“Naw. My dad told me to get out while I could. He died twenty years ago—old before his time with lung disease. I haven’t been back.”
Her gaze locked with his. “I’m sorry.”
“He wanted me to have more than he did. I know he was proud of me.”
“That’s a good feeling.” She’d always known, whatever mistakes she made, Lillian was proud of her. “Any kids?”
He shook his head. “No.”
She waited, sensing there was more. Mason glanced over her shoulder.
“My first wife and I wanted kids. She got pregnant easy, but couldn’t stay pregnant. After losing four babies, she got quiet and sad, then one day she left.”
Robyn instinctively reached out her hand to his arm. “I’m sorry. That had to be awful.”
“Yeah, it sucked. I didn’t expect her to take off the way she did. I thought we’d talk to more doctors.” His smile was self-deprecating. “I was still naive.”
“Some women do want to stay and figure it out.”
“I’ve heard that.”
She realized she was still touching him and drew back her hand.
“My second wife had three kids. I was excited about being a stepfather. Their dad had run out, so they were just as eager to have me around.”
“That sounds nice.”
“It was, until I figured out she was only interested in having someone to help with the work and pay the bills.” He glanced at her. “Any man would have done.”
She winced. “So not you specifically?”
He nodded. “It was a blow to find that out. I hated leaving the kids, but I wasn’t willing to be a meal ticket. So that ended. I figured after two failures, I should probably not get involved anymore. I’m a bad bet.”
“I think that’s harsh.”
He flashed her a smile. “You don’t know me well enough to voice an opinion.” His tone was gentle as he spoke.
“I know you some. I know you’re very tolerant of cats, even if you’re not sure you like them. Although you do seem to be falling for that white cat.”
“Charles II. He likes when you use his full name.”
She laughed. “See? You’re proving my point. You’re a good guy.”
“I’m not saying I’m a bad one—I’m just pointing out I seem to be lacking whatever skills it takes to make a romantic relationship work.”
“And possibly learning the wrong lesson. Maybe your lack of skill is in who you pick.”
He grinned. “Very likely.”
She appreciated learning about him. Not just the information but how he explained his past. She couldn’t remember Cord ever telling a story where he wasn’t the hero.
“What about you? Want to share a few facts about yourself?”
She raised her eyebrows. “You don’t think telling you my ex-boyfriend not knowing his way around my girl parts was enough of a share?”
His mouth twitched. “That was interesting, I’ll admit. And an example of you being kind. You offered a distraction.”
“A really good one,” she teased.
“It was excellent. Any other men between your ex and the hapless doctor?”
“Just a few dates. It’s tough with kids, plus for a while everyone I met knew Cord, and that wasn’t comfortable. Like you, I think I’ll stay single.”
“I doubt that will last for long.”
She appreciated his faith in her but wasn’t sure it was warranted. “Any more house exploring?”
“I’ve looked around a little. I keep finding doors that lead nowhere. I did find a staircase in the back of what I thought was a closet, but it didn’t go anywhere, either. You’re the expert. Want to take me on a tour?”
“I’d like that a lot. Bring Charles II. I hear he knows all the best places to hang out.”
thirteen
HARLOW CHECKED THE spreadsheets a third time. Buying the paddleboard and kayaking company made sense financially. They had a solid customer base and room for growth. The concession stand was something new, but she would figure it out. Eventually she was hoping to offer prepacked lunches for their boat charter customers. Maybe even sell a few branded items like baseball caps and towels. There was money to be made, if only she could get her dad to talk to her about buying the business.
The price was what they’d talked about, and the preliminary agreement was back from the lawyer, only she couldn’t pin down her father.
“The man frustrates me,” she murmured, saving the spreadsheet. He also disappointed her emotionally. First dating Zafina and then cheating on her mom. She sighed. Okay, those had occurred in the opposite order in real time, but from her emotional perspective, the cheating was the most recent thing.
“Fathers,” she grumbled.
She finished her paperwork for her charter, then reviewed her schedule for the week. In the back of her mind was a vague sense of unease. There wasn’t any one specific item bothering her—it was more low-grade worry on an assortment of topics.
The visit to the club had pointed out how very little she knew about Kip’s life before her. They just didn’t talk about their past very much. At some point, they needed to share a little more. First up—financial goals. She’d assumed they were going to save for a house, but they’d never discussed it. What if Kip didn’t see himself as a homeowner? She couldn’t imagine that, but some people preferred to rent.
What about their attitudes toward spending and saving? If they made about the same, shouldn’t they split expenses evenly? And what about getting her on the lease? Or leasing a place together?
She also had to talk to her dad about the wedding. She had no idea what he expected to spend and if he would ask her mom to pitch in. A few weeks ago, she would have assumed they could each pay the same amount, but now she wasn’t sure how much money her mom had. Thinking about that made her mind circle back to how much it would cost to get married at the club. Did she really want to spend that much? Did Kip? What were his expectations for their wedding? He’d never said. Was it because he was a typical guy who only wanted to be told when to show up, or was there something else going on?
Her phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen and saw a you have a sec text from Kip.
She smiled as she called him.
“I was just thinking about you,” she said when he picked up.
“That’s good.” He chuckled. “I wasn’t sure if you were back from your charter.”