His Second-Chance Family

He just hated that first shock of pity when people first found out—though he supposed when it came down to it, the familiar sadness from friends like Sage and Anna wasn’t much easier.

Somehow seeing that first spurt of pity in Julia’s eyes made it all seem more real, more raw.

Her life hadn’t been so easy. She was a widow, so she must know a thing or two about loss and loneliness. That didn’t make him any more eager to have her around— or her kids.