The dog was nudging at the door like she wanted to go inside now so she could find some breakfast, and Marsh figured if he stayed out here much longer watching his kid, he was going to be heading into that creepy stalker territory.
With a sigh, he turned around and reached for the door, but it jerked open before he could even turn the knob.
“There you are!” Andie exclaimed. “I’ve been looking everywhere.”
His heart gave a good, hard kick—until he realized she was looking down at the dog.
“Sadie, you rascal. Get in here.”
She opened the door wider and stepped out of the way. When the two of them made their way inside, she finally looked at Marshall, her color rising. “Did she wake you? I thought I closed the bedroom door so she couldn’t get out on her own, but it must not have been latched tightly. I hope she didn’t make a nuisance of herself.”
“She didn’t. It was no big deal.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t hear her before you did. It’s not safe for you to be out here. I’d hate for you to fall while taking care of my dog.”
He had seen combat in Iraq and had averted multiple incidents since he’d been back that easily could have ended with the use of deadly force. Apparently now his biggest worry was slipping on ice.
“The driveway’s almost clear. Christopher’s taking care of it now before he leaves for school.”
“Oh. That’s good. He’s done an excellent job so far, hasn’t he?”
“Yeah. I just hope he can keep it up all winter.”
Her gaze shifted to the window overlooking the driveway. She opened her mouth as if to speak but apparently changed her mind and closed it again.
“You might as well say it,” he said, bracing himself.
“Say what?”
“You’re obviously dying to tell me again how I need to tell him I’m his father.”
“Am I?” She gave him a cool stare, worlds away from the soft, yielding woman who had trembled in his arms right here in the kitchen just a few hours earlier. “Why would I waste my breath when you’ve made it abundantly clear you disagree? It’s fine. I get that my opinion doesn’t really matter.”
In that moment, all the thoughts that had been chasing themselves through his head all night combined into one overriding realization.
Her opinion did matter—more than anyone else’s in his life.
She mattered.
His hands tightened around the handgrips of the crutches and he felt as if he had, indeed, slipped on the ice and landed hard enough to knock the wind out of him.
He was in love with Andie Montgomery. Her courage, her strength, her kindness. The unexpectedly sly sense of humor that jumped out at the oddest moments.
He had never felt like this about another woman, this urge to cherish her and protect her and spend the rest of his days keeping her happy.
Not just her, but her children. For the first time in his life, he wanted something else besides the job. He wanted a family, a future. Hikes into the mountains with them, taking the kids on fishing trips, summer evenings in the backyard playing catch with the river murmuring past. Christmas mornings and birthday presents and preschool graduations. He wanted all of it—with a woman who had told him in no uncertain terms that he was the worst possible man in Haven Point for her.
“What’s wrong?” Andie asked.
Everything. His whole life had gone to hell from the moment he got hit by that damn SUV and his sister sent Andie to his house with hearty stew, delicious pie and that warm compassion that drew him like a fire in a blizzard.
Once, he thought he didn’t need anyone else, that he could be perfectly content the rest of his life doing his job and helping the people of his community.
How big an idiot could one man possibly be?
“Marshall?”
“Nothing’s wrong. I’m fine. Just not in the mood for conversation this morning, I guess.” He spoke brusquely to hide the chaos inside him and saw her eyes widen briefly with hurt.
“Good news for you, then.” She produced a smile that didn’t come close to looking genuine. “I had an email from my landlord first thing this morning. He said the repairs on the house should be finished by the end of the day, then we can all get out of your way and leave you alone with your own company.”
The only problem was that he didn’t want them out of his way and he could think of few things as miserable as his own company right now.
He wanted to spend Christmas with Chloe and Will, watching Christmas movies and playing games and eating cookies.
Instead, he faced a bleak, solitary holiday spent without their laughter and joy, staring at the walls of his sister’s den while unable to even walk next door to wish his own son a merry Christmas.