Page 18 of Renewal After Dark

McKenzie smiled at the emphatic way he said that last word. “Yeah, he was. He lied to me about everything, and I found out the hard way. But it’s okay. I’d rather raise Jax on my own than have him around a man who lies and cheats and runs from his obligations.”

“That’s the way to be.”

“I really loved him, though, so it was a rough time. It got better after Jax arrived. It’s hard to be sad when he’s the most cheerful, happy little guy.”

“He’s a cutie.”

“He really is. The way I see it, I’ve got a built-in best friend, at least until he becomes a cranky teenager.”

“I bet he’ll always be your best friend.”

“That’d be nice.” She glanced up at the lights. “I like the lights.”

“I do, too. They’re solar. I have them on a timer to come on every night.”

“That’s cool. They look great strung through the trees.”

“I love them.”

“Well, I’d better get back upstairs in case Jax wakes up.” He never did, but she didn’t want to outstay her welcome when Duke was trying to relax.

“Don’t rush off on my account. It’s cool to have someone to chat with.”

“You’re a very nice man, Duke. Why aren’t you married with a bunch of kids?”

He grunted out a laugh. “Came close once, but that was ages ago.”

“What happened?” She asked the question before she took the time to think about it. “I’m sorry. You don’t have to tell me. I shouldn’t have asked that.”

“It’s fine. She didn’t like it here, and this is my home. In a choice between her and Gansett, I chose Gansett.”

“What did she say?”

“At first, she couldn’t believe it, but when I refused to change my mind, she finally got the message. If she wanted me, she was going to have to live here. I guess she didn’t want me that much, which is fine. I’d rather find that out than have her suck it up and make me hate it here, too, you know?”

“Definitely.”

“Took me a long time to find a place that felt like home. I wasn’t willing to give it up.”

“I’m glad you stuck to your guns.”

“Rosemary was very good to me after that happened. I was a little heartbroken at first, but she told me I’d done the right thing not to give up something that meant so much to me.”

“She would know. After my grandfather died, her children pressured her to sell her place out here. They didn’t want her coming out alone for the summers. She flatly refused and told them all to mind their own business and quit telling her how to live her life.”

“She told me about that. She said we have to fight for the things that’re important to us. Gansett was more important to me than the girlfriend was, she said, so I made the right choice for myself. She knew I wouldn’t have been happy somewhere else. As always, she was right.”

“I love that you two were such buddies.”

“We really were. She was very important to me.”

“For what it’s worth, I agree with her. I think you did the right thing. No one is worth giving up the things that mean the most to you.”

“That’s true, but it was still a rather bitter pill when you think you’ve found ‘the one’.”

“I’m sure.”

“What about you? Never been married?”

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