Awakened By A Kiss (Once Upon A Romance) (4 page)

Closing the door, Evelyn shivered at the gust of cool air. “This place gives me the willies,” she said, getting a glimpse of the grand empty rooms beyond. “Prissy?” She followed her strawberry blonde friend’s path and peeked into the room. She sighed. “Ruby, my love.”

The red-haired baby cried out and clapped her hands, taking a few steps toward her. The little one wobbled and fell backwards, her bottom hitting the floor. She giggled.

“Ah, my funny girl,” Prissy cooed. “Auntie Ev is going to babysit you. Let me put on your shoes before Daddy gets here.”

“Griff? I thought he was working late.” Evelyn shucked off her coat and dropped that and her heavy tote bag on the nearest chair. This seemed to be the only room with furniture left in it.

“He’s bringing some structure guy to check out a few of the rooms.” Her deep sigh rushed out. She plopped down on the floor and wrestled with the baby’s shoes, trying to match Ruby’s kicks and grab a foot. “It took me so long to get Mother to part with most of her precious things and let me redecorate only to be stalled by the repairs. We may have to replace the roof. Water damage.”

Getting down on the carpet, Evelyn tickled the baby. “How’s my Little Bit?” She dropped a quick kiss on her cheek. “Let Mommy put on your shoes then we can dance.”

“Da?” Ruby asked, reaching for her hair and tugging on the long strands.

Slowly, she untangled her hair and extracted the baby’s hand. “You and me, Ruby.”

“Bee?”

Glancing at Prissy, she laughed. “She’s growing up so fast.” There was a wistfulness she detected in her own voice.

Priscilla sat with her legs crossed and nudged her. “You’re next, my friend. It’s time we find that baby daddy for you. You can’t babysit all our babies for the rest of your life, you know.”

Evelyn groaned. “Tell me about it. But it costs a fortune.”

“Rico offered to donate.” Her impish grin was infectious. “And Dolly volunteered the turkey baster.”

“Can you imagine a mini Rico?” She held up her hand about three feet off the floor. “He’ll fluff his hair and roll those big brown eyes at me and call me girl.” Just picturing it made her crack up.

“O-M-G coming out of his mouth every other minute, too!”

Laughing with Prissy, she scooped up Ruby and helped her stand. “You could boss mini Rico around, couldn’t you?” She held her by the hands and smiled as the baby bent her knees and tried to dance. “Look at you go.”

She was so caught up in watching the baby, she didn’t realize Prissy had jumped up.

“Pixie,” Griff said, coming into the room as he picked up his wife and kissed her. “Too long.” He nearly growled.

Evelyn watched the loving couple. A pang of envy shot through her. What would it be like to have someone look at her like that? But, she brushed it aside. The last thing she needed was to have to deal with a man full-time. Nope, it was baby and her, that’s all.

“Da da,” Ruby cried, straining against Evelyn’s arms to get to him.

He came over and leaned down, scooping her up. “Your daddy’s home, sweetheart.” The baby clutched his face between her hands and kissed him. “My girls.” His gruff exterior he normally had as her boss disappeared the moment his family was near.

“I’ll leave you alone until that structure guy gets here,” she murmured, shifting to her knees.

“I’m here already,” Shane said, holding a hand out to her.

She jerked her head up to meet his stare. “You?” she nearly squeaked out. He’d cleaned up: fresh baby blue shirt that matched the color of his eyes, jeans, and boots. But it was his smile that shot through her.

“In the flesh.” He touched her elbow and helped her to her feet.

She stumbled forward, bumping her head against his chin.

“Dangerous, I tell you,” he half mumbled and half chuckled, rubbing the spot. “It’s the structure guy, at your service.”

“Oops, again.”
Could she just die right now?
His touch lingered on her arm. Tingles followed. Her face warmed even more.

“You’re quite something with her,” he said softly, nodding to Ruby. He captured her stare and there was something in his eyes that touched her. “She’s Little Bit from the picture, right?”

He remembered. Her heart melted.

“You two met?” Griff asked, shifting the baby.

“You know him?” Prissy asked. Her raised brows held more silent questions.

“This morning. The wedding appointment. Rico didn’t tell you? Ah…Miss Hightower.” Evelyn’s words came out jumbled, just like how her middle felt right about now with Shane so near.

“You’re marrying her? Candace Hightower?” Prissy asked. She cupped her hands over her mouth.

“Pixie, can you be more discreet?” Griff shook his head. “No offense, Weston. My wife is excitable.”

