Page 67 of Bringing Emma Home

“Welcome to the world of children,” Grace said, enjoying his anguish while knowing how unsympathetically she was behaving. “Lots more to come. Have you looked into kindergarten for her?”

“Haven’t even started that. I should have made a few calls last week, but it’s been hectic.”

“I can imagine,” she said, absolutely reveling in the idea that Aidan was experiencing the results of doing little or no planning before bringing Emma here. It was probably mean of her, but she couldn’t help how she felt. If he’d listened to her in the first place, none of this would have happened.

Besides, nothing had changed between them. Their relationship was in jeopardy, and until he faced up to that fact, she didn’t want to be anywhere near him. It wasn’t that she didn’t love him, although there had been times over the past few weeks…

“Aidan, I need to stop by to pick up some of my quilting materials.”

“That would be great. I would love to see you. This house isn’t the same without you. When would you like to come? What about this evening?” he said eagerly, and for a moment, she felt the old closeness.

And despite everything that had happened and all her negative feelings toward him, hearing the sweetness in his voice she gave in. She missed him “Why don’t I drop over this evening after Emma is in bed?”

“Come over anytime. Really. Lisa is great with Emma, and I’m sure we could find a quiet place to talk,” he said, over another loud scream.

“I’ll see you then,” she said, aware that she was in danger of doing whatever he wanted of her. She hung up quickly before she fell for the intimate tone, the enthusiastic response. Aidan had always been so enthusiastic about everything going on in their lives, his boyish spirit and drive being two of the main reasons she’d fallen in love with him.

In the quiet of Lucas’s condo, she faced her thoughts. She loved Aidan. She needed him. But she couldn’t continue feeling left out, of little importance except to do as he wanted and fulfill his needs. She wished she could believe in him again. But the man she’d married was rapidly disappearing behind his plans, his dreams, his obsession. Not hers. And not theirs.

Aidan had to change if they were to have any chance to save their marriage.

An hour later, she pulled into the driveway. Seeing a car she didn’t recognize parked on the street, she hesitated. Who would be visiting Aidan so soon after he got home? Lucas had said the office staff had been waiting for Aidan. What if one of them was a woman who cared more than she should for Aidan? Aidan was vulnerable right now, and might have accepted an offer of help from one of his staff.

How had she so easily jumped to that conclusion? As the question formed in her mind, she recognized that she continued to worry that Deidre hadn’t been Aidan’s only affair. How would they ever resume their marriage with her feeling this way?

Biting back her suspicions, she went to the front door, feeling really strange that this was her home and yet she didn’t feel comfortable enough to walk in.

Anxiously she rang the bell, and Aidan opened it immediately. “I’ve been waiting for you,” he said, his words punctuated by Emma’s yelling about not wanting to go to bed.

After an earsplitting shriek, he said, “She wouldn’t eat her supper, and we don’t know what to do with her,” he said apologetically.

Grace glanced at him, saw the strained look on his face and the bags under his eyes. Aidan was not having an easy time of it. “You’re still getting unpacked, I assume,” she said, wanting to touch his cheek, to massage the worried frown on his handsome face, to feel the smoothness of his skin.

“Trying to,” he said just as Emma came running down the hall toward the door.

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