Page 15 of The Bachelor's Dilemma

Was this a date?

She didn’t really know the man, but they’d be in a public place. How dangerous could going to the zoo be? Zack loved the zoo. They’d gone twice last summer.

“Let me check my calendar when I get home,” she said, stalling.

She wanted to think this through before deciding.

“It is fun to visit the exhibits with a little boy who’s fascinated by everything. I warn you, he’s a bundle of energy and won’t settle for a sedate pace.”

“I checked—the zoo opens at ten, so I thought an early start to see as much as we can. I warn you, I may not have the stamina to last all day.”

“Sounds like something we could both manage. I’ll let you know. Thanks for inviting us. Zack loves animals.”

Myles nodded. He’d asked. It was up to her. His gaze was drawn again to his son. The wonder was hard to accept. When Zack’s laughter rang out, Myles wanted to scoop him up and hug him. He could watch this child for hours, fascinated to know he and Tiffany had produced such a darling boy.

Anger simmered at his former lover for keeping this miracle from him. He’d have dropped everything to return to the States if she’d only told him. Now he’d missed the opportunity to be a part of his life.

When Zack got in line for the large, curved slide, he was hidden from view for a few moments. Myles glanced back at Anna. She wasn’t what he expected.

Instead of being a nebulous figure, she was a pretty woman with soft looking honey-gold hair and grave gray eyes. She wasn’t tall, reaching only to his shoulder. She kept her eyes on Zack, watching out for him, ready to spring to the rescue if needed.

She obviously loved him. That was one lucky little boy. Myles wondered how his own life might have been different if his parents had lived. If they had expressed the love he could see shining so clearly in Anna’s expression.

Looking back at the little boy, Myles watched every move, every expression that crossed his son’s face. Soon Myles would be healed and returning to the Middle East—or another project in a foreign land. For a few weeks, he might get the chance to know Zack. He wished for him a better childhood than he’d experienced.

“How long is your leave?” Anna asked.

“I have at least two more months.”

Two months to regain his strength and range of motion in his shoulder. He’d do all the exercises the PT insisted upon. And walk the entire island of Manhattan every day if it meant full recovery. He didn’t know what he’d do if he couldn’t pass the company physical. Look for a new kind of job, he supposed.

“Wow, I love it when I get two weeks off in a row,” Anna said.

“Yeah, vacation is far different from medical leave. When I had time off before, I’d visit different European countries.”

“We’ll be lucky to get to Europe once before Zack leaves home,” she said wistfully.

“Who watches Zack when you’re at work?” he asked. “I assume you work normal business hours.”

Careful, he warned himself. You shouldn’t know anything about her. She needs to tell you herself or you’ll give away the fact a detective investigated her.

“It’s nine-to-five most of the time. Sometimes if something big is going on, I’ll be on call for weekends or late night sessions. I get three weeks’ vacation, but depending on what’s going on in the world, I might not get it all at once,” Anna said.

“Does Zack go to that child care center every day?”

Myles racked his brain for what limited knowledge he had about children. Some men who rotated into the field for the chance to make extra money had families. He’d listened to their tales of woe regarding children and child care while their wives worked. Most of the time, he’d wandered away, seeking time alone. He hadn’t related before.

“That was Zack’s preschool. He attends two days a week. There is a lovely retired schoolteacher who lives in our building and watches him for me on the other days. It works out perfectly. She needs a bit of extra money to supplement her retirement pay. Zack gets to stay in our apartment with his own toys and books. She takes him for walks here in nice weather. I was so lucky to connect with her.”

“Is it hard to get good child care?” Myles asked. There was so much he didn’t know about this family.

His foster mothers had all stayed at home to be there for the children. How did a single working parent manage?

“The hard part is leaving him for so many hours. I wish I could work nights and be home with him during the day. He’s growing so fast. Edith gives me a report each day—how he liked preschool, when he napped, what he had for lunch, if any little friends from the neighborhood came to play. Things like that. It makes me feel more a part of his daily activities. But I miss the actual being there.”

Myles nodded. He originally hadn’t planned to get involved with Zack and his adoptive mother. But now that the opening had been made, Myles was intrigued with the mother of his child.

He enjoyed being with her. Would she consider expanding her circle of friends to let him in? He’d made the first step by inviting them to the zoo. He hoped Anna would accept. If not, he’d take one day at a time. He’d already attained more than he ever expected regarding his son.

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