Chapter 10

10

TRISTAN

" I hate you." Tristan stormed into Shane's office and slouched down into the chair facing the desk.

Shane lifted an amused smile to his friend. "What happened this time?"

"I think I need a new therapist."

Shane's features sobered and he put the paperwork in his hands down. "Did something inappropriate happen? Did Dianna?—"

"It has nothing to do with her. In fact, she's great. Too great." He gave his friend a pointed look. "I don't know what to do. Mathew loves her."

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"Of course it's a good thing." Tristan shot out of his seat and paced the room. "It's wonderful. I have never seen Mathew take to someone so quickly."

"I'm sorry for my confusion. But I fail to see what the problem is."

"I like her, too."

It took a few moments for Shane to catch on to what Tristan was getting at. Tristan stopped his pacing and the two of them stared at each other until Tristan couldn't stand it anymore.

"If I were interested in dating, she would be the kind of person I'd be looking for."

"Again, Tristan, I fail to see the problem."

His mouth fell open. "What are you suggesting?"

"What are you suggesting? You can't just come into my office, bounce around the room, claim you're starting to develop feelings for the girl, and tell me that I need to fire her. That's not how this thing works. I could get sued for something like that." Shane leaned back in his office chair and steepled his fingers together at his lips. "I feel like you're hinting that you want me to do something."

"I thought I made it clear. I don't think I can work with her."

"With all due respect. This isn't about you. This is about your son. And if she's made a connection with him, then you ought to let him keep the person in his life that makes him feel safe."

Tristan raked his hand through his hair and let out a sound that resembled a groan and a growl all at once. "He drew her a picture the other night."

"That sounds sweet."

"You didn't let me finish. It was a picture of the three of us as a family and he insisted he wanted her to be his new mother."

Shane laughed.

He actually threw his head back and laughed.

"It's not funny. Do you even understand what's going to happen in a few weeks when I tell him we have to go home and we can't take her with us? He's going to be devastated."

"Well, what did she say?"

"She handled it perfectly." Tristan sighed. "She told him that one day he'll get his new mother and she will be made just for him. And he'll know it's supposed to be her because she'll choose him."

Shane had the decency to appear shocked at what Tristan had said. His mouth fell open and his eyes widened. "That's actually really intuitive."

"I know."

"I don't think I'm paying her enough."

Tristan's head snapped up. "What?"

"Well, initially I hired her for temporary work for the holiday with the possibility of an extension. She insisted she just wanted to volunteer. So I told her to name a price. I wasn't about to have her do an entire ten-week program without some kind of compensation. She's gotten a couple checks from when she was in training, but none of them have been cashed. I'm beginning to think she isn't going to cash them at all." He shook his head as if in disbelief. "But you don't have to worry about that. I told you this program would be free to you. And that's what it's going to be."

Dianna was volunteering? That's what Shane had made it sound like. No, he couldn't be right. Dianna spent most of her days in his presence working with Mathew. Why wouldn't she accept the money?

Because she was a selfless human being who didn't deserve to be on this planet. She was meant to be in heaven with the other angels.

It was getting harder and harder to shove aside those stray thoughts. He glowered at Shane. This was his fault, too. He could have hired someone who wasn't nearly as pretty or as warm. He would have gladly taken a male therapist.

Okay, that was a bald-faced lie.

After he'd met Dianna, he knew in his heart of hearts that Mathew needed her in his life. It wouldn't be fair to rip her away just because he couldn't control his thoughts. Feeling Shane's gaze on him, he glanced up. "What?"

"You do realize that I don't have that rule, right?"

"What are you going on about?"

"The made-up rule that states you can't date the therapist I have assigned to your son. Granted, it might not be wise, but when it comes to matters of the heart, nothing ever is."

Tristan's mouth fell open. "Are you actually suggesting what I think you are?"

"Do you think I'm telling you to ask out Miss Callahan?" He leaned into his chair again and let out a laugh. "You wouldn't even be considering it if you knew who her father is."

"I've heard about him."

"From whom?" He laughed again. "Dianna? You realize that a child's perception of their parent is always going to be skewed, right? This is Dianna we're talking about. Out of all the Callahan sisters, she's got to be the most even-tempered."

Tristan huffed.

"What?" asked Shane.

"She's definitely great with Mathew, but she's had a few moments with me that weren't so even-tempered."

"Then you must have really peeved her off. I'm telling you. That woman wouldn't talk bad about anyone. Maybe you should go into town and ask around. I think you'd get a much clearer picture of what you would be up against if you decided to move forward with this fascination of yours."

"I'm not scared of her father if that's what you're inferring."

"I wasn't inferring that at all. But I do think you can make some good stupid choices."

Tristan shook his head and held up his hands. "Wait, so back to this dating thing. You're actually saying I should go for it."

"Sure. As long as you keep it away from Mathew. This goes without saying, but if that kid is already getting attached to her, then you don't want to confuse the kid further if this relationship of yours doesn't work out."

Shane made a good point. The thing that was holding him back from asking her out shouldn't be the working relationship they had. It should be how it would affect Mathew.

Tristan got to his feet. "I still hate you," he muttered as he left Shane's office, his friend's laughter following him out the door and down the hallway.

They were only going to be here for a max of ten weeks. He needed to weigh the pros and cons. He'd never jumped into a relationship this fast. Even with Erika, they'd taken it slow. And with what Dianna had mentioned the other night about not having an interest in a relationship, he couldn't be sure she'd even say yes.

If he asked her out and she turned him down, would both of them still be able to maintain a certain professionality?

All of these questions weighed on his mind, and not one of them would be answered today. He was taking Mathew to pick out a live Christmas tree on the far reaches of Shane's property. It would be the first one they picked out and chopped down together. Tristan enjoyed celebrating Christmas with Mathew, but they usually didn't have the time or resources to do many fun activities like this. He was so grateful to Shane for this opportunity. And maybe he could release some of this pent-up energy he had humming through his body like a live wire ready to crackle at the first contact that was made with it.

He headed down the steps of the country club and nearly collided with none other than Dianna. Her genuine smile filled her face, contagious from the very first second the corners of her mouth lifted. "Hi, Tristan. I left Mathew at the cabin. I knew you'd be headed over that way in a minute. How did your meeting with Shane go?"

"Good."

She fidgeted, shifting her weight as she stood on the step just below his. "I told Mathew to find his snow boots and gather his gloves and hat. I'm sure he'll be ready for you when you arrive.

"Would you like to come with us?" The words burst from within him like a bolt of lightning that could no longer be contained. "Mathew has been begging me to convince you to come. I know you just had dinner with us a few nights ago, but?—"

"I'd love to."

"You would?"

She grinned. "Picking out a Christmas tree here is a tradition that not even I can pass up."