"I would not want you to forget him."  He assured her after she spoke of not forgetting the first husband.  "I would want the twins to know him and hear about him.  I won't forget Cressida, nor let Heidi forget about her."  He paused.  There is something she needed to know about Heidi that he didn't share.  Friends knew Heidi was adopted.  Which was true when it came to Cressida.  Though the whole story was a bit more complicated.  If he was to get involved with Karen, he felt she should know.

The knowledge of the nightmares bothered him.  He hated she had to deal with that.  Concern showed in his features and his eyes.  "Anytime you need to talk about it, you know I am here to listen."  He spoke quietly looking into her brown eyes.

At the comment about her not working for him any longer, he gave a pretended think about it.  "Well...."  He teased as if saying it was an idea worth thinking about.  Then gave a more serious expression.  "I am more concerned about what people might say and how that would affect you.  I would not be the cause of pain or discomfort to you."  He assured her.  "As for me, we know men get fewer problems when it comes to things like that."

"However, we need to make it safe for you, all I know is I would like to see where this goes between us."  He pauses, "Though there is something you should know."  He indicated the road and motioned.  "It might be good to keep walking as we talk.  It is something shameful and I would do better explaining it not looking at your face as I speak of it."