A Heart Decision (34 page)

Annie brushed a wisp of hair from her face, and a
flash of gold on her left hand gleamed in the sunlight.

Great. She was already married. From the way she’d
smiled at him, he’d stupidly assumed she was single. It was just as
well. She was way too young.

She waved to her friend and strolled back toward
him, calling over her shoulder to the other woman, “I’d better get
home to Mitch. If I don’t give him some lovin’ before I leave for
work, he’ll find a way to punish me.”

Tyler could only pity her if her husband was
anything like the selfish low-life who’d sired him.

“You shouldn’t put up with him behaving like that,”
he said when her path crossed his.

“I don’t have much choice.” Annie sighed as he fell
into step beside her, heading toward his car. “It would break my
son’s heart if I got rid of him.”

Or so she assumed. Her kid might actually applaud if
she kicked his old man out. Tyler certainly would’ve celebrated if
his mother had been strong enough to demand a better life for him
and his sister. “I wasn’t suggesting making him leave. I was
thinking of counseling.”

“Right.” She snorted. “I can barely afford to feed
the beast. I’m not about to waste money on a doggy shrink.”

His jaw went slack. “Mitch is a mutt?”

“Sure.” She laughed. “Who’d you think I was talk—”
She glanced down at the ring on her finger. “Oh, right. It was my
late mother’s. I wear it on this finger to keep sleazy lechers from
propositioning me.”

“Ouch.” He winced. “I occasionally have impure
thoughts, but I’m definitely not sleazy.”

“I didn’t mean
you
. I was referring to the
married variety who assumes that, as a single mother, I’m willing
to jump into bed with anyone.”

“I’m grateful you’re not lumping me in with them.”
He was especially glad to hear she was nothing like Erica. Despite
the lunacy of his attraction, there was no denying his urge to get
to know Annie better. Just because he dated and became friends with
a woman, didn’t mean he had to marry her.

“So what kind of dog is Mitch?” he asked to keep the
conversation alive.

“The vet says he’s mostly yellow Lab. He looks a lot
like the dog from the movie
Marley and Me,
except he makes
that animal seem well-behaved.”

He could listen to her lilting voice all day, but if
he wanted to ask her out, now was his chance. He wiped his sweating
palms on his suit trousers. It had been nearly ten years since he’d
asked anyone for a date. He flashed one of his most charming smiles
at her, attempting to hide his nervousness. “So, uhh, how about
dinner some evening?”

Her eyes screamed a Harry-met-Sally
Yes
! But
her mouth said, “Sorry, I don’t date. Not even reputable lechers.
And I have sincere doubts about you, considering you’re asking me
out less than three months after losing your wife.”

“I know it may sound heartless, but if it weren’t
for Mandy and Erica’s pregnancy, my marriage probably would’ve
ended a long time ago.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, but I’m still not
interested.”

Evidently she needed to know a man longer than ten
minutes before she agreed to break bread with him. At least she’d
directed her rejection at his entire gender and not only him.

“Okay.” He shrugged one shoulder, trying desperately
to act as if her refusal hadn’t stung. “But I think we could have a
good time. If you change your mind, let me know.”

He opened his car door and glanced at the expensive
watch his sister and buddy, Luke, gave him flak over. Wonderful. He
had six hours to drive to and from his law practice in Princeton
and squeeze in ten hours worth of work before he had to be back at
the school.

Originally, he’d intended to take the rest of the
week off while he hired a housekeeper who would also look after his
daughter. Unfortunately, last minute developments in his
negotiations had put the kibosh on that plan.

Even though hiring domestic help would solve his
childcare problems, it wouldn’t buy Mandy the maternal TLC she
craved. What she really needed was a stepmother.
Ergo
—he
needed a wife.

He’d been randy and stupid when he’d married Erica,
letting his libido and professional aspirations blind him to what
was important in a mate and mother. The next time, he wasn’t
settling for a woman who would simply be an asset to him in his
business and social life. He was holding out for the real thing. He
wanted companionship and love. Unfortunately, years of loneliness
had worn his patience to a frazzle.

Maybe he could kill two birds with one stone and run
a classified ad that read, Wanted: Young, sexy housekeeper to cook,
clean, provide childcare, and warm the bed in the master suite.
Future possibility of marriage. Sense of humor required.

