Love And The Single Mom (Singles.... With Kids #1)

by C. J. Carmichael

  “Really?” Robert tried to imagine attending Belinda’s wedding to the new guy who’d replaced him. “That doesn’t sound like fun.”

  “Especially since I don’t have a—”

  She didn’t finish. But her eyes met his and he knew what she had been planning to say. She didn’t have a date to take to her ex-husband’s wedding reception.

  Well, that was too bad for her, but it had nothing to do with him.

  Except, he felt badly on her behalf and he didn’t know why. Just as he couldn’t really explain why he’d offered to do her cash flow statements for her.

  He tried not to notice her cleavage as she reached for a cheese-smeared cracker. Her hair was a mess, and she seemed to realize it at just that moment, because she released the clip at the back of her head and blond curls tumbled to her shoulders.

  Oh, God. He really shouldn’t do this.

  “If you want, I could go to the reception with you.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  TOM AND CATHERINE’S wedding reception was being held at a swank hotel restaurant in the financial district. Since she had no time or money to buy something new, Margo wore the same red dress that she’d bought for her high school reunion last spring. Robert picked her up at the bistro and when he walked in dressed in a perfectly elegant black suit and gray tie, she definitely felt the earth move. But it wasn’t the sort of tremor that any Richter scale could measure.

  She took a deep breath as she gathered her cashmere scarf and handbag. She knew Robert had offered to escort her out of kindness—the same reason he’d agreed to help her with the accounting. But her insides still felt as if she was out on a date.

  “This is so nice of you,” she said, letting him take her arm as he walked her to his car.

  “I’m the lucky one,” he assured her politely.

  Well, maybe there was more than good manners behind his answer. From the widening of his eyes and the swift intake of his breath, Margo guessed he liked the way she looked in her dress.

  As they drove along Market Street toward the bay, she allowed herself to speculate. What if this were a date? A real first date? If so, it would be one of the weirdest on record, since they were attending her ex-husband’s wedding reception. And her kids would be there.

  “So.” Robert pulled his tie out from his throat. “What should I expect?”

  “I’m not really sure.” She didn’t know how many guests had been invited or what the program was. Would there be speeches? A wedding cake? She gulped. “I didn’t bring a gift. I didn’t even think of it.”

  Robert gave her a rueful smile. “That’s probably okay. You could always send something later.”

  “Yeah.” She supposed she should. But she didn’t feel like buying Tom and Catherine a gift. She didn’t feel like going to this wedding, either. If it wasn’t for the kids, she certainly wouldn’t. She did wish Tom well, but she didn’t want to witness this new start of his. There was a limit to how generous a woman could feel toward a man who had cheated on her and abandoned her. At some point, he should have had to suffer for that.

  Instead, he was getting married. Wasn’t that just lovely?

  They parked at Embarcadero Center, and Robert courteously held her elbow as they made their way from the car to the building. In the elevator, Margo’s nerves bubbled like the champagne she was sure she’d be drinking in just a few moments.

  She glanced at Robert, whose hands were clasped in front of him. He was standing with his weight on his heels, his gaze fixed on the lighted numbers above the elevator door. He didn’t look nervous or uncomfortable and she wondered what he must be thinking.

  Probably, he was wishing he was anywhere but here right now. Like she was.

  The elevator doors opened and before she could suggest they bolt and go for fish and chips on the wharf, Robert’s hand was on her elbow again.

  The restaurant offered a 360-degree panorama of the city and the bay, and when they first walked in, all Margo could do was stare. While Robert took her wrap to the coat check, a waiter stepped forward to hand her the expected glass of champagne.

  About fifty elegantly dressed guests circulated in the room, and at first perusal, Margo didn’t recognize any of them. Then her children came running for her, just as Robert returned.

  “Mom!” Peter wrapped his arms around her waist and Ellie was right behind him. Margo kissed them both, careful not to get lipstick on their cheeks, then stepped back for inspection.

