She sat down at the kitchen table with her children and set her clasped hands on the top. “Matt moved out.”

They said nothing, but their eyes were open wide. Clara began to cry.

Madeline swallowed hard. “He’s asked me for a divorce. I have the papers and I just have to sign them.”

Eduardo reached across the table and touched her hand. “Mom, why? Did we do something wrong?”

Heaviness filled her chest as she looked into her son’s apologetic eyes. “Oh, no, honey. This has nothing to do with you at all. He loves you. He was most worried about all of you.” She patted his hand and reached for Clara’s. “Matt and I, well, we’ve just grown apart. After your dad and I got a divorce, we seemed to need each other. I just don’t think we ever loved each other like a man and wife should. We loved each other like friends.”

Clara flew from her seat and into Madeline’s arms. The strength that she’d been holding on to collapsed, and she sobbed with her daughter against her chest. The softness of Clara’s hair brushed against her cheek, and the strawberry scent reminded her how young her children still were. How precious. How innocent.

Eduardo stood and walked to his mother and sister. He wrapped his arms around both of them. Christian sat strong across the table and watched, as she’d known he would. He was the strong and silent one. He’d break down in his room with the door shut. When he did, she would go to him.

And when it was time, she went to him.

She’d gone to each of them. She’d kissed and hugged them and tucked them all into bed. Even at fifteen Eduardo hadn’t protested.

With the house quiet, Madeline closed the door to her bathroom and locked it. She ran the bathtub as full and as hot as she could. Then she took the pamphlets she’d received from the doctor’s office out of her bag. As she sank into the hot bath with bubbles and candles surrounding her, she read about the cancer that was eating away at her body.

Her doctor had told her that her chances for survival were almost one hundred percent. But it was the word almost that had her nervous. She’d supported breast cancer research with donations and by walking in charity events. She’d even known a handful of women who had gone through it, including her boss. Never in a million years did she imagine she’d be going through it. Worse yet, she was going through it alone.

There was no reason to alarm her children. Until she had to, she’d keep it from them. Matt was gone. The end of her marriage only needed finalization from the courts. He’d even told her he was planning to take a job in Kentucky to put some distance between them. So certainly, she wasn’t going to call him and tell him.

She closed her eyes and began to sob.

The one person she knew she’d be able to count on would have been Carlos. But then she recalled all of the stories her children had come home with. Each and every one of them had Kathy’s name attached to it. He’d moved on. It was only a matter of time before Carlos found happiness and remarried. It had always surprised her he’d stayed single for so long.

He’d take care of the children if he had to. They seemed to like Kathy a lot. Perhaps she’d be a good mother to them if she…

She didn’t want to think about Matt, cancer, or Carlos anymore. She dropped the pamphlets on the floor next to the tub and dropped her head under the water, waiting till her lungs burned with the need for oxygen before she came back up. It didn’t help clear her thoughts of Carlos.

Chapter Two

Carlos watched Kathy set the table for dinner. She fit right in with the domestic lifestyle, he thought. She smiled when she caught his glance. “How is your sister?”

“Happier than I’ve ever seen her.” He pulled a slice of carrot from the salad bowl and bit it in half. “Tyler is the love of her life.”

She filled their glasses with the red wine he’d brought. “I never thought anyone would edge out Zach.”

Carlos watched her as she moved the rest of the meal to the tiny table where he sat. She was so different from his ex-wife, Madeline. Thick blonde hair skimmed her shoulders. Her eyes were crystal blue and her figure was slim and fit. She was tall and leggy. She was what every man had dreamed of when he was younger.

Madeline, on the other hand, was curvy and barely cleared five-foot-three. Her hair had been long when they’d fallen in love, but after each child was born, it got a little shorter. He liked the way she wore it now. It was a classic bob, as his daughter told him once. Madeline’s eyes were as dark and rich as his were. She was full-blooded Italian and he was Puerto Rican. It had made for a beautiful mix in their children.

Kathy touched his arm and he looked up into her worried eyes. “You seem preoccupied. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. I already miss the kids.”

“You’re a great father.” She dipped her head down and brushed his lips with a gentle kiss. “Now what’s really wrong? This isn’t your usual I-miss-my-kids look.”

They’d been together for almost six months, but in that time, she’d learned to read him. He couldn’t hide anything from her. “Madeline was there.”

“How is she?” She set the casserole dish on the table and then sat in her chair.

He kept his eyes on her. She really was something. There wasn’t even a hint of jealousy in her voice. That couldn’t be normal, he thought. Wasn’t the woman who came after the wife supposed to be bitter and hateful toward the ex?

“I don’t think she’s feeling very well. She set Tyler back in his bassinette and almost passed out.”

Kathy’s head snapped up. “Oh, no. What do you think is wrong? Did you call Curtis? Did he see her? If you think something is wrong, you should get her some help.”

A smile crept across his lips.

Kathy’s eyebrows rose. “Why are you smiling? People just don’t pass out if they’re healthy. You need to get her some help. Call Matt and see what’s going on.”

“I love you.” The words had flown from his mouth before he’d had time to consider them.

She sat back in her chair and kept a cautious eye on him. “Excuse me?”

“I love you.”

“I heard you, I just…”

“I know I’ve never said it, but I’m saying it now.” He took her hand in his and kept his eyes steady on hers. “You’re amazing. You just sat here and completely worried about my ex-wife.”