Page 73 of Already Home

“She left and took my son with her. At first I kept doing whatI’d always been doing, then one day I realized Isaiah was my responsibility.That I had deliberately brought him into this world and that he needed me. Butthe parenting plan was set. When I wanted to change things, she wouldn’t agree.I supposed it was her way of punishing me for emotionally abandoning her. Ican’t really blame her.” He shrugged. “Unfortunately Isaiah suffered, aswell.”

Jenna stared at him. “Something must be different now. He spentthe night last night.”

“He didn’t spend the night, he lives with me. About a year ago,she was killed in a car accident. I became a full-time single dad. It’s been atough year for him. He was six. First he lost his dad, then he lost his mom. Wehad a lot of adjustments to make.”

Jenna couldn’t imagine an adult going through something likethat well, let alone a little boy. “How’s he doing now?”

“Thriving.” Pride filled Ellington’s voice. “I bought a housein his school district so he could stay close to his friends. My mom moved inand my mother-in-law lives around the corner. Between them, they handle the daycare and everything about my life and his. I stopped traveling and opened apermanent practice at the healing center.”

“You were able to reconnect with him?” she asked.

“It took a while, but yes. We’re doing all kinds of thingstogether. We have a deal that I’m home to tuck him in bed.” He grinned. “I hadto get special dispensation for our last date and for tonight.”

“Please tell him I appreciate his generosity.”

“I can see I’m going to have to continue to negotiate the bedtucking issue with him,” he said, gazing into her eyes. “For the past year, ithasn’t been much of a problem, but that might be changing.”

Jenna willed herself not to blush. “I’d like that.”

“You’re ignoring the fact that I live with my mother.”

“I’m not scared about it, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“Good.”

The server returned and they quickly ordered. After she left,he said, “Enough about my life. Tell me about yourself.”

She gave him a few highlights, explaining about being a chef,her marriage and subsequent divorce and her move back to Georgetown.

“You don’t want to tell me about your ex?” he asked.

“There’s not much to tell.”

Ellington didn’t say anything. He simply watched her.

“All right,” she said slowly. “He reminds me of you alittle.”

“Ouch.”

She smiled. “You don’t look alike. But you’reboth...charming.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“It turned out to be with him. I’ve always been creative withmy cooking. At first he encouraged that, but in the last couple of years heseemed more interested in making me feel like I wasn’t good enough.” She shookher head. “The worst part wasn’t what he did, it was that I believed him.”

He reached across the table and touched her hand. “We oftentend to believe the people we love. Even when they’re wrong.”

“I hadn’t thought of it that way, but you’re right. So now Ihave to figure out where I left my confidence and start trying things again.I’ve been taking a few very small risks. Our dinner was one. It’s strange, inthe past couple of weeks, I’ve felt my experimental side returning.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Maybe that’s because Serenity isaround.”

“Why would you say that?”

“She’s very creative, you’re a lot like her. Maybe having hershow up jolted you out of a rut.”

“I was just getting my store up and running when Serenity andTom arrived,” she mused.

“Interesting timing. Trust the Force.”

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