“Pirate’s Cove,” Jordan yelled.
“Yes, they played mini golf at Pirate’s Cove and then got ice cream across the street at Udder Heaven.”
“What kind did they get?” Jordan’s eyes got big. She knew the answer but loved hearing this part.
“The handsome ranger got coffee ice cream, but the princess wanted something truly special. Since they were in Maine, she wanted to try Moose Tracks. And you know what?”
“She loved it. Like I do, Daddy. We both love the same kind of ice cream.”
“She did love it, and they got it every day. After a while, they decided that they loved each other, too. They went to the wooden bridge on the northern edge of Jordan Pond and vowed to always love each other, no matter what.”
“And do you, Daddy? Still love Mama?”
“I do, peanut.” God help him. Blinking back the moisture from his eyes, he finished the story.
“But the princess lived far away and had to go back home. The handsome ranger begged her to stay, but she couldn’t. She promised to come back some day.”
Jordan’s expression was rapt as she waited for him to continue. Why couldn’t this story have a better ending?
“Even though the princess couldn’t stay with the ranger, she sent him a special gift as a reminder of their love and so he wouldn’t be lonely. A piece of herself in the form of a tiny baby. One that would grow up to look exactly like her.”
“That’s me, Daddy.”
“It sure is, princess.”
Jordan rolled her eyes. “I’m peanut. Mama’s princess.”
Pressing his lips to her forehead, he stroked her hair and tucked her in again. “Good night, my little princess peanut.”
As he got up, Jordan’s tiny voice crossed the room. “Daddy, when is Mama coming back?”
“When she’s ready.” It was the same answer he always gave to that question. Luckily for him, she hadn’t asked it too often. Shutting the light off, he whispered, “Love you, baby girl.”
“Love you, Daddy.” Her words were already slurred with sleep.
As he crossed the hall to his room, he thought about the question she’d asked. Her mama was back. They hadn’t spoken much in the past four days. Maybe he’d avoided her for that simple reason.
After kicking off his boots, he moved toward the dresser in the corner of the room. It had been the one Chelsea had used during their two weeks of marriage living in this house. He opened the top drawer and pulled out some wispy fabric, then held it to his nose. The nightgown she’d worn. The scent had faded over the years, but the feel of it still evoked strong memories, memories he couldn’t suppress anymore now that Chelsea had shown up again.
Easing down on the bed, he dropped his head into his hands and sighed. It was stupid and masochistic of him after what she’d done, but he couldn’t deny it. After seeing her the last few days, seeing how thin and pale she was, seeing the pain in her eyes and wanting to take it away. Like in the story, he still loved her.
Why did Theo still wear his wedding ring? It was the question that had been running through Chelsea’s mind all night long. He’d said it kept the lady tourists from getting too close.If he didn’t want them to.Did that mean he’d let some of them get close? How close? And how many?
He’d had plenty of admirers the summer they’d been together, but he’d only had eyes for her. She hadn’t been the prettiest or the one with the biggest chest, and he hadn’t even known about her money until after they’d gotten married. It seemed he’d simply wantedher.Life wasn’t always what it seemed.
Steering her car past the town of Bar Harbor, she headed north toward Hull’s Cove. Fog misted the air this early in the morning, but she’d wanted to catch Theo before he left for work. Rico had hinted that he wouldn’t be at the pond today due to some meetings he had to attend. Did the other ranger know her past with Theo, or was he simply guessing due to their strange interactions?
After passing Pepper’s Pizza, she steered the car left and wondered if she wasn’t crazy for doing this. Would he even be living in the same house? What if he had someone else living there with him? Yes, he’d said he was still married to her, but that didn’t mean he hadn’t found a replacement. Like the blonde with the little girl.
Slowly, she drove, trying to remember exactly where his street was. It wasn’t easy in the fog, though the mist was lessening as she got farther away from the ocean. There it was. She remembered that huge rock on the side of the road with the weirdly shaped tree behind it. Her stomach tightened and her mouth grew dry as the car inched closer to the house, the small two-story surrounded by trees with the adorable farmer’s porch on the front.
A car sat in the driveway. It was an older model SUV, the one he’d had when they’d gotten married. He still lived here. Pulling her Volvo to the side of the road, she took a deep breath and opened the car door.
Her legs barely held her up they shook so badly. Shoving the keys in her pocket so she wouldn’t drop them, she inched her way up the stairs.
With hands shaking almost worse than her legs, she somehow managed to get to the top and knock on the door. Would he be mad she’d come to his house? Would some scantily clad woman ask what she was doing here? Maybe this hadn’t been a good idea. No, she needed to know what had happened, and discussing it while cleaning up the lake trail wasn’t feasible. It was too public. Maybe he’d be thrilled she’d come and get divorce proceedings going. Her stomach cramped so much at that thought, she almost doubled over.
The door clicked and opened, and Chelsea squared her shoulders. A soft, “Hi,” had her gazing down at a brown-haired little girl wearing a pair of flowered overalls.
