Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

RYDER

T he air was crisp, the leaves already turning an array of orange and red hues. My daughter, Faith, was with me this weekend instead of with my ex-wife, Stacy, in Virginia. I should be happy, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing.

"They're having so much fun. Izzy adores Faith. She looks up to her," Daphne said as we walked down the street for the fall festival. Each side of the street was lined with tables with vendors selling their wares.

Daphne curled her hand around my elbow and squeezed. "I'm so glad you could come with us."

"Like you'd let us miss this," I said quietly so Faith, who was walking with Izzy, wouldn't hear me.

Daphne's lips curved. "Now that you're living here full-time, I want to make up for lost time."

I felt a pang that our daughters hadn't been raised together, but then again, at the beginning of my marriage, my job was based in Virginia, and by the end, Stacy wanted nothing to do with my family. "It's good to be home."

"Can we get ice cream?" Izzy tugged on Faith's hand, leading her over to an ice-cream stand.

"Oh, look. It's Violet. Let's go say hi." As if I didn't know who she was, Daphne continued with her explanation. "After we moved you in, we went to her ice cream shop."

We stood in line. I observed Violet without her noticing me watching, a skill I'd honed at work. Violet was taking orders while a college-aged girl scooped the ice cream.

When Daphne introduced us at the ice-cream shop, I hadn't let on that we already knew each other. But it was so long ago. Would Violet remember I was the boy she dated in second grade?

As soon as she introduced herself, Violet insisted we be boyfriend-girlfriend, then later get married. She'd stage elaborate pretend weddings at recess, involving our friends as the guests and the recess monitor as the preacher. We held hands, and we even kissed once. That landed us in the principal's office. We were inseparable until she moved to Florida, the summer between second and third grade.

I'd forgotten all about her until I'd seen her behind the counter at her ice cream shop. I tried not to look at a her then, not wanting to talk to her. But now, with the line of people in front of us, I could take my time to check her out.

She flashed a smile at each customer, moving quickly and efficiently, but always with a kind word. Her straight brown hair fell in front of her face when she bent her head to run the credit cards. She wore a billowy yellow top over skintight jeans. The closer we moved up in line, the more my heart rate increased. Would she remember me?

When we were next in line, Violet moved around the cart. "Daphne! I'm so glad you're here."

They hugged, and my skin tingled as I waited for Violet to see me standing next to my sister.

Violet's assistant continued helping the people in line behind us.

Daphne stepped back, gesturing toward me. "You remember my brother Ryder, don't you? I introduced you when we came in a few months ago."

Violet's gaze flitted to mine, and I saw the recognition in her eyes. "We actually go back further than that."

I kept my gaze on her. "I believe we're still married."

"Oh?" Violet asked as her cheeks turned pink.

My lips twitched. "You know that time we married in second grade?"

Her cheeks flushed. "Mmm."

"We never filed any paperwork to document the divorce." I always wondered what it was about this girl that made me infatuated with her in second grade.

Violet tipped her head to the side, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "I hadn't thought it was necessary since it was an elementary-school wedding. Don't you have to be sixteen to get married?"

Daphne's gaze was volleying between us. "What are you talking about?"

I kept my attention trained on Violet, cataloging the flush of her cheeks and the dilation of her pupils. "We dated in second grade."

Violet nodded and said seriously, "We were inseparable."

"Until we ended up in the principal's office for that kiss." It was nothing more than a peck, but I was suddenly jealous of my second-grade self. Would I get a chance to be that close to her again?

Daphne's eyes widened. "You dated in second grade?"

I waved a hand. "Whatever you call it in elementary school. Going out?"

Daphne placed a hand on her hip. "I'm fairly sure I didn't date in elementary school."

"Well, yeah, we wouldn't have allowed that to happen." My brothers and I were protective of our sisters, especially Daphne because she was the youngest.

Daphne rolled her eyes. "You're impossible."

I grinned at Violet. "Those were good times."

Faith tugged on my hand. "You're not supposed to kiss in school, Dad."

