“I get it, Chris. It’s part of your job. Thank you for explaining.” She reached for thedoorknob.
“Denise,please.”
“Please what, Chris? Please understand? I understand, I do. But it doesn’t change anything. We hooked up.” She shrugged her shoulders. “It was fun. But that was then, and my priorities havechanged.”
She took a deep breath. “Sarah is giving me custody of Kimber and Kaden. They’re my priority now.” She gestured toward the door. “So I can’t afford to be someone else’safterthought.”
She pulled the door open and walkedaway.
He eased it closed and rested his head against the wall next to it, holding on to the knob with a death grip to keep from punching the wall. Damn it. He wanted to chase after her, but he knew it would only make herangrier.
She’d never been an afterthought. She was pretty much his onlythought.
Chapter 6
“Why doyou have to walk us to the bus stop, Aunt Denny?” Kadenasked.
“Because I want to make sure you don’t run off and join thecircus.”
“That’s silly,” Kimber said. “Who would run off to join thecircus?”
Denise flipped the end of Kimber’s ponytail. “I wanted to join the circus when I was yourage.”
Kimber screwed up her face. “Why?”
“I wanted to be a liontamer.”
“That would be cool,” Kaden said. “Did you know there are safaris in Africa where you can petlions?”
“Thereare?”
“Yeah. And see whole herds ofelephants.”
“That would be really cool. I’ll have to look into that. Maybe one year for your birthday.” She had no idea how she would swing that. Maybe she could talk her parents into helping out with the cost of airfare and make it a combined birthday-Christmasgift.
They reached the top of the street where a small gaggle of kids stood, waiting for the early morning schoolbus.
“See, Aunt Denny,” Kaden said, going back to sullen. “No one else’s parents are waiting withthem.”
Stopping, she leaned down so her face was level with Kaden’s. “Do you want to know asecret?”
He looked skeptical, but nodded his head. “There are no other parents here because they don’t really like theirkids.”
His little jaw grew slack and he gaped at her for a few seconds before snapping it shut and scowling at her. “That’s nottrue.”
She nodded solemnly. “It is. Their parents probably say they can’t because they have to work, but that’s the real reason they aren’there.”
“You have to work,” heaccused.
“I do.” She shrugged. “I guess I like you too darn much to care. But you’re not allowed to say anything. It would hurt the other kids’ feelings if they knew thetruth.”
The school bus arrived and stopped at the corner. “Don’t forget I’m going to pick you up after school so we can go see yourmom.”
“Can we get Panera for dinner on the way home?” Kimberasked.
“Sure.” She held her arms out wide. “Can I have a hug before you get on the bus?” Kaden glanced furtively at the kids waiting to board, then looked at her like she had the plague. “I guess that means no goodbye kiss,either?”
She bit back a laugh when he pivoted and hurried to thebus.
