Page 83 of The Bachelor's Dilemma

“Hi,” he said, peeping around her door.

“Hi, yourself, little man. Come snuggle with me,” she said.

He raced across the room and bound up into the bed. They snuggled together for a few minutes—all he could spare from his busy activities.

“I want to go to the park,” he said, wiggling around.

“Okay, after we do some tidying up.”

“’Kay.”

He struggled to get down.

“Let’s eat breakfast,” he urged.

“I’ll be right there. Don’t climb up on the counter.”

The last thing Anna wanted to do was move an inch. But she couldn’t lie in bed the rest of her life. Today would be the first without Myles.

She remembered when she’d had the first without Tom. The ache was just as piercing.

She’d have to tell Edith today that they wouldn’t be moving. She knew the older woman had been happy with the expectation of change.

Life would go along as it had. She’d stay in the poky apartment, fearing for Zack’s safety as he grew older and began going outside by himself.

She’d pinch pennies to make ends meet. And sit in lonely silence in the evening hours once Zack was in bed.

Tears welled again. How could she stand it?

“Oh, Myles, why wasn’t I enough?” she said softly, getting up to get dressed.

Once breakfast was finished, the apartment had been vacuumed and dusted and Zack dressed, Anna gathered their things for a trip to the park. She wouldn’t disrupt her son’s routines. He asked for so little, and she wished she could shower him with all everything he ever wanted.

The day was already warm and would probably be uncomfortably hot by mid afternoon. But at this late morning hour, it was pleasant.

Anna held Zack’s hand until they reached the park. He took off running to play with the children at the playground. She crossed the grass more slowly and sat on one end of a bench that held an older man who was watching the children. Probably a proud grandfather, she thought, smiling politely as she sat down. Her father loved to take Zack to the playground when her parents visited.

Time seemed to pass slowly as she mindlessly watched her son. If he needed her, she’d be there in an instant. Otherwise, she was content to let him interact with the other children. He’d look over occasionally and she’d wave. He played well with others and from the shrieks of laughter, she knew they all enjoyed themselves.

Suddenly, he got off the slide and began running across the grass. Anna jumped up. Was he chasing after someone who looked like Tom again? She passed the older gentleman and stopped, recognizing Myles heading toward her.

Zack ran to him and Myles leaned over and picked him up, tossing him into the air. Anna could hear his laughter from where she stood.

Her heart pounded. What was Myles doing here? Why had he come?

He settled Zack on one arm, talking to him as they walked steadily toward Anna. She wanted to run away and hide. Or stay and rail against him for letting her fall in love with him when he hadn’t fallen in love with her.

For raising her hopes and dreams only to have them smashed into dust.

When he drew closer, he put Zack on his feet and urged him back to the playground. His gaze caught hers and he walked purposefully toward her.

“Hi,” he said.

She couldn’t respond. Instead, she turned and went back to sit down, ignoring him completely. She was afraid to say anything lest tears began and never stopped.

Not deterred, Myles came and sat beside her. The older man glanced at them, then resumed watching the children.

“We need to talk,” he said.

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