Authors: Judy Christenberry
“She doesn’t count.”
“Why not?”
“Because she married my dad for his money. She had breeding, but he had cash. He basically bought her.”
“And your dad?”
They divorced. He remarried and had one son. Then he died.”
“So you have a half brother?”
“Technically, but the only time I’ve seen him was at Dad’s funeral. I tried to contact my dad before his death, but he told me that his family had nothing to do with me and my mother.”
Nick frowned. “That was rather harsh.”
“It was to me, but he didn’t seem to think so.”
Nick couldn’t stop himself from reaching out to take her hand in a comforting gesture. When she didn’t pull away, he ran his thumb over the top of her hand like a caress. He had to admit, he liked touching Jennifer. Maybe too much.
Apparently so, because she squirmed and turned to look out her window. He put his hand back on the wheel. He needed it to turn, he told himself.
After that, silence loomed, until Jennifer said in a small voice, “Alzheimer’s is a horrible disease. I can’t believe I didn’t see the signs in Grace.”
“It’s in the early stages. For now she’ll be able to stay in assisted living, but there may come a time—”
“I know.” She shook her head. “She always seemed okay to me. Sure there were times she forgot things, but—” she laughed “—don’t we all? Heck, I forgot my own daughter in the hallway!”
Nick laughed with her and it helped ease the tension. “They’re doing remarkable things with medication today. Who knows, maybe Aunt Grace will be one of the lucky ones. Till then, I’ll visit her and call her and, if I need to, remind her who I am.”
She turned to look at him; he felt her eyes on him and met her gaze. “You’re a good man, Nick. I’m sorry I doubted you.”
He held her gaze way too long for safety’s sake. But he couldn’t help himself. Those big blue eyes invited him in, like sirens on the sea, and in them he saw the depth that was Jennifer. The emotion, the character.
Jennifer Carpenter was a complex, feeling woman—and he wanted to take days, months to get to know her every nuance.
He had to settle for a few minutes, because they arrived at the fourplex.
“Back at the ranch,” he joked. Then he sobered. “Thanks for coming. I enjoyed the company. Now, will you inform the owners about the lease or shall I?”
“I’ll take care of it.”
They got out of his car and Nick happened to look at the other buildings on Yellow Rose Lane. “Hey, are those fourplexes, too?”
“Yes. The same architect designed them.”
“Do they have the same owner?”
“Yes.” Abruptly she started walking toward the building. “I have to go see about the kids now, Nick. Bye.”
She hurried inside as if she were retreating from something threatening. He’d only been asking about the other buildings because they so closely resembled the one they lived in. He guessed the builder had figured out he’d run up on a good thing.
As he entered the fourplex he shared with Jennifer, Diane and a bunch of flight attendants, he heard little-girl screams and a puppy barking. Jennifer was receiving a warm greeting.
His own apartment was silent. And that was what he wanted, wasn’t it? He’d need the silence to work. Well, maybe not. He’d done a lot of his work with the television on some sports show he didn’t want to miss.
Either way, he had to get busy. According to his agent, the second book was supposed to be harder to write. He’d already gotten his proposal approved, and he didn’t want to lose the lucrative contract.
It had taken a huge leap of faith to give up teaching and set out as a first-time writer. But Nick had no one else but himself to support, so he took the plunge. His first work landed him an agent and, shortly thereafter, a sale to a major New York publisher.
When they’d bought his second proposal, he jumped at Grace’s offer to sublet her apartment and move to Dallas, where he could save money and do nothing but write in a place where no one knew him or what he did.
He didn’t mind leaving the bad memories back in Lubbock, either. After all, getting jilted was hard to forget, especially when it had to do with him being a teacher. His fiancé had finally decided he wasn’t ever going to make the kind of money she needed and had left him. Nick had thrown himself into his writing, shutting out everything else. He found that story ideas came easily and he had a stockpile of characters he wanted to write.
He only hoped people wanted to read about them.
He looked around for the box that held his computer. No time like the present to get that set up and get to work.
It was time to get his mind off the blonde and onto his book.
J
ENNIFER HAD INVITED
Diane to lunch upon her return. She already had made some chicken salad and now fixed the sandwiches quickly, asking the girls to go wash up while she did so. They’d left the puppy out in the enclosed backyard, happily chewing on a rubber ball.
“Did everything go all right?” Diane asked as she watched Jennifer work.
“Oh, yes, it was fine. He really is Grace’s nephew. She has early Alzheimer’s and tends to forget things. She asked him about his triplet sisters as if they were still babies.”
“He has triplet sisters? My, that must’ve been fun,” Diane exclaimed, sounding lonely suddenly. It reminded Jennifer that she didn’t know a great deal about her neighbor.
“Didn’t you have any brothers and sisters?”
