She was in her thirties and she’d never had champagne? He filed the information away and returned to what she’d just told him.

“Why Ellen’s parents and not your own?”

“Mine died when I was thirteen.” Her mouth twisted. “It was a shock, of course. They were traveling. We had a small farm and they were creative and spent the winters making beautiful candles they sold at craft fairs. I usually went with them, but that summer Ellen and I were taking a class together at the park and so I stayed with her and her folks while my parents were gone.”

The happiness faded from her eyes. “They were killed in a car accident. There wasn’t any other family. Ellen’s parents took me in so I didn’t have to go into foster care.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Thanks. Anyway, that’s why they helped pay for the wedding.”

“How old were you when you met Stuart?”

“Fifteen.”

“So just two years after losing your parents.” The first boyfriend becomes the husband, becomes the only family. Was that why Unity wasn’t comfortable dating? She’d never had to and didn’t know how?

Their server brought over the glasses of champagne. Thaddeus raised his glass.

“To your adventure.”

She smiled and touched her glass to his, then took a sip. She paused for a second, took a second sip, then smiled.

“It’s wonderful. I like the bubbles. It’s not sweet at all. I thought it would be.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

They placed their order and handed over menus. Unity fiddled with her napkin for several seconds, then looked at him.

“Why did you call me? Our first meeting didn’t go very well.”

With anyone else, he would have had a glib nonanswer ready. He rarely gave away too much this early on. But Unity was different. She obviously didn’t date and had little or no experience with men beyond her late husband. There was a guilelessness about her that made him want to protect her—something that rarely happened.

“I couldn’t stop thinking about you.”

Her eyes widened as she stared at him. “What does that mean?”

He smiled. “I would think the sentence was self-explanatory.”

“You’re right. I mean why? I’m nobody. I’m not interesting. I might even be lost.” She seemed to shrink as she spoke, hunching in the chair.

“I’ll accept confused or in transition,” he told her. “Not lost. Being lost implies a lack of strength. You have strength.”

His words obviously startled her. “Maybe you’re seeing more than there is.”

“I have good instincts about women.” An inability to find one he wanted to marry, but that was different. “You have potential.”

“Potential without action is wasted.”

“Then act.”

One corner of her mouth turned up. “You’re very free with advice.”

“Most people are. Tell me about your business. It’s unusual for a woman to be a handyman.”