a ballerina proud, “you’ll find a way to blame kissing me on spring thaw.”
“The need to kiss you does seem like madness,” he murmured, staring at her lips.
She’d never wanted to kiss someone as much as she wanted to kiss Drew right now, if only to prove it had everything to do with chemistry and nothing to do with the season.
But he wasn’t done with his hypotheses. “As does your need to have proof that your husband strayed because he didn’t love you. I’m sure he did in his own way.”
She tried to push past him.
Drew caught her arm. “What is love, Lola, but an acceptance of someone for who they are and what they can give you emotionally? Let the rest go, Lola. The perfume, the bracelet.”
“Would I be good enough for you then?” Lola wanted the words back as soon as she uttered them.
His eyes widened. “You’ve always been good enough for me.”
“But not for Sunshine or your custody battle.” Lola was aware of people moving up and down the hall, of their voices and their laughter. “And my grandmother’s ring? The one that was stolen from me?”
His gaze was filled with regret. “Don’t hold on too tight to things you’ve lost. Or you might find yourself stuck in a place where no one can find you.” Drew walked away.
Lola stood in the midst of the hall for a good minute more, gripping the case handle so tight her bones ached.
A lot of people in town thought she was a disgrace for bringing up her husband’s indiscretions. She tried hard not to care, tried hard not to take it personally or let it keep her up at night. But what Drew thought of her did matter, did hurt, did leave her sleepless. He wanted her to move on, to be the bigger person.
Could she let questions about Randy go unanswered? Could she pretend knowing the truth about her marriage wasn’t important to her?
* * *
“Why does this mama want to see me?” Becky placed her cowboy boots on the back of the cruiser’s front seat and pushed. “She didn’t come to my last birthday. Or Christmas.”
Drew’s boundaries were being pushed as hard as his seatback. “Jane wants you to like her.”
Drew had been sure Jane would give up her quest for motherhood after Becky got sick on her yesterday but she’d texted last night asking for a time to meet again. He’d picked Becky up after school and taken her home to clean up and get a light snack. He’d talked about Jane in a distant way, and for some reason, Becky started referring to her as “this mama,” as if she had more than one.
Could that be the result of all the talk and jokes about marriage to Wendy?
“Do you like this mama?” Becky pumped the seatbacks as if they were failed brakes. “I like people you like. Ms. Adams. Ms. Williams. Granny Susie.”
“I used to like Jane.” Was that what he’d say about Lola one day? His chest ached. He admired Lola’s honesty but that didn’t change his obligation to protect Becky.
“I like everybody I know.” Becky pumped the seats again. “I s’pose I’ll hate somebody someday.”
“I s’pose.” Uncomfortable with Jane’s visitation, he’d called Rupert last night, needing the advice of his lawyer.
“Stick out the week, Sheriff,” Rupert had said. “Haven’t you ever done anything hard in your life?”
Drew had, but nothing this hard, nothing that had felt as if half his heart were going to be ripped out of his chest if he wasn’t careful.
In the back seat, Becky flexed her leg muscles again. “Mia hates Caden because he tried to kiss her at recess.”
“She’ll get over that.” But could Drew get over Jane wanting to be back in their lives?
The schools and the park came into view, along with Jane sitting on the swing. Maddie Robertson pushed a stroller along the sidewalk. Over by the junior high, the Bodine boys sat on a bench, bookending a girl Drew didn’t immediately recognize.
“Can I like this mama once?”
“You can like her more than once.” It killed Drew to say it. He parked and turned to face his daughter. “I love you, Sunshine. Nothing will ever change that. You’re always going to live with me no matter what this mama says.”
Becky stared out the window with a worried expression on her face. “I promise not to throw up on her.”
“I know, sweetheart.” Drew patted her boot. “Let’s take a ride on the merry-go-round and see what this