Chapter 3
Chapter
Three
“Will you look at that,” Sly murmured as he scanned the morning paper over breakfast on a Tuesday morning in mid-April.
Mrs. Rutland stopped working on whatever she was making for dinner to peer over his shoulder. “Ah, you’re reading the Small Business Profile of the Month. I read it earlier, while the coffee percolated. I’ve heard great things about Tender Loving Daycare, TLD for short.”
“Have you,” Sly replied, his mind whirling in shock. He recognized the woman profiled in the accompanying photo. Lana, of all people, the woman he couldn’t seem to stop thinking about. Even now, more than a week after their night together, a glance at her smile got him all stirred up.
But then, the mere thought of her did that.
After a week, he realized he wanted to get to know her. Nothing serious or long-term, but a chance to explore their attraction.
Now he had her full name. Lana Carpenter. He grimaced at the surname and hoped she wasn’t related to Tim Carpenter, the man he was suing. According to the attorney, Carpenter should receive the notice sometime today.
“These monthly profiles put small businesses on the Prosperity map, both for us locals and the tourists,” Mrs. R said.
“With hundreds of businesses to choose from, I think it’s wonderful that the Daily News picked a daycare this time.
You don’t have any kids yet, Sly, but someday you will. Maybe you’ll send them to TLD.”
Sly had already raised a kid—his brother, Seth. And look how that’d turned out. The experience had soured him on having his own children. He’d have to be nuts to put himself—or some poor kid—through that again.
He went back to the article, his eyes on the photo. Lana looked happy and beautiful, as did the boys and girls gathered around her. But if she had her arms around Sly the way she did around those little ones, he’d be grinning just as widely.
“How do you know about the daycare, Mrs. R?” he asked. “Your son and daughter are grown. When they were little, Lana Carpenter was probably in daycare herself.”
“A couple of my kids’ friends take their children there. They’re always talking about how great Lana is. She has a special way with children. They love her.”
She also had other special ways, private things that made a man wild. Of all times for his body to rev up. He wished he could stop thinking about her, but so far, he hadn’t had much luck with that.
Which was why he’d decided to see her again, casually. He’d returned to the Bitter & Sweet last Friday night in case she was there.
She wasn’t. He’d danced with a couple of different women, both of them signaling they were open to more than dancing. But neither could compare to beautiful, funny, sexy Lana, and after an hour or so, he’d left.
Hands on her ample hips, Mrs. Rutland looked worried. “Is something wrong with your omelet?”
He realized he was frowning and curled his lips into a smile. “It’s real good.” He glanced at his watch and was surprised to discover how late it was. “I told Ace I’d help him and the others move part of the herd today,” he said as he shoveled in big bites. “I’d best finish and get out there.”
Counting labor, fencing, feed, and vet care, cattle cost a bundle to raise, nearly three thousand dollars per animal per year.
Sly grew his own nutrient-rich summer and fall pasture grass, which cut down on feed costs and helped keep the animals strong and healthy.
But in winter and spring, he relied on vitamin and mineral supplements instead.
Supplies were running low, and late Tuesday afternoon he headed out to pick up more, as well as a roll of barbwire for the fences, which always seemed to need mending.
But instead of turning east toward Drysdale’s Ranching and Farm Supplies, he headed west. Before he knew it, he was driving along River Drive, a pretty street that followed the Ames River through town and ended at Prosperity Park and the awesome Prosperity Falls.
The cascading waterfall was a popular site for marriage proposals and outdoor weddings, and drew visitors from all over.
Miles before reaching the park, though, he turned off, onto Hawthorn Road.
The colorful Tender Loving Daycare sign immediately drew his attention.
So, this was Lana’s daycare. He slowed way down to study the square clapboard building.
Painted a soft green, it had purple shutters and window boxes.
April was too early for flowers in the boxes, and colorful windmills stood in their stead.
On one side of the building, a big, fenced yard marked a kids’ paradise of swings and slides and a variety of climbing toys. On the other was a parking lot.
Wanting to find out if the attraction between them was as strong as he remembered, he pulled in, noting that the lot was empty except for a minivan, a light green sedan, and his truck.
