it all on your own…that must be hard.” Char didn’t know Nick very well yet, but she did know he was a single father. From what she could tell, not many people in town knew the details about his situation. At least, if they did, they weren’t talking about it.
“It is hard.” He stopped at a sleek, black SUV and used his foot to wave under a sensor so the back hatch lifted.
Char lifted her eyebrows, impressed, but didn’t bother saying anything.
“I don’t say this very often.” Nick tucked the bags of groceries inside. “But it isn’t easy. And you know what’s even harder?”
She stayed quiet, pretty sure it was a rhetorical question.
Sure enough, Nick finished his thought. “Navigating the whole legal system.”
The comment jarred her. “Legal system? Are you being sued?”
“No.” Nick turned around. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything. It’s just…well, let’s just say, the legal system is definitely not designed to make things easy for a single dad trying to secure custody.”
“Oh. I…I had no idea it was so…” She swallowed hard. “I’m sorry, Nick. I can’t even imagine how difficult that must be.” It felt like the most inadequate thing to say, but Charlotte really had no idea what to say. She wanted to ask him more about it, but it didn’t feel like the right time, and Nick didn’t seem like the kind of man to open up easily. She turned her attention back on Amelia, who was trying to grab her hair. “For what it’s worth,” Char said, “I think you’re doing an amazing job.” She smiled at the baby. “I mean, look at how happy she is all the time.”
Nick chuckled. “You don’t see her at four in the morning.” He reached out and tickled Amelia, who turned and beamed at her daddy. “Someone likes to wake up nice and early these days, don’t they?”
Amelia giggled and it was just about the sweetest sound Charlotte had ever heard.
“I’ll take her,” Nick said, his arms outstretched. “Thank you so much for your help.”
“Anytime.” His hands brushed hers as she passed him the baby, and her stomach clenched while a shock flew through her. Nick hesitated, as if maybe he felt it, too. She looked up so their eyes met and smiled.
The last thing Charlotte needed in her life was another man. Not after the whole thing with Billy and the way that had destroyed her. But maybe her therapist was right. Lauren had tried to tell her that not all men were like Billy. That, in fact, Billy was the exception, not the rule. Still. The idea of having feelings for a man again was terrifying. How could she ever trust her instincts after she’d gotten herself into such a terrible situation?
Char held his gaze for a moment, but finally looked away.
She wasn’t sure she could.
Mercifully, Nick turned and buckled the baby up in her car seat, giving her a few minutes to catch her breath and slow her racing heart, because her body clearly didn’t get the memo that her brain was trying to send. No men. Not now. Besides, even if she were ready to date—which she certainly was not—a single father who was clearly having some custody issues was probably not the best choice for her to get her feet wet with.
Nick straightened up and faced her again as he ran a hand through his thick, dark hair. She couldn’t help but notice the stubble on his chin. The start of a beard maybe? It was sexy. And there was no way she wasn’t going to notice it. Or the way it made her stomach flip when he smiled at her.
Dammit.
“Thanks again, Char. I really appreciate it.” His smile was deadly. “Oh,” he added. “I forgot to ask you if Stephanie Starz reached out to you?”
She shook her blonde hair back over her shoulder. “She did and…oh my goodness. I’m totally spaced. Thank you so much for recommending me! She said you gave her my number and…I can’t believe I forgot to thank you. I’m so sorry.”
How had that slipped her mind? She should have thanked him the second she saw him. Normally she wasn’t so slack on her manners. But something about Nick twisted her up inside. It wasn’t an excuse for the total oversight, but still…
“Oh good.” His eyes twinkled behind his glasses. “I’m glad she reached out. She needs all the help she can get with those cabins. It seemed like a perfect fit.”
“I really appreciate it, Nick.