She jabbed him in the arm. “Am not. I was just…surprised.”

Shane held his hands up. “Don’t look at me. I’m not the groom.”

Prissy sighed. “What a relief! She’s running Rico into the ground and he’s had it up to here.” She held her hand to her forehead.

“Ah…Prissy. There’s something you should know.” Evelyn tried to get her attention.

“The man is steaming mad. I’ve never seen him so out of sorts. It would be kinda funny if I didn’t have to hear about it every day. How many Lord help me’s can I take?”

“Priscilla—”

“And Peg is beside herself with all the calls she has to field for Griff. I swear, that Hightower woman thinks she can steamroll everyone at King’s.” She finally stopped.

Shane stood frozen beside her. Wincing, Evelyn said, “Um…Shane’s related.”

Griff groaned. Ruby giggled, poking her daddy’s jaw with a stubby finger. Priscilla’s face fell. “I just didn’t say that, did I?”

“His cousin is marrying her.” Evelyn could barely get it out. Her thoughts ricocheted to his admission this afternoon. It could have been him. If he’d followed their post-college pact. Thank goodness he hadn’t. Still, he had a cousin he wanted to save from the woman.

“You have some damage you want me to look at?” Shane asked Griff, essentially cutting off any more comments.

“She’s the one you need to talk to.” Griff nodded to Priscilla. “My wife’s in charge of the project.”

“Mrs. James, is it?” The frost in his voice chilled the air.

“How was I supposed to know?” Priscilla asked, shrugging her shoulders, a few seconds later as she followed the men out of the room.

Evelyn held Ruby in her arms. “Good luck,” she said, cringing for her friend. But it was Shane who turned to glare at her.
What had she done wrong?

Playing with the baby usually made her forget all her troubles. But, not with Shane Weston in the house. Footsteps echoed in the foyer, then the stairs, and finally overhead. The sounds bounced through the empty rooms.

“That man is something else, isn’t he, Little Bit? I swear he has eyes that you can fall into and never know you’re trapped. Blue, warm, and hypnotic. That smile is another thing,” she murmured, rolling a ball on the floor back and forth to the baby.

Ruby gurgled; well, it was a giggle and a salvia bubble mixed together.

“That’s right.” She lowered her voice. “When he smiles like that, I feel my legs go wobbly, like yours when you try to dance. And those lips. I just want to steal a kiss. One kiss. Is that too much to ask?”

The baby caught the ball and cried out in glee.

“See, you agree.” Evelyn got down and shifted to her belly. Ruby copied her. Raised on her elbows facing the little girl, Evelyn smiled. “It’s girl power, right, Rubs? You know how it is.” She sighed. So did Ruby. “Yep, years from now, you’re the one who’s going to be talking to me about boys.”

Her giggle, so like her momma’s, was infectious.

“Ruby James, you’re my kinda girl, do you know that?” Tears smarted Evelyn’s eyes as she stared in wonder at the precious baby looking at her with such love and happiness. “I want one just like you.”

Shane Weston sucked in a sharp breath.

He’d left Griff and his wife in the room just above this one to check to see if the leak extended down here. But he’d gotten more than he bargained for when he’d come around the corner and heard Evelyn talking about him.

Her knees wobbled? She wanted to kiss him?

However, the sight of her and the baby on the floor, nearly elbow to elbow, sucker punched him in the gut. God, she was adorable. And he didn’t mean the baby, either.

All his armor he’d built up after eating lunch with her fell away. She was sexy, funny, and made his heart race whenever she was near. No, he couldn’t get involved. She wanted a baby, maybe even more than that. He wanted… What did he want with her?

With any other woman, he’d have answered quickly and easily. But with her, he hesitated, surprising himself.

Shaking his head to clear it, he must have made a sound; she and the baby turned toward him.

“Shane.” Pink rose to her cheeks. She scrambled to her feet and bent down to lift the baby into her arms, hugging her close.

A sweet rush of longing swept through him.
Nope, Weston, don’t go there.
He pointed to the ceiling. “Checking for a leak.” He walked around her and to the spot directly under the place he’d just come from upstairs. Paint may have covered it up, but he was certain there was a slow drip coming from above. 
Roof or pipes?

“Well, what’s your verdict?” Griff asked, coming into the room.

“I’ll need to send a crew in the morning. But I’d bet good money not only will you have to replace the roof, but the pipes as well.”

