normal family. Ozzie and Harriet. The Waltons. The Cleavers. That Hollywood ideal? But then, what was normal, and who had that perfect picture? Hell, perfect? He’d settle for living in the same town. No. That was a lie. He wanted Angel in the same house. In the same bed. He wasn’t going to be happy with anything less. That left only one option. He had to divorce Mandy quickly, and make things right with Angel.
Would she even want him? What did he have to offer her? He was still that same guy that knew he was no good for her three years ago. What did he think was different now?
Everything, he told himself.
Kids do that. They change everything. He wanted more now, and deep down he wanted to believe he deserved more. He could be a better man for Angel, for his kids. Couldn’t he? If he didn’t believe it himself, how was he ever going to make it happen?
It was getting to be dinner time. Cole had made them both hotdogs for lunch. He needed to figure something out for dinner.
“Hey, TJ. Come on. You need to help Daddy make dinner.”
TJ stopped pedaling, and looked at his father. He scrambled off the bike, and ran to him.
Cole scooped him up, and tossed him in the air. TJ squealed, and Cole hoisted him up on his shoulders, and carried him into the house. He set him down on the kitchen floor, and pulled open the refrigerator. He stood staring into it, one hand on his hip.
TJ stood next to him, his little hand on his hip, mimicking his father.
There was ground beef. Maybe he could whip up some pasta. He looked in the pantry, and found a can of sauce and a box of spaghetti. He rummaged through the spices, and pulled out some oregano and garlic powder. It wouldn’t be great, but it would be edible.
He got a pot of water boiling, and then got a pan, and started to brown the meat. He added in the spices to the meat while it was browning. He opened the can of sauce, and added some more spices. While that was all heating on top of the stove, he dug through the freezer to see what else he could come up with. There was a box of Texas toast, so he heated the oven, and put some on a baking sheet to toast. Maybe when it was all ready, he could whip together a salad.
About a half hour later, it was just about ready, when Angel and Natalie walked in. Natalie was carrying in a bucket of chicken. She took one look around her mess of a kitchen, and smiled. “You cooked.”
Cole shrugged. “I attempted, anyway. Not sure how good it’ll be.”
“A man that can cook. Angel, you better not let this one get away.”
“Natalie!” she replied, embarrassed.
“Hey, this isn’t a regular thing, so don’t get used to it. Anyway, you brought chicken.” Cole nodded toward the bucket.
“It’ll keep in the fridge for lunch tomorrow,” Natalie insisted. “I’d much rather have what you made, Cole.”
“Not sure you’ll feel that way after you taste it.”
“Nonsense.” She put down her purse, and reached in the cabinet for plates.
Angel bent down, and picked up TJ, and hugged him. “Hi, Honey-Bear.”
He hugged her neck, and then turned, and said, “Daddy making sagetty.”
“And you’re helping?” she asked.
He nodded.
Angel looked down at the pots and pans on the kitchen floor that TJ had been banging on with a wooden spoon. “I see that. You were a big helper.”
Cole stood at the stove, stirring the sauce. He looked at Angel, and smiled at her. She was wearing a cotton, summer dress that buttoned down the front, and fell to a couple of inches above her knee. It had tiny flowers all over it, and looked cute as hell on her. She moved toward him, and he leaned down, and kissed her. “How’s our girl?” he asked when she pulled away.
“She’s had a rough day. She’s still sick to her stomach.”
“Man, I hate to hear that.”
“I know.” She set TJ down. “I’m going to go wash up.”
“Sure. Want me to pour you a glass of wine?”
She smiled. “That sounds great.” She turned to leave.
“Okay, dude. Time to put the pots away. Come on. Let’s go.”
All through dinner, Cole could tell something was wrong with Angel. He watched her as they ate. She barely picked at her food. He knew that Melissa had been having a pretty bad reaction to