  It seemed Ellie’s old pink shoes had not been an issue. She was outfitted in a brand-new dress, along with matching shoes. Peter wore an adorable little suit and a plaid bow tie.

  “Kids, I’d like you to meet a new friend of mine, Mr. Brookman. Robert, these are my children, Ellie and Peter.”

  Though Robert gave them a warm smile, both kids looked at him suspiciously. Margo wondered if she’d been wise to spring a new man on them at such an emotionally charged event. To distract them, she brushed a hand over Peter’s jacket, then Ellie’s dress. “You guys look terrific. Did your father take you shopping?”

  “Catherine did. We went this morning.” Ellie’s eyes glowed. “And then we went to the hairdresser’s. And got our nails painted.” She touched a hand to the springy curls that had been artfully arranged on top of her head.

  Margo’s chest tightened. She couldn’t remember when she’d last had time to shop with Ellie. And yet Catherine had made time on her wedding day. And she’d picked out such nice things… Ellie had never looked prettier.

  Margo forced a smile and tried to turn her thoughts in a positive direction. I should be happy for Ellie.

  But she didn’t feel happy. She felt sick.

  And then she saw Catherine, attached to Tom’s side as if with Krazy Glue. She was lovely and elegant, with thick, chestnut hair and smooth, ivory skin. She was wearing a blush-colored suit, matching shoes and a lacy blouse.

  Suddenly Margo’s dress, which she’d once considered sexy and sleek, felt loud, loud, loud.

  She checked out the proud groom next. Tom looked happy and satisfied and she had to turn away. “Catherine?” Her voice seemed to come from far away. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”

  She’d never uttered words that were less sincere. She felt miserable and insecure and totally extraneous. And then someone took her hand and squeezed it reassuringly.

  Robert. She’d almost forgotten about him.

  “Hi, I’m a friend of Margo’s.” He introduced himself to her ex and his new wife and offered the appropriate congratulations, all the while giving her a lifeline to grasp until she finally found her composure again.

  “What do you do, Robert?” There was no edge to Tom’s question, just polite interest.

  He really is over me, Margo realized. Was she completely over him, too?

  Tough question. In all honesty, she had to admit that she didn’t think it was because Catherine had taken Margo’s place with Tom. What made this so difficult were the children. Was there something wrong with her that she found it so hard to share them? That she wanted them with her all the time?

  “I’m in banking.” Robert said in answer to Tom’s question.

  Margo noticed how he adjusted his tie, a slight betrayal of tension as he delivered his vague response. She’d sensed before that his unemployed status was a big issue with him.

  “It looks like that man over there is trying to get your attention,” she told Tom, in order to distract him from asking more questions.

  Tom glanced over his shoulder, then turned to Catherine. “Sweetheart, we should be starting dinner shortly.”

  “Of course.” Catherine smiled at Margo. “We’ve sat you with an old friend of yours.” She pointed out a table not far from where they were standing. A couple was already sitting there, drinks in hand. “I believe you know my boss, Henry Kovatch and his wife, Nancy?”

  Sure. Good old Henry, who’d hooked these two up in the first place. Margo had been hoping to be seated with Ellie and Peter, but instea
d she watched despondently as Tom and Catherine led her children to the head table.

  “God, this sucks.”

  Robert lowered his head and spoke just inches from her ear. “Want to leave?”

  A delicious shiver loosened the tension in her shoulders. “Yes.”

  He looked surprised.

  “But I can’t.” She took his hand. “Come with me and I’ll introduce you to Henry and Nancy.”

  “I can hardly wait,” Robert replied in a tone that told her he was lying. Yet, he followed just the same.

  Days Unemployed: 6

  ROBERT WAS SURPRISED to find that he liked Henry and Nancy Kovatch. They’d been married for twelve years and had children the same ages as Margo and Tom’s kids. As a couple, they seemed to be a pair of opposites, at least in appearance. Nancy was tall and slender, with a narrow face and short dark hair. Henry was pudgy, with a broad face and a receding hairline.

