Lullaby for Two / Child's Play. Karen Rose Smith

could control her mother because she was afraid of him, had scarred Francesca deeply. Her mother had died a few years ago from lung cancer and Francesca had once confided she felt like an orphan.

      Now Tessa reassured her friend, “You have us. Me and Emily. You know you can count on us.”

      “I know I can. But that’s different from what Grady has. He’s used to being part of a bigger picture. I’m used to being on my own. And it’s not just that. Grady’s about seven years older than me…in his midforties. He wants to stay in Sagebrush the rest of his life. You know I’m thinking about applying to Doctors Without Borders and seeing more of the world.”

      Tessa let silence settle in for a few seconds. “So what’s the real reason you don’t want to see Grady again, in spite of all these differences?”

      After a long moment, Francesca replied, “Exactly because I knew we were very different and something still happened. I was so attracted to him that differences didn’t matter and all we had was this…heat!” Francesca shook her head. “Besides, I’m not ready for a relationship. It hasn’t been that long since Darren.”

      “It’s been a year.”

      “It doesn’t seem like very long, and let’s face it, Tessa. I don’t trust men—not with my history with my dad and then not with Darren turning into somebody I didn’t know. He was so charming before I moved in with him, then he became controlling and manipulative and everything I didn’t want in a man.”

      “You made a mistake.”

      “Yeah, a big one. Apparently I was attracted to what I was trying to run away from. I can’t take the chance that that’s going to happen again.”

      Tessa knew all about being afraid of making the same mistake twice.

      The doorbell rang and Francesca’s eyebrows raised. “Are you expecting someone?”

      “No, how about you?”

      Francesca shook her head.

      Before Tessa went to answer the door, she suggested, “Maybe it’s Grady.”

      That comment drew Francesca through the living room into the foyer after her. But when Tessa opened the door, she didn’t find Grady Fitzgerald. She found Vince with Sean in his arms and a bag in his hand. She couldn’t have been more surprised.

      Obviously seeing that, he explained, “We had our physical therapy with Carly Brennan this morning. She could fit us in first. It went really well. I just wanted to return your blouse and tell you how grateful I was for your recommendation.” He handed her the bag.

      She’d mailed Vince’s shirt back to him the morning after their kiss. With Francesca almost hovering over her shoulder out of curiosity, Tessa said, “Why don’t you come in. Vince, this is one of my housemates, Francesca Talbot. Francesca, Vince Rossi.” The two shook hands as Tessa smiled at Sean, who seemed to be in robust health again. “How are you this morning? So you liked Carly, huh?”

      Sean waved his left arm, tried to sit up against Vince’s chest and talked the baby syllables he knew best.

      “He’s adorable,” Francesca cooed, always interested in babies. “Will he come to me?”

      “He might,” Vince said. “He’s not shy of strangers.”

      Tessa wanted to hold Sean, too, play with his little fingers and toes, brush his wisps of hair. But she knew she had to keep her distance. She couldn’t become involved with this baby any more than his father.

      Francesca held out her hands to Sean and he went to her without any fuss. “I’ll take him out back to the yard. There’s a lot to look at out there.”

      Sean seemed content with Francesca and didn’t even look back at his dad as she carried him away.

      “She’s good with kids,” Vince observed, watching Francesca as she talked to Sean and he happily babbled back.

      “She’s a neonatologist. She fills her life with helping newborns.” Then remembering ingrained manners, Tessa asked, “Coffee?”

      “I had two cups while I was waiting for Sean. I think that’s enough for now.”

      Tessa motioned to the sofa and Vince lowered himself to it. After setting the bag with her blouse on the end table, she sank down beside him, then realized she shouldn’t have. Their elbows were almost brushing. She turned sideways a bit but then her knee grazed his. Neither of them moved away. “Did Carly let you stay for the session?”

      “Some of it. She spent a long while just making sure Sean was comfortable with her.”

      “I understand that’s what she’s good at. She needs her patient’s cooperation and she usually gets it.”

      Silence fell between them and when Tessa glanced at Vince, she felt all twittery inside.

      “You look as if you’re going to jump up and fly away,” he remarked in a dry tone.

      She made herself consciously relax and settle back into the sofa cushion. There was about a half inch of space between them and she was thankful for that, at least. She couldn’t move farther away without seeming too obvious.

      “I feel like a teenager again,” he muttered, stepping into the void between them.

      “Why?”

      “I don’t know what to say or do with you, Tessa. At least when we were teenagers, I didn’t get the feeling you’d rather be anywhere else than sitting next to me.”

      “That’s not the case,” she admitted, then wished she hadn’t.

      His eyes darkened with memories and, gazing at him, she felt the old sizzle, the old pulsing awareness, yet something new, too. Still, she protested, “We’re not teenagers anymore. We’re old enough to know what’s right for us and what isn’t, what’s good for our lives and what isn’t.”

      “Maybe we’re fighting too hard not to remember, fighting too hard not to regret. We can’t deny what we had, what happened. Don’t you think we can get past it? I can’t live in a vacuum while I’m here, Tessa. And Sean needs people around him who care about him.”

      “Maybe I don’t want to care about Sean,” she confided. “Maybe it hurts too much.”

      “Tessa,” he said gently, reaching out and touching her face, just like he used to when he was trying to comfort or console her. Her instinct was to back away, yet her heart was telling her not to move.

      Could they move beyond the past?

      “I came over to do more than thank you.” Vince dropped his hand. “Remember I said I was in touch with Ryder Greystone?”

      “Yes, you said he’s on the Lubbock P.D.”

      “He’s having a party tonight and invited me. He told me I could bring a guest. Would you like to go?”

      Could she become friends with Vince? Could she get to the point where being together with him again was natural, not awkward? If he was going to be around town, she probably would see him and after all, Sean was her patient. But going to a party with him?

      “Would this be a date?” she asked cautiously.

      He tossed her a wry smile. “It would be whatever you want it to be.”

      “Can I think about it and call you in a couple of hours?” She saw his frown. “Unless you’re going to ask someone else if I say no.”

      “No. I’m not going to ask anyone else. A couple of hours will be fine.” After a look at her that told her better than words he was thinking about kissing her, he stood. “I’d better get Sean and take him home for lunch.”

      As Vince turned to head toward the kitchen, Tessa clasped his forearm. “I don’t want to jump into anything I’ll regret.”