Chapter 12
Chapter
Twelve
Kate checked her watch. Marley was due to arrive in five minutes. And then she’d go out to her car, drive to Maple Cross, and spend the evening with a man she’d never met before.
She took a deep breath. She’d spent most of the week thinking about canceling the date, because the thought of eating dinner with this Allen guy was making her stomach twist.
Sure, he seemed nice. After Shana had installed the app on Kate’s phone, she’d actually managed to chat with him. He was a teacher, luckily not at any of her kids’ schools. He taught math at a high school over near Charleston, but lived locally. Apparently, a lot of high school teachers preferred not to live near their schools, so they didn’t bump into their students while they were trying to relax.
Truth be told, she hadn’t liked it when he said that. It made her feel protective of James and also wonder how Allen would feel about her teenager. He hadn’t asked much about her children, and she hadn’t volunteered.
“That’s a good thing. You’ll have more to talk about on the date,” Shana had reassured her.
But right now she wanted to take off the black sleeveless blouse and tight jeans she’d put on and climb into her pajamas and spend the evening watching movies with her kids instead.
“Can I try your lipstick on?” Addy asked. She was standing at Kate’s bathroom counter, where her makeup was still strewn across the surface.
“Not now, honey. You just had a bath.”
But it was too late. Addy was already smearing the pink goo across her lips. Well, around her lips at least. Kate tried not to laugh at the way her daughter looked like a clown.
“Come here,” she said, grabbing a makeup remover wipe. “I promise I’ll show you how to use it tomorrow, okay?”
Addy nodded as Kate wiped her face clean. “Can I stay up late tonight?” she then asked her mom.
“No. You have to go to bed when Marley says so.”
“What about if I get nightmares?” Addy asked.
“You won’t,” Kate said, reassuringly. “And anyway, I won’t be late. I’m just going out to dinner.”
“With a man .” Addy wrinkled her little nose. Kate knew the kids had been talking about it. She’d tried so hard to hit the right balance of being honest with them and making it so not a big deal. She wasn’t sure she’d hit the mark, if she was being truly honest.
“With a friend.” Okay, that was a bit of a lie. She didn’t know Allen enough to call him a friend. But she also didn’t want Addy thinking there was more to it. “That’s it. And then I’ll be home.”
“Will you come see me when you get back?” Addy asked.
“You’ll be asleep. But I’ll check on you, I promise.”
“If I get scared can I sleep in your bed?” Addy looked longingly into Kate’s room at her queen size bed.
Kate let out a long breath. She was already working out how she could apologize to Marley if the kids misbehaved. Maybe she shouldn’t go. It was too soon. Not just for her but for them.
She’d barely been out of the house in the last two years without them. No wonder Addy was asking so many questions. Truth was, she was worried about Marley being able to handle the kids. Sure he had nephews and a niece, plus an extended family so big there were always kids around. But this was one-on-three.
And then there was the whole stupid thing of how attracted she was to him. Oh Allen, please take my mind off him.
“Okay,” Kate said, deciding not to fight this one. “You can sleep in my bed but only for tonight.”
Addy’s grin was huge as she wrapped her arms around Kate’s waist. “Thank you, Mommy. I love you.”
“I love you too.” She stroked her daughter’s hair. When she looked up, James was standing in the doorway. “Go put the television on,” she told Addy. “You can watch some cartoons before bedtime.”
Addy didn’t need asking twice. She was out of Kate’s bedroom like a shot. Kate turned to her son, lifting her brow. “I get the feeling Marley’s going to have his work cut out for him.”
“I could have watched Ethan and Addy without him,” James pointed out.
“I know you could.” But she’d promised herself when she had Ethan – long before she’d lost Paul – that she wouldn’t use their oldest son as a babysitter. It seemed even more important now. James deserved to have a childhood, not to be her crutch. “And I’d be grateful if you could help him with your brother and sister.”
“Sure.” James nodded. “So this guy…”
“Allen.” It was strange how nervous she felt saying his name.
“Is he a good guy?”
It was funny, because this was the kind of conversation she’d expected to have with her dad when she first started dating. But by then, her dad had passed and her mom hadn’t shown any interest in her dating life.
It touched her heart just a little that James was sounding so protective.
“I don’t know. I think so. But that’s why you go out to dinner with somebody. To find out what they’re like. It’s not a big deal. I just want to know if he’s worth talking to or not.” She reached for his hand. “I promise you I’m not trying to replace Dad.”
James’ jaw tightened. Damn, she loved this kid. Watching him growing into a man was one of the biggest privileges of her life. Bigger now that she was the only parent that got to see it. He was learning to control his emotions. Deal with them. And yes, sometimes he failed – the party in the fields being the biggest example – but he was mostly winning.
“I know. Nobody can replace him.”
She nodded. “If you’d rather I stay home, I will.” And that was being honest, too.
“No, you go. It’s fine. Just don’t expect me to call him daddy.”
She couldn’t help it. She started laughing. And then – to her joy – James joined in. It was what she needed, maybe what they both needed. Because this was no big deal, it really wasn’t.
“Mommy! Marley is here,” Addy was leaning against the bedroom window, her nose pressed against the glass, her breath frosting against it.
