“I don’t know what you want from me,” she said to him.

He walked toward her. Very slowly. His lack of emotion only fueled hers.

“Do you want me to beg? Is that it? I’m sorry. I messed everything up from the very beginning because I’m smart in some things and stupid in others. I never thought about protection because my husband and I did not make love. And I never thought about what would happen if I fell in love with someone because I never had fallen in love, even slightly… Not in twenty-seven years! I actually thought some people got love and some people got brains… I didn’t know love made people brainless! And I didn’t tell you about the babies because you had just gotten married and I thought you loved someone else. And then I didn’t tell you because I just plain didn’t know how. So what do you want from me, huh, John?”

He stared at her during her tirade. No expression whatsoever.

“Huh, John? What if they weren’t yours, but really my dead ex-husband’s kids? Wouldn’t it be pretty apparent that they’re crazy about you just the same? They are, you know. They ask when John’s coming, and I don’t know how to tell them that John’s mad because he just found out he’s their real, true daddy and he’s upset. But not about being a dad, I don’t think. About not being told sooner.”

She gave a sniffly kind of gulp and wiped impatiently at her tears. He just watched her face, his arms hanging loose at his sides.

“What more could I have done if I’d wanted to do things perfectly? I just wanted to come back to Durango, where you are, and somehow make it right with you. I never dreamed you would be divorced. I was prepared to find you happily married and the father of a bunch of little, tiny kids. I didn’t know if I’d be very good at working things out, but I knew it was right that you know about your sons.” Her tone changed. “They’re good boys, John. They’re sweet, honest, lovable, precious, smart little boys. I thought you’d be so proud of them.

“I was so stunned to find you alone. I was so surprised to find you still had some feelings for me. Honest. I had never given myself credit for being able to have that kind of impact on a man…especially a man I was wildly in love with. And then to see that you couldn’t help but have some feelings for them, too…well, I was beside myself with happiness. But I messed up one more thing by not telling you soon enough.”