"And that's why we got sent to the principal's office." I was flirting with a woman who wasn't Faith's mother in front of her. I'd obviously lost my mind. But I was standing in front of my childhood crush, and I couldn't seem to turn off my mouth.

"Just wait until she starts dating." Violet's lips twitched as she gestured at Faith.

I touched Faith's shoulder. "No dating until you're thirty."

Violet laughed, and it was so carefree; my heart squeezed.

"You find that funny?" I asked her.

Violet raised a brow before returning to her spot behind the cart. "That you have a daughter and you're worried about her dating when she's only, what? Twelve?"

"I guess when you started dating in second grade, you have a right to be concerned," Daphne said wryly.

My jaw tightened at the thought of Faith dating. "I'm glad you find this amusing."

Violet bit her lip as if to stop the grin that took over her face. "The word I'd use is adorable."

I cleared my throat, racking my brain for a proper retort, but before I could find one, Violet continued, "Now, what can I get you? I have Daphne's famous apple pie, and the fan favorites, chocolate and vanilla."

"Chocolate," Izzy and Faith said simultaneously, then turned toward each other and said, "Jinx!" They erupted into giggles.

Daphne grabbed napkins. "Apple pie for me."

Violet's gaze swung to me, a hint of a challenge in her voice. "How about you? Or are you too old for ice cream?"

"You're never too old for ice cream. I'll try the apple pie." I was interested to see how Daphne's pies tasted translated into ice cream.

"Good choice," Violet said as she rung us up.

I got my card out before Daphne, registering her irritated sigh. I never let women pay when they were in my company; didn't matter if they were my date or my sister. When I handed the card to Violet, our fingers brushed, and a tingle ran through my hand and up to my elbow.

Violet averted her eyes, and I wondered if she felt it too.

She kept her gaze on the card reader, and when she handed it back to me, she was careful to keep her fingers away from mine.

But I had a feeling this wouldn't be the last time we'd run into each other.

For the first time since Stacy said we should treat my job transfer as a trial separation, I felt hope. That maybe I wasn't an abject failure for my marriage ending. That my dream of having a family might not be over.

Violet scooped our ice cream. When the girls had theirs, Daphne pointed to a nearby tree. "We're going over there."

I appreciated that she was giving me a moment alone with Violet. "I'll be over in a minute."

I watched as Violet scooped my ice cream, and I had visions of eating it off her hot skin. It would melt quickly. I'd have to move fast.

Violet used the scoop to make the ice cream smoother before she handed it to me.

"Will I see you around?" I made a show of licking the ice cream, and Violet's eyes heated then she blinked, and the moment was broken.

She waved a hand at the line that had only grown longer while we stood and talked. "As you can see, I'm busy."

I flashed her a grin. "It's a good thing my daughter loves ice cream."

Before Violet could respond, I followed my words up with a wink, then took off to find Daphne and the girls. By the time I joined them, Izzy was done with hers, and Daphne was already wiping her hands with the napkins.

"Can we play on the playground?" Izzy asked, and Daphne said, "If Faith goes with you."

"Come on," Faith said, and the girls took off at a run.

I followed their movements, making sure they made it to the playground. I kept one eye on them while they played. I'd seen things in my job, things I'd never share with Daphne, but I worried about their safety.

When the girls were gone, Daphne gestured at Violet's ice-cream stand. "What was that?"

I shifted on my feet. "Just catching up with an ex."

Daphne's eyes flashed. "An ex you dated as a kid."

"We were married, Daphne. I think it counts." I kept my voice serious, happy to keep up the charade that Violet and I had been serious, even though we were silly kids.

Daphne sighed. "I'm glad you're feeling good enough to flirt. But does it have to be with my friend?"

"Shouldn't you be happy that I'm attempting to move on?" I wasn't even sure that's what I was doing. I saw Violet, and my baser instincts took over.

Daphne sighed. "I just don't want her to get hurt. She's been through some things, and she deserves someone who's not on the rebound."