He slipped behind his car’s steering wheel and
laughed. An editor would probably insist on placing that kind of ad
in the personal column.

Annie stopped in her tracks a few feet beyond his
car and glanced back. “What’s so funny?”

Ooops
. “Nothing.” He suppressed his smile.
“Would you like a lift home? Or did you walk to the school for the
exercise?”

“No. I get plenty of that working.” Her yearning
gaze scanned his Jaguar. “My car is two trips away from the
junkyard, and with the price of fuel, I try to go as many places as
I can on foot power.”

“Hop in.” He reached across the seat and opened the
passenger door. “I’ll have you home in two shakes and a
wigg—
whistle
,” he corrected, cringing inwardly.
Idiot.
And you wonder why you bombed with her
.

Her hesitation suggested she wasn’t sure whose home
he’d been referring to. She blinked several times before she
finally slid into the leather bucket seat next to him and ran her
hand appreciatively over the dashboard as if she were sensually
caressing a lover.

Squashing the image, he shoved the gearshift into
first. “Where to?”

“Turn right. I’m less than mile down the main road.”
She directed him to the dilapidated cottage situated directly
across from the winding lane that led to his five-bedroom home.

Annie’s tiny house had been built on the busy
thoroughfare at least fifty years ago, long before the suburbs of
Philadelphia had expanded northward and turned Bucks County into a
haven for young executives. In recent years, the rolling
countryside, previously dotted with picturesque farms, had been
slowly devoured by high-priced residential subdivisions like
his.

Her home desperately needed a new roof and paint
job. With every passing minute, his respect for her grew by leaps
and bounds. It was obvious she was barely hanging on financially.
But it was also equally apparent that she hadn’t let life beat her
down.

He’d lost count of how many times he’d listened to
his neighbors gripe about what an eyesore her property was and how
the town should condemn it. Still, her little bungalow was too
reminiscent of his childhood home for him to pass judgment on it.
He glanced across the street at the professionally landscaped
entrance to his prestigious development. He’d come a long way from
his shabby impoverished past—but not nearly far enough to forget
it.

He swung the car into her cracked driveway next to a
rust-speckled subcompact and then jumped out to open her door.

“Thanks for the lift.” She took the hand he offered
to help her out of the car, and the air stalled in his chest. “I
hope the rest of your day is better.”

“You’re not the only one.” He blew out his breath,
trying to ignore his schoolboy reaction to her simple touch. “I
never realized what a tough job mothers have.”

“It just takes a lot of love, devotion, and
patience,” she said in a rehearsed tone that sounded as if she
needed convincing as much as he did. “And laughter can’t hurt.”

“I have the love and devotion covered. Hopefully,
I’ll develop the patience and sense of humor before Mandy goes to
college.”

Otherwise the next twelve years were going to seem
like an eternity—for both of them.

First and foremost, I praise God for giving me the
imagination and ability to write. So many people have contributed
to my career and helped mold me into the author I’ve become. I’d
like to take this opportunity to thank:

My husband who’s given me more support than any
writer could hope for and who is the kind of man who inspires all
of the best characteristics of the heroes in my stories

My son—not just for his encouragement and advice, but
for blessing me with the best daughter-in-law any woman ever had
and for giving me an adorable grandson

My wise daughter who never doubts me and who did me
the favor of marrying a wonderful man, who is also a talented
author

My mom who passed on the love of reading to me and
who never lets me forget there are other things in life besides
writing

My father and my dear late friend. Both of you
believed in me but left us too soon to share in my joy. I miss you
both every day.

My sister and sisters-in-law, a/k/a my most faithful
cheerleaders

My nieces and nephews who motivated me to keep going
and compelled me to set an example of perseverance

My brother and brother-in-law who never considered my
writing a hobby

My prior neighbor and good friend who convinced me to
join RWA® and start writing

My critique partner and sister-of-the-heart who never
lets me down in pointing out why my babies aren’t ready for the
runway

My beta-readers and good friends

Romance Writers of America® and all its generous
members who helped me learn to use the talent I was blessed
with

The members of the RWA Chapters Bucks County Romance
Writers, New Jersey Romance Writers, and the Golden Network

All my Golden Heart friends from 2004, 2006, 2007,
2009, 2010, and 2011—especially my 2009 Ruby-Slippered Sisters with
whom I share a multi-author blog at
http://www.rubyslipperedsisterhood.com