Priscilla moaned. “Mother’s going to have a conniption fit.”

Shane tried not to smile, but his lips twitched. “She can always move in with you until it’s done.” He swore her face lost all its color.

“Okay, you win. Payback over and done.” She brushed her hands off. “But, don’t you dare suggest that to my mother.”

“Really now?” He scratched his jaw.

“No, seriously,” Priscilla said. “I’ll…I’ll do anything you say.”

Panic crept into her green eyes. He took pity on her. But a thought came to him. “Anything?” When she nodded, he said, “Put Evelyn in charge of the Hightower wedding.”

“What?!” Evelyn cried. “But I don’t even like her.”

“Exactly.” If he could get Evelyn to ruin the wedding, then he’d never have to break his cousin’s heart. Maybe, just maybe, once Candace went on tirade after tirade, Dexter would see Candace for who she really was and what she really wanted from him.

***

“I can’t believe you did that,” Evelyn fumed as she jammed the seat belt into the metal slot. The loud click resounded in the interior.

“I’m desperate.” He maneuvered the sleek black Jaguar onto the street.

“So why are you paying for the wedding anyway?” Her fiery anger pelted him.

Sighing, he said, “Dex asked and I agreed, for his parents’ sake, before he revealed who the bride was.” He hesitated a moment. “In spite of their rumored wealth, hers can’t afford another one of her whims.”

That seemed to rob her of speech, only for a moment. “Whims?”

“One of a long line.” He shifted gears and took the corner. “It’s left them broke, I’m afraid. She’s their only child and they indulge her, sometimes to the extreme.”

“That explains it,” she muttered.

“Spoiled? Yep. Rotten? Not to the core.” He couldn’t fathom that about her, didn’t want to go there. She used to be so different. Not stuck up or condescending. He had no idea what had happened to that college girl.

“Why Dex? I mean, he’s sweet and everything…” Her voice trailed off.

“Book smart. But not people smart. I think he’s smitten, poor guy.”

“She’s turned his head,” she agreed. “But not yours? Ever?”

He chuckled. “I kept her in check. Until I didn’t. I didn’t see this coming with Dex.”

Suddenly, she grew alert. “Where are you taking me?”

“My house.”

He heard her gulp. “I…I can’t.”

“I’m harmless,” he assured her.

“I doubt that,” she muttered.

She might just be right about that, too.

***

Evelyn White clutched her heavy tote as she huddled in a cozy chair in his plush living room. If she could get over being mad at him, she’d love to gawk at his ultra-beautiful house. Gleaming wood floors stood out, the world-class architecture took her breath away, and the overall impression of casual elegance warmed her in a place she thought she’d never go again. Too bad she wasn’t going to investigate further. But, it wasn’t happening. Not tonight.

“Wine?”

“Nope.” Her mutinous stare only made him laugh. “It’s not funny.”

“Should I call the convent and tell them you’ll be home late?”

Her lip twitched.

He straddled the small ottoman in front of her. She leaned back. “I don’t bite.”

Eyeing him, she couldn’t believe how touchy she was. He looked tame enough. Heck, he didn’t even try to kiss her or come on to her. “Why are you doing this to me?”

“I need an ally, Ev—can I call you Ev?” He raised an eyebrow.

“Can I stop you?”

A gleam tinkled in his eyes. “Nope.”

She shook her head. “I’m sure Rico would love to help you.”

“You’re prettier. And he pissed off Candace to no end this morning. Not good. She holds grudges.”

“She hates me. And, I can barely tolerate her.” That was a fib. Evelyn couldn’t stand the woman.

“Yeah, I got that feeling when you were whispering into the phone in the elevator this morning.”

Her cheeks warmed. “You heard?”

“Hard not to. But I was trying to avoid your attack with the toys spilling all over the place and trying to dodge that damn thing you were waving around.”

“It’s a portfolio.” She tried not to smile, but failed.

“Weapons,” he teased.

If truth be told, she liked him like this. She could almost let her guard down. Holding up her hands, she said, “Okay. I’m not the most graceful person.”

“That’s an understatement.” His delivery came with a grin, so she didn’t let it wound her.

“Weston—may I call you, Weston?” She carried on without an answer. “I see what you’re doing. It ain’t working. I can’t help you ruin a wedding. I’d be fired. And the press would eat this up and spit out King’s Department Store without a second thought. The King family is my family. I wouldn’t do that to them.” She didn’t add her brother was going to marry Peg in a few weeks’ time.