My heart twinged at the idea that I was damaged goods and not good enough for Violet. "I dated her long before you were friends with her."

Daphne leaned in to hiss, "I don't think dating in second grade counts."

I shook my head. "It was harmless flirting. I'm not ready to start dating again."

"There's nothing wrong with wanting to start over, but Violet's looking for the fairy tale. She wants to get married and have kids. I don't want her to get hurt."

"Don't date your friend. Got it." I licked the apple-pie ice cream, the coolness refreshing on a hot day. But my gaze was on Violet. I hadn't been interested in anyone since before I met Stacy.

I watched Violet interact with customers, her grin wide as she greeted each one. "I'm not in any shape to consider dating or marriage again."

Daphne's gaze was sympathetic. "You'll get there eventually."

"Faith's my first priority. I have no intention of getting involved with anyone." I probably had some baggage to go through before I was ready to date again.

Daphne nudged my shoulder with hers. "How are you holding up with everything?"

"I'm hanging in there."

"Did you try and work things out with Stacy?"

I shoved my hands in my pockets, hating feeling like the failure I was. "I offered to go to counseling, but Stacy didn't want to fix things."

"There's nothing you can do if she's not interested in reconciling."

"If I'm being honest with myself, our relationship was strained for a while. I thought distance would make things better. But it only highlighted how bad our relationship had gotten." I let out a breath. "She discouraged me from visiting my family."

"I'd never keep Cole from his family and vice versa. And look how we started out— The Calloways and Monroes didn't get along."

I threw out the remainder of my cone, taking Daphne's offered napkin. "I should have been able to make it work."

"That's not on you. You wanted to keep your family together. She didn't."

"She changed after we got married and had Faith. She no longer felt the need to include my family. It was always about hers."

Daphne's face pinched. "That's not right."

"Now I can spend more time with Faith away from Stacy, and I'm hoping we can have a better relationship. I worked a lot and let Stacy take the lead in the parenting department."

"You're a good dad. You want what's best for Faith"

"I didn't want to be divorced. I don't want her shuttled back and forth between houses, feeling like she doesn't have a home."

Daphne's lips pursed. "It doesn't sound like you have a choice."

"Stacy's already seeing someone else."

Daphne raised her brow. "You think she was seeing him when you moved here?"

I shrugged. "I don't know."

Daphne touched my arm. "This is probably hard to hear, but maybe it's time for you to move on too."

"Faith needs me right now."

Daphne hooked her hand through my elbow. "She does. But you deserve to be happy too."

"I just wanted a family. I saw the love our parents had for each other, and I thought I could have that too." Maybe that's why I latched onto Violet in second grade and Stacy in college. I was desperate to find what my parents had, because I knew all too well how a long life wasn't guaranteed.

"And you still can. I'm happy with Cole, and he's not Izzy's biological dad."

"He adopted her though. She's his now." I respected the hell out of Cole for confronting Izzy's dad and adopting Daphne's daughter.

Daphne's gaze was sympathetic. "And I love that for us. But it's not your situation."

"I don't want Faith to be touched by the divorce."

"You can't guarantee that she won't be."

"I have to try." My gaze shifted from Violet's smiling face to Faith, where she was helping Izzy scale the climbing wall.

"You're a good man, Ryder. If Stacy couldn't see that, then she wasn't the one for you."

It was a nice sentiment, but it didn't make me feel any better about my failure of a marriage. I wasn't sure I'd ever be ready to move on with anyone else. I'd made the wrong choice once, and I couldn't regret Faith, but I didn't trust my judgment anymore.

And this time, I had Faith to consider. I couldn't be parading women in front of her. I needed to give her a stable life. It was going to be difficult with me living in Maryland and Stacy in Virginia, but we'd make it work. There was nothing more important than my daughter.

I wouldn't be distracted by the girl I married in second grade. Talking to Violet was a diversion, a break from my reality. But it couldn't go anywhere. Harmless flirting was all I could handle.