His heart swelled as he looked at her. "I wasn't ready to leave," she said, softly, breaking the silence.
He nodded. "I knew that too. But I wish. Ah, hell never mind. I just had to ask that. It was between us. Let's let the past go and focus on being friends now."
She smiled and looked relaxed. He felt his shoulders relax as well. Okay, just ignore the whole sexual attraction and the swelling love feeling in his chest and he'd make it back to home in one piece. He could do that, for just one night. As long as she didn't show any signs of wanting the same thing.
He put his hands on the table, front of him. "Tell me about Colton."
She looked at him strangely.
He met her eyes. "Hey, there is nothing a mom likes to talk about more than their kids. We can't ignore that you have one of them. I have two sisters who have three kids each."
"They do? Maggie and Jamie?"
"Yeah, Mikey only has two."
"How'd you get out of there without being Kippie?"
"Luck. Now, come on spill it. Tell me about your kid."
She shrugged and grinned at him. She reached down and pulled out her purse. "Going for the pictures first. Or the mace."
That made her smile even wider. Score one for him. "Yeah the pictures. Ubiquitous Mom photo op."
She passed him a soccer picture. He had her intense brown eyes. But none of her features. He wondered if he looked like his dad. His hair was dirty blonde, and thick and a little curly. He had her smile, he decided, glancing up at her from the photo.
"That was last summer's photo. He's grown since then. He'll be taller than me." She smiled at the picture she was holding. "This one is from this year's school. He's so smart. So outgoing. He never complains. Well, yeah, of course he does. But, considering what he's got, he's amazing."
"He's got you. Of course he is amazing." Kip wanted to ask about his Dad. But, he couldn't. It was none of his business. Yet.
She was still looking at the picture, in a wistful, loving manner. Still talking, like she hadn't really heard him speak. "You know his dad is gone. Mostly. And he never says anything about it. I know he's got to wonder. But we've got so many wonderful friends around us that give him what his dad should."