He laughed and the sound filled the room with alien warmth. He gestured with a nod toward the couch. “Have a seat and I’ll get the food. I’ll even get some trays. I’m feeling kind of crazy.”
She raised her eyebrows. “What about your hand?”
“I’ll manage.”
As she walked to the couch, Ethan went into the kitchen and grabbed two trays, pushing them under his arm, then took some cutlery from the drawer and the bag of takeout from the counter. Easy. He smiled. His sudden, unrehearsed burst of laughter had taken him by surprise. Leah had taken him by surprise. He wasn’t dumb enough to think her attentiveness was anything more than professional caring, but still, it was nice that the nurse amused—and attracted—him.
Besides, she was a beautiful woman. Interesting.
But there was no way he was going down that complicated road. His priorities were Daisy and his work. That was more than enough.
“Do you need a hand?” Leah called from the living room, then laughed. “Sorry.”
He smiled as he joined her. “I’m fine. And dinner is served.”
“Great, I’m starving. Is Daisy asleep?”
“Out like a light. Her adventure tonight wore her out.” He placed the trays and food on the coffee table. “Thanks again for—”
“Hey. No more gratitude. You’ve thanked me enough.” Leah unpacked the food. “What would you like? I’ll dish up while you figure out how you’re going to explain to me what happened here tonight.”
He narrowed his eyes at her back. Clearly, the woman was going nowhere until she had some answers. He reached for his wineglass and took a sip. “There’s not much to tell.”
She passed him a loaded plate and a fork, her gaze steady. “Nice try, but you failed the return abysmally. Try again.”
Turning, she began filling the second plate. Ethan appreciated her glossy hair, the exposed nape of her neck. She was someone he hadn’t expected or asked to turn up in his life, but she was here and deserved some honesty. He cleared his throat. “My ex-wife was here. She left just before you arrived.”
Leah stilled for a moment, before sliding onto the couch next to him, pulling her tray onto her lap and sipping at her wine. “I see. That must’ve been the woman who ran past me and Daisy on the hill. I’m surprised Daisy didn’t recognize her.”
Immediate nausea rose in Ethan’s throat. “Daisy saw her?”
“I assume so.”
Ethan closed his eyes. “Then it’s just as well she hardly remembers her.” He opened his eyes, his anger at Anna resurfacing. “Daisy was only two when her mother left.”
“I see.”
“Anyway, she freaked when I started bleeding. Until that point, she was quite happy to wave a knife in my face.”
Leah’s brow furrowed before she turned to her food and speared some chicken. “You said she left when Daisy was two. Hasn’t she seen Daisy at all in between?”
“No.”
“Never?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
Ethan frowned. “Excuse me?”
Her cheeks flushed. “Sorry.” She briefly closed her eyes, before opening them again. “I just mean it’s unusual for a mother not to have contact with her child. Unless...” She pushed her glasses farther onto her nose. “Is she dangerous? Your ex-wife?”
“No.” Ethan slumped his shoulders and pushed his tray onto the table, his appetite vanishing. “At least, not until tonight. As far as I know.”
“I see.” She waved her fork toward his plate. “Eat something. You need food in your stomach.”
He dutifully picked up the tray and scooped up some rice and chicken. As he chewed, he watched her do the same and wondered what was going through her mind. He could assume, from her posture, that she was calm, but the faint blush on her cheeks could indicate unease. He swallowed and pushed on with what he’d decided to tell her. Nothing more, nothing less.
“I haven’t seen or heard from Anna in five years. I have her address and send her pictures of Daisy from time to time, copies of her report cards, that sort of thing. Anna never replies.” He clenched his jaw. “So, when she turned up here tonight, I knew she had to be in some sort of trouble. But she’s gone now and she won’t be back.”
“Because you refused to give her what she wanted?”
“Yes. I don’t want her near Daisy in that state. I don’t want her here, period.”
“You must’ve liked her at some time. You married her, after all.”
Ethan shrugged as better memories, good memories, surfaced. Of the days when he and Anna had been dating; of their wedding day, with Daisy already safely cocooned in her mother’s womb. He sighed. “Sure. I loved her more than any man should ever love a woman. Unfortunately, my life at the keyboard and my following success, along with Anna’s role change from model to mother, meant she and I saw our future together differently.” He sighed. “She didn’t exactly take to motherhood. Even if she hadn’t walked out, our divorce was inevitable.” He returned his tray to the table, picked up his wine. “I just wish Daisy would’ve featured somewhere in Anna’s plans.”
Leah’s hazel eyes bored into his before she blinked and took a sip of wine. “But she’s Daisy’s mum. If, eventually, she wants back in her life—”
“She’ll have to earn her way back. It wasn’t Daisy who brought Anna here tonight, and I want no part of whatever she’s gotten herself into. She chose to walk away from us. Her mess is her own.”
“I see. Eat.”
Leah turned back to her food and they ate in silence, each bite like sandpaper in Ethan’s mouth. He refused to tell her any more. She knew enough to accept that he had the situation under control. She could eat her food, drink her wine and leave.
As much as he hated treating her that way, it would be better for both of them in the end. The next problem was convincing her he could change his own bandages and snip out a few stitches when the time came.
She cleared her throat. “Don’t you think you should at least let the police know what happened here? In case she comes back?”
Ethan clenched his jaw. “No, absolutely not.”
“I’m reading between the lines, but how can you be so sure she won’t knock on your door again? Won’t want to see Daisy?”
He put down his fork and slid his tray onto the table. “The woman has no care for her daughter. No care for anything but herself.”
“But—”
“No, Leah.” Now he was annoyed. “I’ll call you a cab.” He walked into the kitchen, the heat of her stare burning into his back.
He squeezed his eyes shut and pushed his thumb and forefinger into his brow. Goddamn it. She didn’t deserve to be spoken to that way. It was Anna. This was what she did, what she made him.
Cursing, he punched in the number of the local taxi company. “King’s Korner, Clover Point. Great. Thanks.” He ended the call and tossed his phone onto the counter, his hand throbbing.
“I’ll wait outside.” Leah stood at the doorway in her jacket, her purse on her shoulder and her arms crossed.
“Leah, you don’t understand. I can’t tell you—”
“It’s fine. Forget it.” She nodded. “I’ll be back tomorrow to change that dressing. Make sure you keep a check on that daughter