Page 36 of The Bachelor's Dilemma

“Yes.” He ran back to them, his eyes shining. “Did you bring a ball?”

“I did,” Myles said, reaching into the bag and pulling out a small, soft ball.

“Thank you,” Zack said, hugging Myles’s leg.

The three of them played catch for as long as Zack was interested. Then Myles gave him the ball and sat on the grass to watch as Zack threw it high in the air and tried to catch it. His lack of success didn’t seem to dim his enjoyment.

Anna sat beside Myles.

“You seem to know exactly how to entertain a little boy. Remarkable since you have had little to do with children lately.”

“I was a boy once.”

“Did your foster parents play ball?”

He shrugged.

“The Zumwalts did. George Zumwalt was big on bonding, on giving the children they watched lots of experiences and fun times.”

“What happened to him?”

“He died unexpectedly of a heart attack when he was only forty-three,” Myles said.

He remembered the pain of that loss. His wife could not continue in the foster care program and Myles and the two other foster children had been split up and sent to new homes.

“I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, I was, too.”

Anna looked at Zack.

“As time goes on, Zack will remember less and less about his father. I wonder even now how much he remembers and how much he knows from the stories I tell. I guess I’m one of the lucky ones—both my parents are still living.”

“You are. One day you’ll marry again, and that man will be a role model for your son. He’ll have two parents again and even more grandparents,” he said.

Anna shrugged. “I don’t know. I loved Tom so much. I still can’t believe he’s gone.” She rubbed her chest. “The ache just doesn’t seem to go away.”

“There are other reasons to marry. To form a family. For companionship.”

“I know. But somehow, without love, I just don’t think it would work. It’s hard enough to be tied in a marriage when bad things happen. Disappointments. Frustrations. If there’s no bond of love, how would two people survive all that life throws at them?”

Myles leaned closer, reaching out to catch her hand in his and threading his fingers through hers.

“By working together through whatever hardship comes. Even if deep love doesn’t come, there could be affection and respect and liking. Would that be enough?”

Anna stared into his eyes. Myles could see the hesitation. He leaned back and squeezed her hand gently, letting her go. He was pushing too fast.

“I’m a fine one to talk. I’ve never married.”

Anna gazed at her hand, clinching it into a fist.

Myles couldn’t expect Anna to give him all the love her first husband had. But He’d always be a devoted husband and always love Zack. That should count for something. Could she see it that way?

They walked to where the carriages queued up. Myles paid as Anna lifted Zack into the white carriage and then climbed up after him. Zack was excited and asked if he could ride the horse.

“No. The horse’s job is to pull the carriage. You can watch the driver and maybe one day you’ll want to drive a carriage,” Anna said as

Myles joined them on the bench seat.

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