk about hope, and he failed to cling to it himself.

His temples pounded as he slowed at the light. Aspirin. He remembered seeing a drugstore up ahead somewhere before Crooks Road. He glanced on each side of Fourteen Mile and spotted a large pharmacy. After waiting for traffic to clear, he pulled into the parking lot and slipped into a space. As he opened his door, his heart whacked against his chest. A burgundy sedan sat in the spot beside him. Too coincidental. Many burgundy cars were on the road.

But his pulse skipped as he headed inside, his gaze shifting from one side to the other. He read the signs above the aisles and near the back, he spotted the headache remedies.

He also spotted Lexie.

Ethan closed his eyes a moment. Guilt had riddled him since he’d met her. God had given him an opportunity to be a man of compassion and kindness, and he’d walked away. What happened to the Good Samaritan in him?

When he opened his eyes, she moved. He turned, his gaze sweeping the area. His chest tightened when he spotted her again at the prescription pickup counter. From the back, Lexie’s long hair hung in gentle waves below her shoulder blades. He hadn’t realized the length. The strands shone in the artificial lighting, and his fingers itched to touch the softness.

Swallowing his apprehension, he snatched the aspirin bottle from the shelf, then pulled himself to full height, drew back his shoulders and planted what he hoped was a pleasant expression on his face. When he strode close enough for her to hear him, he said her name.

Lexie turned, a surprised look fading into a smile. “What are you doing here?”

He managed a shrug while his mind whispered his answer. God’s plan. “I’ve had a headache all morning.” He flashed the bottle clutched in his hand. “You must live around here.”

She nodded. “A few streets over.”

Hoping she’d tell him the street, he waited. No luck. He gazed at the prescription the clerk had set on the counter. “How’s Cooper?”

Her pleasant expression slipped away. “Having some problems today. He had chemo earlier in the week, and he’s terribly nauseated. That hasn’t been happening lately so it worried me. I called his doctor and he called in a prescription.”

“I hope it takes care of it.”

“Me, too.” She turned and picked up the small paper bag. “He’ll sleep the day away with this.” She slipped the package into her shoulder bag. “How’s the foundation?”

Foundation. He blinked. That wasn’t the direction he wanted to go. Now he’d have to work his way back to Cooper. “Doing some great things.” He dug through his mind to remember what great things, but he knew they were planning some wonderful events for kids in the county. “One of the women from your organization contacted us. We’re planning a trip for her daughter to visit New York. She wants to see the fashion industry. She’ll spend some time at Parsons and we’re arranging for her to meet a couple of fashion designers.”

“That’ll be so nice for her.”