His One And Only Bride

“Mitch. I wanted to see you before flying out again.”

“Same here.”

Zoe came around Mitch and took Leo from Bethany’s arms. Once her godson was taken care of, Bethany wrapped Mitch in a gentle hug.

“I’d say you’re looking good, but...”

Mitch responded with a startled bark of laughter. “Truck wrecks will do that to a person.”

Bethany stepped back. “Really, it is good to see you in one piece.”

Leo squirmed and kicked. Zoe set him down among his toys.

“Good timing. Bethany was just about to leave.”

“Yep. Places to go. People to see.” Bethany hugged Zoe, then grabbed her purse from the couch. Pointing a finger at them, she said, “Play nice, you two.”

Silence mingled with crackling tension after Bethany closed the door behind her.

“I brought breakfast.” Mitch held out the bag. “Bagels and cream cheese.”

As if understanding the bag held food, Leo grabbed Zoe’s leg and tried to stand, one hand turned up as if reaching for the tasty treats. Zoe lifted him into her arms again.

“Would you like some coffee? I made a fresh pot.”

“Thank you.”

With Mitch following, she entered the kitchen, grabbing two empty mugs from the cabinet with her free hand. Leo bounced on her hip, a sign he wasn’t happy with his current location, so she settled him in the high chair and sprinkled cereal on the tray.

“Your mother remodeled,” Mitch commented as he set the bag down and leaned a hip against the counter.

“The kitchen was hopelessly outdated when I moved in. Mom finally decided to get the work done.”

The golden seventies look had been replaced with crisp white Shaker cabinets, a bold granite countertop and a dark floor.

He gazed around the room. “Samantha always had a flair for colors.”

“Actually, I picked out the color scheme. She wanted to go with red and black.” Zoe shook her head. “Too dark. We battled over that decision.”

A fleeting smile curved Mitch’s lips. “Your battles were pretty epic.”

Mitch shifted his weight from the one leg that Zoe noticed he favored. He sagged a bit, then straightened before moving to the high chair to shove some of the cereal closer to his son’s chubby hands. Leo grabbed Mitch’s finger and tugged, his nonsensical babble catching Mitch off guard. He froze, as if not sure what to do. Her breath caught in her chest as she watched. When Leo dropped his finger to capture the cereal, Mitch backed up to his original position, looking pleased.

“I did some thinking last night,” he said.

Zoe resumed pouring steaming coffee into the mugs and brought Mitch’s to him. He didn’t reach out to take it, still distracted by the interaction with Leo, so she set it on the counter, ignoring the subtle spicy cologne that she associated with him. How many times had she sniffed his pillowcase after he went missing, hoping for the sensory connection that triggered her memories? Making her feel he was still with her. Right up until the day it faded completely, leaving her bereft and filled with renewed sorrow. After that, she didn’t like to go into his closet for fear the scent on his clothing would bring her to her knees.

She hadn’t been sure how to process her life back then. She still wasn’t sure today.

“And what did you come up with?” She grabbed her mug and carefully sipped the too-strong brew.

“I agree that physically I can’t take care of Leo.” He glanced at his son and smiled before turning his attention back to her. The smile disappeared. “I’ll call and make an appointment with a local doctor first thing tomorrow.”

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