Page 3 of Single Dad Dilemma

We both laugh. “Have a good day.” I wave them goodbye.

“Thanks,” Carson says, giving me a small wave as he holds the door open for the little girl, who’s more worried about eating her donut than watching where she’s going.

When the door closes behind them, I rush around the corner and peek out the window. I see him helping her into the backseat of a very nice Chevy truck. His arms move around like he’s strapping her in, then he closes the door and takes a sip of his coffee as he walks around to the driver’s seat. Just before climbing in, he looks back at the bakery and our eyes meet. Hisseem to grow even darker, and his angular jaw flexes, but he tears his eyes away from mine and climbs into the truck.

“What in the world are you doing? Jane asks, walking in from behind me.

I jump upright, my hand flying to my heart. “Don’t do that! You scared me.”

She laughs as she walks over to the sink to wash her hands. “What are you looking at out there? Jimmy steaming down main again?”

I laugh and roll my eyes. “No. There’s a new man in town.”

Her eyes widen. “Ohhhh, spill.”

“Well,” I start, coming around the counter to talk to her. “He’s tall and good-looking. He had dark curly hair that he had smashed down with a cap, and he had dark stubble across his jaw. Dark eyes too. And he has a daughter who looks just like him, with dark curly hair and big dark eyes. She was adorable. Her name was Margo.”

“What’s his name?”

“Carson Evans,” I answer with a nod.

“Where’s he living?”

I shrug. “I don’t know. I didn’t ask. I didn’t want to appear stalkerish.”

This makes her roll her eyes. “Nobody could ever accuse you of being a stalker. You don’t even leave your house if it’s not to work.”

“I do too,” I argue. “I just stay on my property. I bought it. Why not put it to good use?”

“Um, to find a man, hello! I highly doubt you’re going to find one wandering your property. And if you do, don’t date him. Run!”

I laugh. “I’ll make a mental note of that.” I head back into the kitchen to finish cleaning up.

TWO

Carson

“Violet is nice,” Margo says from the backseat, enjoying her donut.

“Mm-hm,” I agree.

“She pretty too,” she points out.

“You know who I think is pretty?” I ask, looking at her from the rearview mirror.

“Who?”

“You,” I state matter-of-factly.

She rolls her eyes. “You can’t marry me, Daddy.” The tone of her voice sounds like she’s saying duh.

I laugh. “Well, honey, I’m not really looking to marry anyone.”

She frowns at that. “I miss mommy.” Her eyes get sad as her hand holding the donut falls to her lap.

“I know, baby. Me too.”

The ride back to the house is quiet with Katie, my late wife and her mother, on both our minds now. I guess our move here was more about getting a new start. My wife passed three years ago, and neither of us have been able to fully get past it. Margo misses having a mom and having someone who she could play dress up and do makeup and hair with. I miss my wife, thewoman I’d been in love with since high school, the person I shared my whole life with. With her gone, neither of us knew exactly what to do. I had to figure out not only how to be a good father but also how to make up for the loss of her mother.

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