Kate followed Peter up the stairs, her gaze on his broad back as they ascended to the shadowy hallway. She felt as if she had failed some kind of test. At the top of the stairs, Peter stopped and turned to her. “Thanks again for tonight. You were a great help.” His voice trembled slightly, and something she had never considered before now struck her with force. Even the strongest of men could have worries and fears, especially when it came to children. She imagined for the first time that he had suffered, too. She thought of the photograph he kept on his bureau. He probably looked at it every day while he got dressed. He must have suffered so much when he’d lost that woman. Kate felt another wave of compassion for him.
She looked up at him, feeling her cheeks burn when his gaze traveled q
