“Not that I owe him an explanation,” Heather said. “But it’s awkward. Have they been here long?”
Connie shook her head. “They came in when we did. I thought about asking them to join us, but that needs to be your call. We got a big booth, just in case.”
Heather debated with herself, then looked at Laila and Connie. “It would be the civilized thing to do, wouldn’t it? I mean, it’s not as if I hate Connor’s guts or anything, and that is my son over there.”
Laila’s lips quirked. “Feeling territorial all of a sudden?”
“Only about my child,” Heather said.
“Well, for what it’s worth, I say invite them over,” Connie said. “Why create some issue over it? We’re all here. We’re all more or less family. There’s no need to stir up some feud like the one between Mick and his brothers that lasts forever.”
“I agree,” Laila said, then studied Heather. “Unless you’ll be uncomfortable.”
Heather sighed. “I’m a big girl. I can handle it. I’ll go invite them myself.”
She crossed the restaurant and focused her attention on Jess. “You look great,” she said. “How’s business at the inn?”
“Hopping since the season’s starting,” Jess said, though there was amusement in her eyes over the small talk and over Heather deliberately ignoring Connor.
Finally Heather forced herself to look at him. “We were wondering if you all would like to join us. There’s room at our booth and, as packed as this place is, I’m sure they’d appreciate it if they could free up a table.”
He regarded her with surprise. “You sure?”
“Of course.”
He glanced at Jess, who was openly smiling now. “Is it okay with you?”
“As if I’d dare to say no,” she murmured, already picking up her purse and drink and heading across the room.
Heather plucked little Mick from the high chair, and Connor followed with the chair. When they settled into the booth, she found herself squeezed between Jess and Connor. She frowned at Laila, who’d slipped in next to Connie in order to accomplish that. Laila merely gave her an innocent look and lifted her beer in the air in a silent toast.
“To happy families,” she said, drawing a scowl from Heather and a sharp look from Connor.
Beside Heather, Jess chuckled, then enthusiastically tapped glasses with the traitor across the table.
Heather sighed. If dinner at Abby’s with a strange man would have been awkward, this promised to top it.
CHAPTER 11
Though Connor had been pleased by Saturday night’s turn of events, he regretted that he’d been with Heather by happenstance rather than her choice. He supposed he should be grateful that she hadn’t chosen to ignore his presence or bolted from the restaurant when she’d first seen him there with Jess. Still, he was vaguely disgruntled when he stopped to drop off little Mick on Sunday and all too ready to pick a fight.
As soon as his son was happily settled in his playpen, he turned to Heather. “Why didn’t you just tell me you were going out with Laila and Connie yesterday when I asked you to come to dinner?”
“Because we hadn’t made our plans at that point,” she said with exaggerated patience. “Don’t you see, Connor? It doesn’t matter whether I have other plans. I can’t accept dates with you. I don’t want to lead you to believe that we’re going to get back together.”
He shook his head in disbelief. “This isn’t some misguided attempt to protect me, Heather. You’re scared if we spend time together, you’ll cave in.”
She actually smiled at that. “No question about it,” she said readily. “Right now, though, my willpower and convictions are strong. That doesn’t mean I want to put myself into temptation’s path.”
“Me being temptation?” he said, oddly pleased by that. It was pitiful that he was grateful for even such a tiny bone being tossed his way.
“Yes, Connor, you being temptation.”
“Good to know. I’ll have to figure out how to capitalize on that.”
“Maybe you should spend more time trying to figure out why you’re really so determined not to do the one thing that might really get me back,” she suggested.
“Reevaluating my views on marriage,” he said.
“Of course.” She gave him a wide-eyed look meant to indicate, he supposed, that she’d just been struck by something. “What about counseling? Let an objective outsider work through your issues with you. I’d suggest Will, since you’re already comfortable with him, but that might not be the best thing. He might let you off the hook too easily.”
He regarded her with annoyance. “I’m not the one with a cockeyed view of the world. Evidence backs me up. You’re the one wearing rose-colored glasses.”
“I’m hardly the Lone Ranger when it comes to believing in love,” she said. “Thousands of people take that leap into marriage every single day.”
“And get divorced a year later,” he retorted. “Lucky for me.”
She simply stared at him, clearly not amused. “Do you hear yourself?” she asked in dismay. “Is it any wonder I don’t want to be with someone who’s that negative and cynical? How do you stand yourself? In fact, how do you stand living in a world that’s so dark and gloomy? I suppose I can’t drag you out of all that dreariness, but I surely don’t want to live there with you. And I will not have my son raised with those beliefs.”
Connor felt as if a cold fist were squeezing the life out of him. “You’re not about to ask for sole custody of little Mick, are you?”
“Of course not. I figure I can counteract whatever message he hears from you.”
“But that’s it for you and me?” he pressed. “You’ve fallen out of love with me because I don’t share your idyllic view of love and marriage?”
“Sadly, no,” she said quietly. “I will love you forever. You have so many wonderful qualities that I admire. You’re a great father. You’re funny and smart. You’re thoughtful and
