Wounded Hearts

Chapter Nine

"Let's go to the beach, daddy, pleeeeease!" Penelope begged jumping up and down. Ronan sighed and looked outside. It was a beautiful day and it was going to be hot and it would give him an excuse to call Laura today.

All his thoughts and dreams the night before had been of Laura. He had woken up covered in sweat and tangled in his sheets and even the cold shower he had taken hadn't been enough to cool his body or his thoughts. He was almost a twenty-eight year old man but that one amazing kiss he had shared with Laura had him feeling like a teenager again.

"Okay, sweetpea." he said giving her a wink. "But we'll have to go home first and get our swimsuits."

"Can we see if Laura wants to come?" Penelope asked and Ronan wondered if maybe his daughter was psychic. Ronan could feel Abigail's eyes on him from where she was sitting at her dining room table with a magazine.

"Yeah we can call Laura." he replied. "Now go on and get your stuff." Penelope took off down the hall to the guest room.

"So I take it that it went well yesterday?" Abigail asked.

"Yeah it went well." Abigail smiled happily.

"That is wonderful! So is today going to be a real date then?"

"If she agrees to come and if you can call going to the beach with a five year old a date, then yes."

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Abigail asked suddenly seeming wary. Ronan raised brow as he crossed his arms over his chest and looked at her.

"What do you mean?" he asked. Abigail sighed, stood up and walked over to him.

"Laura seems like a good woman and I just want to make sure that you're serious about this. I don't want to see her, or you, get hurt."

"Abigail, you know me. I really like Laura. I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't think that her and I could stand a chance at having something special." Ronan replied. Abigail nodded and hugged him

"Just take it slow, Ronan. Make sure you're not just using her for a rebound or something like that." Ronan pushed her off of him and shook his head angrily.

"You make no sense. One second you're pushing me to go out with her and the next you're telling me to back off." he exclaimed with frustration. "Laura is not a rebound, or whatever else you're thinking. I really do like her. I like her a lot as a matter of fact. Besides if I was just interested in a rebound I would have said yes to Susan a long time ago." he added. Abigail made a face, looking very much like she smelled something rotten.

"Susan? Isn't that the guidance councilor at the kid's school that has been after you forever?" Ronan nodded.

"Have a little faith in me. I might not be entirely sure where the relationship is going or how quickly it will get there but I can tell you right now that I would never hurt her on purpose and that I am taking it very seriously."

Before Abigail could reply Penelope came running back into the room. She grabbed Ronan's hand and pulled him toward the door.

"Come on, daddy! I want to go to the beach!" she exclaimed. Ronan gave Abigail a small wave and then he and Penelope left.

Abigail watched them drive away and smiled to herself. Ronan must really be serious about Laura because he hadn't even mentioned wanting his wedding ring back.

888

"Oh my God, I am going to die." Laura said aloud as she looked up from the stack of tests she was grading and rubbed her throbbing temples. She had not slept a wink the night before because thoughts of Ronan's kiss had kept her awake. She had known the man over a month.. Was it too soon to be falling in love? Because she was fairly certain that love is right where she was heading… If she wasn't there already.