Kelsey captured his hands in hers. “I’ll pray for you and Peyton every day. I realize we’re new friends, but I’m sick at heart learning this.”
“To be honest, I hate to tell people. I don’t want sympathy or pity. I’m strong and capable.”
“You are. I can see that, but you can accept people’s understanding.”
His head bobbed in agreement. “That’s important.”
“Mom, did you see what I did with that ball?” Lucy bounded to their sides, pointing at one of the experiments.
“No, I’m sorry. I missed what you did.” She glanced at Ross, sensing that their conversation had stopped at a bad time.
Lucy beckoned to her. “I’ll show you.” Ross rose as he checked his watch. “I have one more surprise for you girls.”
Lucy bounced on her toes. “Another surprise?”
His valiant effort to stay positive warmed Kelsey’s heart.
“We’re going to see a show called Space Park in the planetarium. It’s 3-D projections choreographed to music.” He rose and swiveled around, searching for Peyton. When she glanced his way, he waved to her. “We should get in line or we’ll miss it.”
“Speaking of missing it …” Kelsey opened her purse. “We have a present for Peyton.”
Peyton arrived in time to hear her, and a glint of interest flashed in her eyes. “A present?”
“Yes, a birthday present.” Kelsey eyed Ross. “Do we have one minute?”
He nodded as she dug into her bag and pulled out a small, gift-wrapped box. She handed it to Peyton. “Happy birthday.”
Lucy snuggled in beside her. “I hope you like it.”
Peyton tore off the paper, and Kelsey stooped and cleared it from the floor, along with the ribbon, while Peyton opened the lid and looked inside. “Daddy.” She held it up.
He grasped the box and looked inside. “That’s your birthstone. Amethyst. It’s beautiful.”
He returned it to her. “Would you like to wear it?”
She nodded, and he unhooked the heart-shaped pendant from the flaps and fastened it around her neck. “It’s a heart for Valentine’s day.”
Lucy peered at it. “It’s pretty.” She eyed Kelsey. “I’d like a birthstone, too.”
“Yours would be different, though.”
Peyton’s comment surprised Kelsey. “She’s right, Lucy. Your birthstone is sapphire.”
Lucy looked puzzled.
“That’s a bright blue.” Kelsey looked around the room for something that color.
“Sapphire like your eyes.” Ross tilted Lucy’s chin and grinned. “The same as your mom’s.”
Kelsey’s pulse fluttered.
“Sapphire.” Lucy peered into her mother’s eyes. “I love blue.”
Peyton fingered her necklace. “I like purple.”
Ross jumped in. “Well, I like purple and blue.”
Kelsey gave him a poke, hearing sarcasm in his voice. She feared that he had had enough. “What did your daddy give you for your birthday?” A new topic was in order.
“Three books to add to my Nancy Drew collection and a gift card for Macy’s for some new clothes.”
Lucy leaned against Kelsey. “Mom, I need some new clothes.”
Her expression disappointed Kelsey. Lucy rarely showed envy as she did tonight. Instead of a comment, she gazed at her watch.
“We’d better get in line or we’ll miss the show,” Ross said.
She followed Ross, but her mind stayed with her worry—the girls’ competition. Purple. Blue. Maybe rivalry was natural. Lucy sometimes butted heads with Cooper, but two girls the same age should have a few things in common. These two seemed to be at opposite ends of the spectrum.
Ross would do anything for Peyton. She would do anything for Lucy. So where did that leave her and Ross? At opposite ends, too?
Chapter Four
Kelsey’s spine knotted with anticipation, waiting to open the MOSK meeting. She pushed back her shoulders and pulled them forward, hoping to relieve the stress. Despite reservations, she’d settled her mind to her mission. She had to, now that she’d met Ross and understood his need.
Her gaze drifted over the women, recalculating a way to approach the topic without laying too much out in the open. She’d almost hoped Lexie wouldn’t attend, because she knew too much about the situation, and Kelsey knew she’d feel guilty if she didn’t put everything on the table. Facts, feelings and familiarity. Maybe that was the problem. Being too close to Ross and her roiling emotions may have undermined her wisdom and skewed her ability to see all sides of the issue.
The clock hand ticked past the hour, and a couple of women eyed their watches. She had to begin. The agenda gave her time to think through her points, and she hoped by the end of their sharing time, she would have the right words.
Kelsey clapped her hands together and managed a grin. “I’m glad to see so many of you here today. We have some things to talk about, but first, we begin by sharing.” She shifted her gaze to the back of the room. “I see a couple of visitors with us. Welcome. If you have questions, please ask.
We’re here to support each other in any way we can. Now—” she gestured toward the seating arrangement “—let’s scoot our chairs around to form a circle today. It’s nice when we can see everyone.”
The women shifted—some standing and moving their seats and others wiggling their chairs into position. When they’d formed a ragged circle, she turned to Ava.
“Ava, why don’t you start? Tell us about your week, and introduce yourself to our guests.”
Ava raised her hand with a wave, as if wanting to make sure everyone knew who she was, and began. “I’m Ava Darnell, a single mom. My son, Brandon, has Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He’s fourteen.” She gazed at the women in the back of the room as muffled sounds of compassion rippled toward her. “We had good news this week. This round, we had an excellent report. His blood tests showed a little improvement, and he has more energy than he’s had in a long time.”
Words of assurance echoed through the room before the next mom began her news, but Kelsey’s attention slipped into her thoughts and the voices faded. Though she tried to focus, she was concentrating on her goal for the meeting.
Ross’s image had rattled through her mind since Peyton’s birthday. He wanted so much for his daughter, but until Peyton was willing to give and take a chance, Ross’s hopes would never come to fruition. Ideas kept coming, but how could she step in and influence changes? Her actions would result in resentment from Peyton and Ross. She would make Ross feel like a failure as a dad, and he wasn’t. Ross gave so much. She saw it in his face and his actions. He tried so hard it broke her heart.
Lucy’s disappointment made her sad, too. She’d wanted her to be friends with Peyton, but the girl didn’t budge toward acceptance at all. She’d reacted the opposite and thwarted everyone’s efforts to extend her a happy birthday. Kelsey refused to put Lucy through that again.
But then she envisioned Peyton. Lonely. Lost. Forlorn. An ache flared in Kelsey’s chest. She would talk with Lucy and explain. Lucy could take it. She was strong and kind.
Kelsey’s attention snapped back to the women. She’d missed the guests’