Nyc Angels & Gold Coast Angels Collection. Lynne Marshall

hadn’t totally ruined things between them after all? He tried to think of a way to help her understand. “Look, Molly, I know I’m not very good at being in a relationship, and I’m sure I’ve already made tons of mistakes, but I’d like you to give me another chance. I think, no, I’m sure I can do better.”

      She glanced up at him, surprise reflected on her features. “Dan, you haven’t made any big mistakes, not really. It was my fault. I shouldn’t have overreacted.”

      “You didn’t overreact, you had every right to be upset.” When she’d mentioned how the jerk who’d left her had two sons and had used her as a surrogate mother, he’d been extremely angry. And desperate to prove he wasn’t doing the same thing. “I care about you, Molly. But I’m not sure how to show you. It’s been a long time …” He stopped, unwilling to admit how ignorant he really was.

      What did he know about love? He hadn’t ever experienced it before. Not until Molly.

      Stunned, he felt his heart squeeze in his chest. Was he really falling in love with Molly?

      “Oh, Dan,” she murmured, but then stopped whatever she’d been about to say when Josh came wheeling over.

      “Daddy! Craig has two prizes and Amy is crying because she doesn’t have one.”

      “Figures,” he muttered. When the sound of Amy crying grew louder, he broke into a jog. “Don’t leave yet, I’ll be right back,” he called over his shoulder, resenting Craig for being a brat and for interrupting his conversation with Molly.

      A conversation he had every intention of finishing before he let her slip away.

      Thankfully, he needn’t have worried. Molly didn’t leave. In fact, she stayed, helping him serve twenty kids pizza, punch, cake and ice cream.

      When it came time for Josh to open his presents, Dan watched with pride as his son did so with glee, tearing into one package after another. And when Craig tried to grab the remote control to Josh’s new truck, he swiftly intervened, snatching it away and handing it back to Josh. “I think the birthday boy should be the first one to try it, don’t you?” he asked through gritted teeth.

      Craig went back to sulking, but Dan didn’t care. And when the parents of the kids started to arrive, he wanted to weep with relief. Even Stephanie Albert was a welcome sight if nothing more than to get Craig out of his hair.

      “Did you have fun, sweetie-pie?” Stephanie asked, ruffling her son’s hair.

      “Our team didn’t win and he wouldn’t let me play with the remote-control car,” Craig said, shooting Dan a dark look.

      If the kid thought he was going to apologize, he was wrong. “Thanks for coming,” he said cheerfully. “And don’t forget your prize.”

      Craig snatched the mini pinball machine he’d won and stalked off, with his mother trailing behind.

      “Good riddance,” Molly muttered.

      “You have that right,” he said with heartfelt relief.

      More parents streamed in and soon everyone was gone. As the wheelchairs had been picked up earlier, the cleanup job didn’t take long.

      Dan stared at the stack of presents Josh had accumulated. “I’m not sure we’ll be able to fit all this in the trunk of my car, along with Josh’s wheelchair,” he muttered. But he’d rather cut off his arm than ask Molly for help, even though he wanted to finish their conversation more than he wanted to breathe.

      “I’ll help you. Between the two of us we’ll get the car packed up, no problem,” Molly said.

      “Only if you’re sure,” he said, looking down into her bright green eyes. “There’s no scorecard, Molly. If you want to go home, we’ll handle it. You and I can always talk later.”

      Her tremulous smile tugged at his heart. “I know you can handle anything, but I’d like to help, if you’ll have me.”

      Have her? Little did she know he wasn’t about to let her go without a fight.