“No. I was an only child. If I ever marry, I don’t intend to have just one baby.”
“I don’t blame you. But I’m glad my parents didn’t have more children. That would just be more people who’d be unhappy.”
“My parents were good, but they both had demanding jobs and they enjoyed each other so much, I was kind of an afterthought. Not exactly the way to bring up happy children.”
“No, I wouldn’t think so.”
Jennifer set a plate of sandwiches on the table and poured chips in a bowl.
“Can I help?”
“Sure. Would you get five glasses and fill them with ice? I made lemonade to go with our sandwiches.”
By the time the girls got to the table, everything was ready.
“I’m starving!” Missy announced as she plopped down in her chair.
“Me, too,” Steffi agreed.
Annie just smiled at Jennifer.
“Aren’t you hungry, too, Annie?” Jennifer asked.
Annie nodded.
After everyone was served, Missy said, “I think there’s enough left over for Daddy. Do you want me to go see if he’s hungry, too?”
“No, Missy, I do not!” Jennifer exclaimed before she calmed herself. “Nick is not your daddy. And he does not have to take every meal with us. He has his own kitchen.”
“But—” Missy began.
“Eat your lunch, Missy!”
Diane waited until she thought the girls were occupied before she asked softly, “What does Nick do for a living?”
“He’s a teacher.”
“And he can afford that apartment on a teacher’s salary? They must be getting more than I thought.”
“He’s getting it at Grace’s rate, which is affordable for anyone. When the lease expires in eleven months, I imagine he’ll be moving out.”
“Oh, I see. Where does he teach?”
“I don’t think he’s gotten a job here yet. He moved here from Lubbock, I believe he said.”
“That’s a long way to move without having a job lined up.”
“Yes, it is, but I’m sure he’ll find something.” She refused to worry about Nick Barry. He was a grown man, not some little boy that needed to hang on to her hand.
“Um, why does Missy think—”
Diane’s cautious question caught Jennifer’s attention. “She seems to think that there’s a daddy in every family. Since we didn’t have one, she thought she’d snag the first man she found. It was Nick. She wrapped herself around his leg and screamed that she’d found the daddy.”
Diane stared at her before bursting into giggles. “And he still speaks to you?”
“Amazing, isn’t it?” Jennifer let a smile play about her lips as she remembered the night she first met Nick. “He not only speaks to me, he seems to be involved in this family all the time. He even watched a movie with us last night after I accused him of not being Grace’s nephew.”
She didn’t need to verbalize all his good qualities to realize Nick was quite a man. She’d come to that conclusion a few hours ago. He was kind and considerate, easygoing and attentive. And he had a great sense of humor. Come to think of it, all the attributes she wanted in a man.
But she didn’t want a man. Not now. Her life was the girls and being their mother. There was simply no room left for a man. No matter how amazing he was.
“Maybe he’s just lonesome,” Diane said softly.
“Maybe
you
should ask him out,” Jennifer suggested. She did her best to ignore the protest that rose in her throat.
Several days passed without any contact between Nick and the little family next door. He listened for them going in and out, but he heard nothing.
The only thing to break the monotony of his days was Diane knocking on his door one evening, offering to show him a restaurant or two in the area, if he liked to eat out in the evenings.
Diane seemed very nice and very smart and he didn’t want to hurt her feelings, so they went out that night to a nice barbecue place that he enjoyed. He tried to make conversation with her, but mostly he asked questions about Jennifer. Unfortunately Diane wasn’t forthcoming.
They parted company at the bottom of the stairs, but there was nothing romantic there. Not like with Jennifer. He hadn’t been able to get her out of his head all evening. For days.
Was he crazy? The woman was telling him no as many ways as she could. But he couldn’t keep his
thoughts away from her. Every movement she made seemed poetic, a thought he’d never had about any other woman. Her smile was like sunshine on a cold day. And she kept him from doing his work too often.
A loud noise out back stopped him from working one afternoon. He got up and went to the bedroom window that looked out on the spacious backyard. Built on a knoll, the house was flanked by a wide deck that covered the entire back of the fourplex. Beyond that was a yard of perfectly tended grass.
When he looked out the window, he saw a big truck pulled up along the fence. A man was arguing with Jennifer in the backyard alongside a stack of boxes.
What had she bought now?
The kids and the dog were dancing around, making conversation difficult, based on the number of times Jennifer turned around to quiet the noisy foursome.
The door to the backyard was in the lobby under the stairs. He left his apartment and moseyed his way out to the deck. He didn’t want Jennifer to think he doubted her ability to deal with whatever was going on.
He leaned on the railing, looking down about four feet at Jennifer. Missy spotted him and called up to him at once.
“Daddy! Did you come to play with us? Have you seen how high Blondie can jump?”