  From the conversation it was clear that the couple had been close to Margo and Tom before their divorce. And that post-divorce Henry and Nancy had spent more time with Tom than Margo. At any rate, they seemed to have a lot of catching up to do.

  During the times when the conversation didn’t involve him much, Robert watched Ellie and Peter at the head table. He noticed Peter drinking glass after glass of Coke, while Ellie seemed to be constantly engaging her new stepmother in conversation.

  He was no psychologist, but to him the kids seemed to have adjusted well to their parents’ divorce. They obviously liked their new stepmother. He shifted his attention back to Margo, who was just starting a story about her fifteen-year high school reunion, which she’d attended shortly after her separation from Tom.

  Their conversation was interrupted when it came time for a toast from the head table. After that, salad was served and wineglasses topped up.

  “So where is your bistro?” Nancy asked, spearing a shrimp from her salad plate. “Tom said it was in SOMA, but where exactly?”

  Margo gave her the directions and Nancy requested a piece of paper from their server so she could write them down. “I’ll have to come by one afternoon between shuffling the kids from place to place. I’ll just have to see it to believe it.”

  Henry nodded. “We’re still blown away that you gave up law to open a restaurant. I can understand how working with Tom might have been difficult, but I could have made room for you at my firm.” He caught Robert’s eye. “Margo was a brilliant family law lawyer. She could get the most intractable couple to sit down at the bargaining table and be reasonable.”

  Margo said nothing, just smiled, but Robert could see the tension straining her lips. He hadn’t realized she’d worked in family law. Now her decision to start her own bistro didn’t seem quite so crazy. Maybe dealing with divorcing couples every day had become too difficult for her once she’d found herself in a similar situation.

  “Margo’s pretty talented in the kitchen, too,” he said. “If you do go to the bistro, Nancy, you should try to make it for lunch. Her soups are incomparable.”

  “Margo always was a good cook,” Henry allowed.

  Robert felt a buzzing near his heart. He put his hand over his BlackBerry, which was safely ensconced in the breast pocket of his dinner jacket. “Excuse me a minute.”

  The conversation continued behind him as he made his way to the men’s washrooms. At this hour on a Saturday night it didn’t seem likely that this call could be about a job prospect, but he didn’t want to chance it.

  A glance at the call display, however, revealed a very familiar number. “Belinda?”

  “It’s Andrew.”

  Robert sank back against the washroom wall.

  “You didn’t come to my party.”

  He should have called. Belinda had said she didn’t want him to, but he should have explained why he couldn’t go. “Did you have fun, buddy? Did your mom get you that chocolate cake?”

  “I want to go fishing, Robert. You said—”

  There was a clattering sound, then in the background Robert heard Belinda say, “Go to your room, please. I’ll be there in a minute to talk to you.” A second pause, then, “Robert?”

  “Hey, Belinda.” He rubbed a hand over his head, preparing himself for an onslaught.

  “Did Andrew call you, or did you phone him?”

  Robert didn’t want to rat on the poor kid. “Does it really matter? Frankly, I’m not so sure that we’re handling this situation correctly. I think—”

  “Stop right there. This isn’t easy for me, either. You don’t know the pressure I’m under. But Dean is trying to be a father to Andrew and I love Dean and I have to make it work.”

  “I get that. But couldn’t Andrew and I—”

  “No, Robert. No.” Belinda let out a long, tired sigh. “Please don’t phone Andrew again. Please, please give me a chance to sort this out.”

  “You’ve had eight months.” That came out sounding too harsh. He softened his tone. “Andrew still seems to miss me. And I miss him, too. I don’t see what it would hurt—”

  “Well, it is hurting, okay?” she said, interrupting him again. “For your information, Andrew is sobbing in his room right now. I can hear him from here.”

  “Oh, Belinda…”

  “Just don’t call again, okay? Please, don’t call again.”

  Before he could say anything, she disconnected. Robert stared at his phone a moment, then closed it and slipped it back into his pocket. He hoped Belinda knew what she was doing. Right now, he had his doubts.