Well, it was after six. He was debating whether to go inside or take off, when the door opened.
Amy Simmons—no, Amy Watkins now—sauntered through it holding the hand of a pint-size little girl.
Lana followed behind them without a coat, as if she didn’t expect to stay out long.
Amy noticed him right away. “Well, hello there,” she said, approaching him with a dazzling smile. “What brings you to the daycare?”
He had no choice but to slide out of the truck. “Hey, Amy.” He nodded at Lana. “I’m here to see her.”
Lana had moved to stand beside Amy, her eyes wide with surprise. “Sly—uh, hi,” she said.
Amy gave them both speculative looks. “I didn’t realize you two knew each other.”
They knew each other, all right, in ways that would make the woman blush if she realized.
Lana met his gaze, her green eyes warning him to say nothing about how they’d met. He gave a subtle nod, then smiled at the girl peering from behind Amy’s knees. “Is that your little girl, Amy?”
“Yes, this is Courtney. She’s three now.” The woman scooped her daughter up and kissed her. “Say hi to Sly, sweetie.”
The girl giggled. “Hi, Thly.”
She was about the cutest thing he’d ever seen. “Hey there, Courtney.” He patted her head. “How’s married life?” he asked Amy.
“I’m enjoying it. Jon and I are having so much fun with Courtney that we’re having another baby in the fall.
” She touched her softly rounded abdomen.
“Well, I’d better get this little one home.
See you tomorrow, Lana, and thanks for keeping her a few minutes late.
” Amy flashed a sly smile. “You two have fun.”
“How did you and Amy meet?” Lana asked, as the woman buckled her daughter into her car seat.
Sly watched the minivan roll out of the parking lot. “We dated years ago.” Amy had wanted to get serious, but he hadn’t and they’d broken up. “Coming here now is bad timing on my part,” he added. “She’s a big gossip.”
“Tell me about it.” Lana fiddled with the cuff of her blouse, her expression both curious and openly pleased he was there. “How did you find me, and what are you doing here?”
“I saw your business profile in the paper. Great article.” He dug the page from his hip pocket and handed it to her. “In case you didn’t get a hard copy.”
“Thanks, Sly.”
As she took it from him, her fingers casually brushed his. Heat shot straight to his groin, and by the sudden flush of her cheeks, she, too, felt the powerful connection linking them. Yep, the pull between them was as strong as he remembered.
He cleared his throat. “I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye before I left you that morning.”
“I’m glad you let me sleep in. Oh, and thanks for the aspirin. It helped.”
“No problem.”
Both went silent. In the uncomfortable moments that stretched between them, she glanced over her shoulder at the daycare door, as if she wanted to slip through it. “I—”
“You—” he said at the same time, then paused. “You first.”
She nodded. “I want you to know that I usually don’t spend the night with a man I just met. You were the first and the last.”
“I’m honored you picked me. I enjoyed our night together.”
Her warm eyes flashed that she had, too. She had a mouth made for loving. Plump, soft lips that were naturally pink. They parted a fraction, just as they had seconds before he’d kissed her the night they’d spent together.
He definitely wanted to explore that heat, unleash her fiery passion, and enjoy a repeat of their memorable time together.
Stepping closer, he tucked her hair behind her ears with hands that shook.
He wanted her that much. Too much. The strength of his need scared him.
If he was smart, he’d turn around and leave. But his legs refused to budge.
Finally, Lana swallowed and stepped back. “Is there anything else you wanted?”
Besides kissing her and more? At the moment Sly couldn’t think of a thing. He was debating whether to ask her out or walk away while he still could when she spoke.
“Okay, then. It’s chilly out here and I left my coat inside. I also need to get ready for tomorrow. Thanks again for the article.”
She left him standing in the parking lot, feeling both relieved and confused.
Clearly, he’d misread her. She wasn’t that happy to see him after all.
In a way, that made sense. He wasn’t supposed to think about her, and he sure wasn’t supposed to seek her out. They’d agreed on that.
Yet here he was, standing in the parking lot of the business she owned, aching for her, even though getting involved with her could be dangerous.
What the hell was wrong with him?