Page 24 of A Home for Harmony

“What about your father?” he asked. “You say you live in your father’s house, not your parents’ house.”

“My parents divorced when I was younger too. Like you, my father didn’t have much of a personality.”

“Hey,” he said indignantly. “I’ve got a personality.”

She winked at him. “I think you do. I just wanted you to admit it yourself.”

That was a low move that Scarlet would have done.

“So your mother wanted someone more fun in her life too?”

She laughed. Laughed hard. “God no. My mother wanted someone she could control. My father didn’t like to be controlled. His career was his focus, and he prioritized it over his children. I saw him the least. I’d say it hasn’t been until the past four years he’s realized that he wasn’t there for us as kids.”

“And it’s too late?” he asked.

“It’s never too late,” she said softly. “He wasn’t the best caring father in my teen years and maybe he didn’t know how to be. But now, he’s there more. Or he’s there at the right times and I know I can count on him. I don’t think I thought I could count on him before. That’s more important than anything.”

“I never want Scarlet to think she can’t come to me for anything.”

“Does she come to you?”

“I can’t tell you the number of times I come home and she’s waiting for me. She’s been doing it for five years.”

“At eleven, she’d be sitting in your house alone waiting for you?” she asked, frowning. “How did she get here? Who would just drop a child off at that age and leave them?”

“Whoa,” he said. “Slow down. I bought this house five years ago to be closer to her. She lives on the same street with her mother in the house we had when we were married. I moved closer to my job when we divorced. About thirty minutes away from her. It was good for my commute but not my daughter.”

“And you wanted to be there for your daughter?” she asked.

“That was more important than anything else,” he said.

“Being a good parent is the most important thing out there.”

“I think so,” he said. “Maybe being a good partner too, but I failed there.”

“It takes two to fail in a relationship,” she said. “I believe that one hundred percent.”

He thought so, but Trinda wouldn’t.

“And there you go.”

“You said your daughter just shows up,” she said. “Could she come now with me here?”

“No,” he said. “She wouldn’t. She’s with her mother at her grandparents’ house and the rest of that side of the family, but she’ll be here tomorrow.”

“I guess that is something to consider if we decide to do this dinner thing again.”

“Do you want to?” he asked, stunned.

“I’m not sure why you’re so surprised. I hope it’s not the age thing. It’s just a number. And the fact you have a teenage daughter that you make a priority in your life only turns the heat up on the pan for me.”

He laughed. “It might start smoking if it gets too hot.”

“Then we can be smoking together since you said that is what I am.”

He was still grinning and knew he didn’t do that often, but he actually felt happy in the moment and didn’t remember the last time he could say that. “It’s a good thought to have.”

“You’re even more handsome when you laugh or smile. You should do it more often.”