  Another guest came into the washroom and held the door open for him. Robert stepped out into the restaurant, but hesitated before rejoining his table.

  He could see Margo from here. She was listening to something Henry was saying. Listening and smiling. He felt the urge to be closer to her. An urge he’d been feeling since the first time he saw her.

  This situation is different, he assured himself, as he started moving forward. But even as he slipped back into the chair he’d vacated ten minutes ago, he felt Ellie watching him and he couldn’t help but worry that he was about to make another major mistake.

  AFTER THE WEDDING CAKE had been cut and served, Margo wished Tom and Catherine the best, then gathered her children to take them home. The happy couple were leaving on their honeymoon in the morning—a quick two-day jaunt to Palm Springs since Tom didn’t want to book off too much vacation time.

  That Tom, he was such a romantic. But that was Catherine’s problem now, not hers.

  Robert carried Peter to the car for her. Even Ellie stumbled with exhaustion a few times. They’d had quite a weekend, her kids, but they’d all survived, thank goodness.

  Margo knew that in her case, she had Robert to thank for helping the evening pass so smoothly. Once they were in his car, driving home, both children quickly nodded off to sleep. Margo glanced back at them, then touched Robert’s arm.

  “I don’t think a lifetime supply of soup and scones would be enough to repay you for what you did tonight. I couldn’t have made it through that evening on my own.”

  He glanced her way. “You’re stronger than you think. You would have been fine.”

  Would she have? Maybe. Margo sighed, and sank a little more deeply into her seat. Outside her window, a kaleidoscope of lights, buildings and cars passed in a blur. For the first time all night she felt at peace. Was it because she had her children back in her care?

  Or was it the man beside her?

  Once they were home, Robert parked out front of the bistro, then helped carry her children up to their bedrooms. He left her tucking them in, not giving her time to say more than a whispered good-night and another brief thank-you.

  Margo had kicked her heels off at the front door. Now, as she pulled the quilt up around Ellie’s shoulders, she fought the urge to crawl into bed next to her daughter. She was the one who needed comfort, not Ellie. And that wasn’t right. She was the mother. She was supposed to be strong for her children, not the other way around.

  As
Margo stood to leave, Ellie’s hand crept out from the covers and tugged on the hem of her dress.

  “You looked pretty tonight, Mommy.”

  Oh, baby. “So did you, sweetheart. You and Catherine found the perfect dress. And your hair was just lovely.”

  “I told you Catherine was nice. Did you like her, too?”

  Margo swallowed. “I did.”

  “Good.” Ellie’s voice faded. She sighed and drifted back to sleep. Margo stood watching her for several minutes, before heading for her own bed.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Days Unemployed: 7

  THE CALL FROM ANDREW spooked Robert, to the point that on Sunday he decided he couldn’t help Margo with her accounting anymore. He couldn’t go back to the bistro, period. He tried phoning her. His plan was to beg off with the excuse that he was just too busy. But when the answering machine kicked in, he hung up.

  He couldn’t tell Margo he was leaving her in the lurch on a machine. Yet every time he tried to reach her, he got the damn recording.

  On Monday he tried to focus on his job search and just forget about her. Some business happened to take him by the bistro. He checked out the soup of the day, almost gave in, then gathered his strength and walked on by.

  On Tuesday he went in.

  He couldn’t say why he did this. It wasn’t planned and it certainly wasn’t smart. It was sort of like having a craving for potato chips, deciding it would be better to forgo all that extra fat and salt and then finding yourself sitting on the sofa with the bag open in your hands.

  He didn’t remember making the conscious decision to go to Margo’s. Couldn’t remember the details of the walk that had taken him there. But when he stepped into the open door and the sight of her behind the counter and the wafting aroma of fresh, homemade soup, hit him, he knew he’d come to the right place.

  His usual table was free and he claimed it with relief. Instead of ordering something immediately, he opened that day’s newspaper, then sat back and watched Margo.

  She smiled at every customer. And she seemed to know many of them by name. The customers’ faces brightened after talking to Margo, he noticed.