Page 36 of Unbreak My Heart

Before he could refute her, she leaned forward and placed a finger on his lips. Shivers ricocheted down his spine at the innocent touch.

“Youare. Today is a shit day for you, one that has so much emotional baggage it’s a miracle you’re not packed for a six-month trip to Europe. But you didn’t push my son away when he came to you for a hug. You didn’t push him away or make fun or belittle his most favourite friend in the world when he wanted to show him to you—a hand-knitted, thrift store Bananas in Pyjamas toy. You had every chance to. Some guys would have played the tough guy, the so-called big man. But you didn’t.You. Are. Kind. To me, how you treated Matty means more than anything else in this world.”

Heat stung Simon’s eyes, and he couldn’t hold her gaze, dropping his own as he frowned at his clenched fists.

“So, thank you. For giving a little boy who you don’t know from a bar of soap a little attention so that he felt important.”

Simon swallowed, his throat tight and sore. He shook his head and rasped, “Heisimportant. All kids are. It’s not his fault that my head is all messed up.”

Her hand moved to cup his jaw. The shivers turned to goosebumps.

“You’re not messed up. You’regrieving. There’s a difference. There’s no time limit on grief. No one can tell you how long is too long to miss someone.” Her voice softened and threatened to turn his insides to pure mush. “You didn’t even have time to say goodbye.”

The sorrow in his eyes got to be too much and trickled down his face to her hand. She wiped at his tears with a gentle thumb.

“If I helped even a little today, that’s all I wanted. To help get you through what has to be a pretty damned difficult day. I know you’re not looking for attachment to anyone, and you certainly wouldn’t want to do so with someone who has baggage. But Idowant to be your friend. And I’m here for you if you need me.”

His instant reaction to her using the word baggage to describe her son was one of denial and anger. Not at her, but at the person who made her think that way.

That bastard had a lot to answer for. Simon refused to call him a man. No real man did that to his wife and child. No real man would treat them so badly.

He swallowed and sucked in a deep breath; his throat still incredibly tight.

“I should probably go,” he managed, his voice low and rasping.

Eva nodded. He looked up and held her gaze. “Thank you. For everything today. What would’ve been a complete mess, was made bearable.” He tried to smile. It came out all wrong, but he knew she wouldn’t care. “Because ofyou.”

He leaned forward and kissed her cheek, breathing in a deep lungful of that incredible perfume she always seemed to have on. He pulled back the tiniest amount to look at her expressive eyes.

“You are the kind one, and I am grateful to call you my friend.”

Chapter Nine

March

“Good morning, all!”

Eva cringed atthatvoice.

Dammit!

She steeled her shoulders and turned to face Vance as he walked toward her where she stood talking with Alex, the project manager. Three months in and the build was coming along nicely after a few initial delays. The framing was finally complete, leaving them with a skeleton of what would become the new Spotted Cow. Max was over to her left checking inventory with the foreman, his back to her.

Humidity made her linen shirt stick to her back as thunder rumbled above them, the perfect backdrop to what was sure to be a fun exchange.

Not.

She hadn’t seen Simon at all this morning. She bit back her disappointment at that. They’d fallen into a safe, friendly rhythm the last couple of months. One that didn’t push either of them out of their comfort zone, but as they got to know one another they were definitely getting closer.

Even she could see that, and she could also see the beginnings of what looked like being a great friendship. But she liked him more and more each time they saw one another and, heck, she wanted more. And that niggling voice in the back of her head kept trying to make her believe that she was the problem, the reason that Simon hadn’t made a move.

Vance opened his arms wide, that slimy grin widening his mouth.

How had she ever fallen for him? He was as different to Simon as night was to day. Put them side by side and he simply didn’t measure up.

“What? No welcome?” His gaze slid around the worksite. “You haven’t been answering my texts, baby.”

Her spine erupted in chills.

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