“For what?” Debbie asked gently.
Austin gave her a tight, humorless smile. “Turns out the friend she had lunch with so often was Tucker James. He got offered a job overseas and invited my wife to go with him.” Austin popped his knuckles again. “Cheyenne walked away from her family, leaving nothing more than a note saying she hated being a mother and wanted to see the world. She’s been jet-setting ever since. I got saddled with more than half of the credit card debt during the divorce proceedings because she’d forged my name on the applications. Needless to say, I lost the house, and we ended up moving in with my parents.”
“Is that when Dallas stopped sleepwalking?” Debbie’s perceptiveness surprised him.
“Yes, he had a lot of separation anxiety when he was young, and it manifested itself even when he was sleeping.”
“If his mom was always leaving him with a babysitter, it’s no wonder. Poor kid. I can see how the stability of living with your parents helped him overcome it.”
Austin nodded.
“Has she ever come back to see the kids?”
“Not once.”
Tears filled Debbie’s eyes. “What kind of message has that given them?”
“It’s better than her making promises and not keeping them.” Austin’s jaw clenched again. “Cheyenne’s parents did that a lot, made plans to take the kids to an amusement park or someplace special then canceled at the last minute, telling them in a roundabout way they weren’t a priority. Of course, that didn’t stop them from buying the kids insanely expensive gifts we didn’t have room for. I swear their only goal was to make me look like a failure as a father. I was so relieved when they moved to Arizona a few years ago. The kids rarely ask about them or their mom anymore.”
“No wonder you dislike wealthy people.”
“Yeah, well, besides my ex-in-laws, I’ve known plenty of other wealthy people—developers and investors—who stop at nothing to get what they want, regardless of what that means for the little guy.”
“I don’t want to be one of those people, Austin.” Debbie put a hand on his arm. “I’m sorry I didn’t consult you before buying your boys the remote control trucks.” She let go of his arm and picked at her fingernails. “The house was so quiet today without Noah here, so I went for some retail therapy. All I could think about was how upset Cody was on Saturday when my nephews didn’t want to share their remote-control cars with him. And well, I’ve told you how impulsive I can be.” She grinned.
“Is that what he was so upset about?” Austin had noticed Cody sitting on the back patio crying and had been ready to go talk to him when Debbie sat beside him.
“Yes, and I was a little peeved with my nephews for not sharing with Cody, so I bought the bigger, better monster truck and Jeep for Dallas and Cody.” Debbie raised her hand when he opened his mouth to protest. “You’re right to be upset. It wasn’t my place to buy such expensive gifts for your boys without checking with you first. My sisters have chewed me out for doing something similar multiple times.”
“I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have yelled at you. My parents have chewedmeout several times for being so da—dang prideful.”
Debbie’s musical laughter filled the pantry, and something inside Austin relaxed.
She clasped his hand. “Pride or not, you’re a great dad, Austin.”
“I don’t know about that.”
“You are. Your boys idolize you.” She squeezed his hand and smiled so big her eyes lit up.
A surge of attraction shot through him at the contact. The temperature in the pantry skyrocketed, and Austin’s heart rate kicked up a notch. She sat so close they could almost be considered one body. Austin wasn’t usually the touchy-feely type, but he loved how Debbie wasn’t afraid to show others she cared through touch.
Her perfume—more subtle than other days, but probably just as expensive—wrapped around him, drawing him in. His gaze locked with hers, and he saw the attraction he felt mirrored in her blue eyes. His gaze dropped to her lips—rosy and full.
He leaned forward, powerless to stop the pull she had over him.
Debbie’s head tilted.
He paused for one brief moment, knowing this was a mistake but not caring, before touching his lips to hers. Her lips were softer than he expected and the feather-light touch he’d initiated wasn’t enough. He leaned closer still until his lips melded with hers.
Austin’s whole nervous system vibrated as a surge of electricity shot through his body. Bright lights flashed behind his eyes, leaving reflections bouncing around his brain.
When her lips parted, he didn’t hesitate to accept the invitation. He tangled his fingers in her curly hair, enjoying its texture as her mouth moved with his. So many powerful sensations rushed through him, he feared his nervous system might short-circuit.
The grip she had on his hand tightened as she let out a little sigh. The whisper-soft sound against his mouth only ramped up his desire.
A sudden bump and scrape sounded on the other side of the door before it burst open.
“Are you being nice now, Daddy?”
