“I imagine my childhood was the exact opposite of yours. My brother and I ran wild on this land. My father spent a lot of time with us. We’d go camping in the woods and fishing at the creek. My mother was always home, waiting for her men to return, with a hot meal prepared and a smile for all of us. Where Dad was fun, she was strict and kept us all in line, but in a good way. She still tells us all what to do. We always do what she says. We spend the holidays together no matter what else is going on in our lives. We try to get together for dinner at least once a month. I see my father and brother at the office the days I go in, and sometimes when she knows we’re all there together she’ll come down and force us to eat a healthy lunch.”

“Definitely the complete opposite of my upbringing. It was hard when I first had Jack. I had no idea how to take care of a baby. I read all kinds of books, but they don’t really tell you how to be a good parent. I didn’t have anyone to ask how I was doing. I questioned everything I did. I drove myself insane thinking I was going to mess up and do something that would damage him for life. After a while, I finally took some advice from my father and started paying more attention to the cues Jack gave me and relaxed.”

“Sean must have been a big help. He’d grown up with his mom and sister. Surely he was able to lend a hand.”

“Sure.”

Not exactly convincing.

Luke already doubted everything he’d learned about Sarah from Margaret. What his investigator had discovered about Sean spoke of a shitty husband. Apparently he’d been a crap father, too.

Sarah never quite lied about him, but it was evident she never told the whole truth either.

As a lawyer, Luke was very familiar with the tactic. He’d let it go for now. She’d learn to trust him, and he’d find out just how big of a bastard Sean had been to her. Because everything he’d learned in his investigation showed Sean had checked out of the marriage early on, and that sucked for Sarah, who deserved a hell of a lot better. But what Sarah also deserved was a fuller life. She could let go, but she was afraid to. Her reasons for not hiring top-notch staff who would be able to take some of the work off her shoulders sounded like excuses. He needed to discover why she had such a hard time letting go.

“Tell me something you like.”

She eyed him. “What do you mean? Like chocolate?”

He smiled. “Every sane person likes chocolate. What else?”

“Ice cream, rainy days, but only when I get to be inside by a roaring fire reading a book. Horses, but you knew that. I like your garden. It’s very peaceful, and although it’s faded now, I bet it looks spectacular in the spring. I don’t know what else. Most of my time is spent working, instead of enjoying life. I like being a mom. I feel that’s when I’m at my best, when it’s just me and the boys and we’re laughing and playing.”