Page 26 of Second Chances

“A brownstone in New York. My mother remained there after my father’s death. It was the first place I sold after her death.”

“First place?” she asked.

“All in all, they had five properties.” He shrugged. “The brownstone was the first to go.”

“Bad memories?” she asked softly.

“Too many. Besides, I could never really see myself settling in the city. As a kid, I spent my winter months dreaming of coming back here.” He glanced around and she saw his eyes soften. Even though she’d first believed the room had been a summer prison for the young Todd, she now realized he’d been happy here.

She couldn’t remember ever being that happy anywhere. She thought about her childhood home just outside of Chicago, which her parents still lived in. She’d never really seen herself staying in the city either. It was one of the reasons she’d remained in Silver Cove after the divorce. It had been everything she’d hoped for in a home. The small town was a perfect setting to raise Simona.

“When was the last time you visited here? I mean, after your father passed,” she asked. Since Simona was enjoying herself, she sat down in one of the desks.

“I didn’t,” he admitted. “Until about a month ago, I hadn’t stepped foot in Maine since I was nine.”

“Yet you remember it fondly enough to move back here? What if you end up not liking it?”

He shrugged and sat in the other desk next to her. “I guess I’ll fix the place up and sell it, then.”

“Just like that?” she asked as she started wondering what she and Simona would do if they didn’t live in Silver Cove. Where would they go? She couldn’t think of any other place she wanted to be.

He shrugged. “In the past ten years, I’ve lived in a dozen different countries,” he said casually.

She turned and watched Simona writing her name on the chalkboard, just like a teacher would have, and her heart sank at the thought of allowing her daughter to grow close to a man who wasn’t committed to sticking around. She’d done that once before with Brock. She doubted Simona’s heart could bear being broken again.

It was the reason she’d avoided dating in the past two years. She didn’t want to be the reason her daughter got another broken heart. It had taken months for Simona to stop crying over Brock not returning for her. In the end, it had been the support that her friends had given them that allowed her to recover. They had kept Simona so busy and entertained that she’d stopped asking when Brock was going to come back for her.

“What about you?” Todd asked her, shaking her out of her thoughts.

“Me?” she asked.

“Have you always lived in Silver Cove?”

“Oh, um, no, I’ve been here for almost eight years. We moved back to Brock’s hometown when we found out I was pregnant with Simona.” She glanced over at her daughter who was now quietly reading a book in a corner filled with bookshelves and old books.

“Before that?” he asked.

“Chicago.” She glanced over at him. “My parents still live just outside of the city.”

“After the divorce, you stuck around here?” It was more of a question than a statement.

“Yes.” She smiled. “I came into town for Brock and stayed for the people I’d grown fond of.” She sighed. “I had a great job, an amazing boss, and people who helped me through a really rough time.”

He reached over and took her hand gently. The same hand that had been shattered by the last man she’d trusted. Looking into his eyes, she somehow knew that Todd was nothing like Brock. The man sitting across from her was more responsible than Brock had ever been. Better looking by far. More muscular, kinder, and more patient with Simona. And that was just the few things she’d noticed about him so far.

“What sort of things did you do for the Special Operations Forces?” she asked. His face changed, somehow growing sadder and more distant. His hand dropped away from hers.

“Jobs that no one else could do. Covert missions in places I’m not allowed to admit to being.” He shifted.

She’d heard about special teams of people who did some of the most dangerous jobs the military had to offer.

“I understand,” she said suddenly. “You probably can’t really talk about any of your experiences.”

“The experiences yes, the details, no.” He smiled.

“So, you just retired and moved here?”

“Yeah.” He sighed. “I… there’s…” He sighed again, this time more heavily. “A few of my team have been…” He shook his head and stood suddenly. “How about some dinner? I have some burgers and hot dogs?”