“What are they?”

“They’re what you need to agree to if you want to pursue this.”

“Whatever you want.”

She chewed her lip a moment. “I’m not convinced you know what it really is you’re saying you want. Love is necessary. And I can admit I never stopped loving you. But it’s not enough. What you’re asking for, the only thing I can see working, is to make yourself a space in the family the girls and I have. You say you want me back and you want to be the man I deserve and that comes with you being a present, engaged father. A co-parent.”

He nodded.

“You need to be here. Every day. Up early to get the girls ready and out the door for school. Then in the afternoons to pick them up, help with homework, dinner, bedtime. I want you to deal with tantrums and slammed doors. I want you to know they’re going to be mad at you for saying no but you say it anyway because that’s your job.

“What we had before? It’s nothing like my life now. I’m not...that girl.” She had stretch marks and cellulite, dark circles under her eyes and two kids.

A smile touched his mouth. “Neither of us is. I want to know you. The Kelly of now. I want waking up early and tantrums.”

She laughed, unable to help herself. “You’re so full of shit, Vaughan. You have no idea.”

“Okay, so I probably don’t. I want to learn. What are the other rules?”

“Why are you being so amenable?”

He frowned. “I’m being too nice?”

Kelly crossed her arms across her chest. “It’s been eight years. You tell me why I shouldn’t be suspicious.”

He put his hands up. “I told you, I know this isn’t going to be easy.”

“My rules are as follows. Total honesty. Lies are bad for a marriage. Not the small ones like who ate the last piece of pizza, but did strange women touch your junk. I need to know that when I ask you a question, or when we’re talking that you’re being totally truthful. If I find out you’re lying, it’s over. I can maybe get past something hurtful you think or have done, but lying about it is an automatic ticket to your stuff on the lawn.”

“Honesty and being here for real for you and the girls. I agree. What else?”

“You will stand between me and your mother. I’m done paying for your sins with that woman. If you’re here, and that’s another one of my rules, this experiment takes place here, not at the ranch. I will not live there.”

There’d been a time when she’d wanted Sharon Hurley to welcome her into the family. To be the kind of mother figure Kelly’d never had. Vaughan’s mother had hated her from the start. During the divorce there’d been some intense and harsh words between them.

That’s when it had become clear to Kelly that Vaughan hadn’t told his mother the whole story about why they’d split.

“I know she’s been less than pleasant at times. I thought it was getting better. She’s...”

Kelly held up a hand. She didn’t want to hear any excuses. “I don’t care what she is, or isn’t. Back when we broke up I was different. I’m not that woman. I will not tolerate any of that bullshit from her again.”

He nodded quickly. “I understand. I agree that here is best for a host of reasons. This is where Kensey and Maddie need to be. Their school and Kensey’s dance classes are here. And it’s got some distance between you and my mom. I need to talk to her, to come clean and own what I did. I’m sorry I didn’t protect you before. I should have.”

Kelly wasn’t holding her breath but she was done letting Sharon Hurley hurt her, and if he wasn’t willing to shield her, it was best to know early on, before she allowed herself to get too close. She had no desire to be with a man and his mother. Sharon needed to back the hell off and learn her place. Which was not in the middle of Kelly’s family.

“Essentially, if you want us back, you need to put us first and protect us. That’s really the bottom line.”

He nodded. “Okay. That’s fair.” Vaughan’s lopsided smile did her in. There was nothing else but to smile back. “So, we’re good? I mean, on the way to good?”

“There’s one more thing.” She blew out a breath. “I need you to give me some time and space with the um, sexytimes stuff.”

He guffawed and then quieted down. “Sexytimes?”

“Look here, buster. What’s between us, what’s always been there between us, that’s so good that it sometimes makes me forget the other stuff because all I want to think about is the sex. Or be doing it, or figuring out how to do it. I want us to have some, oh, I don’t know what to call it.”

“Wooing? Courting?”

“Yes, but those seem sort of innocent words for what you do to my wits when sex is in the mix.”

“Damn, you’re really going to get some fantastic presents for your birthday for this.”

She liked that he teased her. That he was also clearly listening and willing to work things through pleased her even more.

“I wasn’t stupid enough to think we’d end up in bed tonight—though I do live in hope. We have some getting-to-know-you catch-up stuff to do. I agree it’s good to wait. Like a few days, right? Not a year or anything?”

He looked so adorably panicked all she could do was laugh. “Not a year or anything.”

“Okay. I’ll try to keep the smolder down to a reasonable level. A tough job, you know.”