“Come here,” James said, pulling his sister into his arms. She squealed with joy. Any attention from her biggest brother was like a gift to her. He rubbed his nose against hers and she laughed.
“I’ll go open the door,” James said.
“Thank you.” Kate smiled at him. “Tell him I’ll be down in a few. Just as soon as I look presentable.”
“You look great, Mom,” James said. Then he glanced at her bare arms. “But maybe put on a jacket or something.”
“Of course.” Kate grinned at her protective son. “I wouldn’t want to get cold in this eighty degree heat, would I?”
What the hell are you thinking? Pres’ voice sounded so clear in his mind that Marley almost looked behind him to see if his brother was standing there on the stoop outside Kate’s house.
But no, he was alone. It was just the memory of their conversation from earlier and maybe a little of his own thoughts, too.
He was a masochist. Plain and simple. That had to be it. Somewhere along the line he must have developed a need for pain.
“Marley!” Addy grinned as James opened the door.
“Hey kid.” He forced a smile onto his face and ruffled her hair. His eyes caught James’ and they both nodded like the man and almost-man they were.
“Come on in,” James said. “Mom’s almost ready.”
“Cool.” He steadied himself to see her. Because yes, she’d been on his mind almost constantly this week.
Ethan was in the living room, watching some cartoon that looked way too mature for him. The kind made for adults, not kids, but Marley wasn’t about to start off on a bad note.
“Hey,” he said, popping his head around the door, smiling at Kate’s middle child.
“Hi.”
Then he heard the footsteps on the stairs and it was like a billion bubbles were popping in his chest. He turned to see her, her hair glossy and wavy as it fell around her shoulders. She was wearing a pair of black jeans and a black silky sleeveless top, an ivory jacket in her hands. Little diamond earrings were fastened in her ears and she had a chunky silver bracelet on her wrist.
“Hi,” she said softly.
He forced that smile again. “Hi.”
Fuck, she was beautiful. He wanted to feel the smoothness of her top, the silkiness of her hair.
The warmth of her skin.
“You look good,” he said, his voice thick.
Kate’s smile was genuine. “I’ve promised James I’ll wear the jacket.”
“Good.” Okay so that one escaped before he thought about it. But her smile didn’t waver. “You heard from Shana?”
“She’s already at the restaurant,” Kate told him. “She’s calling it a stakeout. Apparently, she’s in all black like some kind of dating Ninja.”
Of course she was. Damn, he liked Shana. “If anything happens, anything at all. Just call, okay?”
“Yeah, call us,” James added. “We’ll handle this guy if you need us to.”
Kate looked from her son to Marley, her eyes crinkled with amusement. “It’s dinner. The worst that can happen is that he’s a messy eater.” She lifted her hand to her hair, tucking a lock behind her ear. Her skin had a light tan to it, the way most people in town had at this time of year. No matter how much sunscreen you applied, it was never enough.
The underside of her arm, though, was pale. For a second he imagined how it would feel against his lips.
“Okay then.” Kate looked like she was steeling herself to go into battle. “I’m going. Come here,” she said to James, hugging him. Then she cuddled Addy against her. “Ethan, I’m leaving.”
“See you later,” he shouted back.
She shook her head and walked into the living room, then a moment later Ethan let out a squeal as she almost certainly squeezed him tight.
James and Addy wandered into the kitchen, so Marley was the only one left in the hallway when she came back out.
“Wish me luck,” she murmured to him.
He crossed his fingers behind his back. “Good luck.”
She didn’t look in any hurry to leave. He liked that way too much. “Thank you for taking care of them,” she told him. “If they cause any problems, let me know.”
“They won’t. It’s just a few hours.” And then she’d be back and he’d be able to breathe again.
She nodded, then hesitated for a second, before rolling onto her tiptoes and kissing his cheek. Her lips were soft, warm, and damn, he should have shaved before coming over. The sweet smell of her perfume invaded his senses. Made his stomach twist.
It was an automatic reaction to reach out and curl his palm around her hip. If you asked him, he’d maintain that stance until the day he died. But there was something about the feel of her body against his that caused desire to shoot through his torso and into his limbs.
A caveman-like need overtook his mind. His hold on her tightened. She pressed her palms against his chest, not to push him away, but to steady herself, and damn if he didn’t flex his pectorals like a damn gorilla.
Her eyes went wide. And so close he could see the gold flecks in the green of her irises. Could see himself reflected back in the darkness of her pupils.
She opened her mouth to say something, then closed it again.
His fingers twitched with the need to slide them to her back, to feel the curve of her ass, the warmth of her thighs. For a moment he imagined hitching one of them around his waist, pushing her against the wall.
Carrying her up to bed.
Laughter came from the kitchen and Kate took a step back. She blinked like she’d just been stunned.
“Drive safely,” he muttered. “And be careful.”
Her chest hitched. “I just…”
“Go, Kate.”
Because if she didn’t go now, he wasn’t sure he’d have the willpower to stop himself again.
She nodded and slid the jacket over her arms – good girl – before glancing his way one more time. There was a question in her eyes. One he didn’t have the answer to.
“I’ll be back soon,” she said. It sounded like a promise.
He nodded. “Be safe.”