The man talking to Jennifer looked up, too. Then, before Nick could get down the stairs, he tossed some papers in her hands and strode out the gate. A few
seconds later, they all heard the big truck backing out to the highway.
Jennifer stamped her foot in frustration.
Nick reached her side. “What’s up, Jennifer?”
“Nothing! It’s none of your business. I don’t mean to be rude, but I can handle it.”
“Okay, fine.” He turned away from her rebuff to find Missy standing beside him. His initial response would’ve been to be as abrupt with her as Jennifer had been with him.
Instead, he squatted down beside the little girl. “How are you doing, sweetheart?”
“Fine. Did you come down to play with Blondie? She’s a lot of fun.”
“I can tell. It was nice of your mom to get her for you.”
“I know. And Mommy says we won’t have to be split up again, so we don’t have to divide Blondie ever!” Missy beamed at him.
“That’s good for you and especially good for Blondie,” he said with a smile. About that time, Blondie discovered a new human to play with. She jumped on her back legs and planted her paws on Nick’s chest, trying to lick his face.
Almost immediately, he felt rather than saw Jennifer sweep past him and climb the stairs.
“What’s got your mother so upset?”
Missy frowned. “I don’t know. She told us she was going to get us a swing set today, but all she got was those boxes.”
“Ah. The man didn’t put it together.”
“You mean that’s our swing set? I don’t think we can play with it like that.”
“No, I don’t, either.”
Jennifer reappeared on the deck, calling the girls to come in to dinner.
Nick followed the girls up the stairs.
“Hey, Jennifer, do you need some help getting the swing set put together?”
She stared at him, her mouth falling open. Then she snapped it shut. “I don’t. The company is going to call me back in a few minutes to schedule someone to come put it together.”
“Oh, good. But let me know if you need any help.”
“Thank you, but I’m sure I won’t need to.” With that, she herded the three little girls inside.
Nick was no fool. He knew a brush-off when he heard one.
Clearly he’d upset Jennifer last time he saw her—but he couldn’t think of anything he’d done. With a sigh, he climbed the stairs. Life wasn’t as exciting without the four—make that five—blondes next door. Though apparently Blondie was being left in the backyard right now.
He knew the feeling.
He returned to his apartment to work. After all, that was why he was here in Dallas. Not to get attached to the family next door. No, definitely not that.
N
ICK HEARD THE GIRLS
playing outside the next afternoon. He wandered to the window to see what they were up to. To his surprise, he discovered Jennifer trying to put together the swing set on her own. And it wasn’t going well.
He took his toolbox out of one of the closets and went outside with it. When he reached Jennifer, she was on the verge of tears, dealing with the various parts.
“Hey, Jen, what’s up?” he said mildly.
At his voice, she lost her grip on the two parts she was holding and they all collapsed on the grass. “Wh-what are you doing here?”
“I happened to look out and see you working. I thought maybe I could help.”
“No, I—I’m taking care of the situation!”
“With that itty-bitty wrench and screwdriver? Could you use some better tools?”
She looked down at the toolbox he was holding out. “What’s in there?”
“Tools, of course.”
“Why do you have them?”
He blinked several times. “They were my dad’s.”
“Oh. Would you mind if I used them?”
“Of course you can. But even better, I’ll be glad to help you.”
“Have you ever put together a swing set before?”
“Sure. When the triplets were eight, Mom bought them a fancy one for their birthday. I was fifteen. It was my job.”
She kept staring at him, and Nick didn’t know what she was looking for. He waited patiently.
She abruptly said, “I’ll pay you to put this together,” and motioned to the pile of boxes on the ground.
He frowned. “That’s not necessary. I can—”
“No! I have to pay you.”
Nick studied her for several minutes. “Okay, you can pay me.”
“Do you want a set fee or an hourly wage?” she asked in a businesslike tone.
“Definitely a set fee.”
Her eyebrows soared. “What did you have in mind?”
“Dinner and a movie.”
“You mean a date?” she asked in outraged tones.
“Yeah, with you and the girls. I want the dinner homemade, and the movie something the girls will enjoy.”
“That’s not a good idea,” Jennifer said, actually taking a step backward.
“Why?”
“Because it enforces Missy’s belief that you are a part of the family!”
“But I don’t stay there at night,” he pointed out.
Jennifer took two steps back. “I’m not having this conversation!”
Then she turned around and ran up the stairs.
After watching her run away, Nick turned around and found three little girls staring at him.
“Did you hurt Mommy?” Steffi demanded.
“Of course not. At least, if I did, I didn’t mean to.”
Missy came to his side. “Mommy is unhappy.”
He squatted down beside her. “I know, sweetheart, but I was trying to help.”
“Okay.”
Annie hadn’t moved. He smiled at the little girl, but he didn’t reach out to her. “How about I put together the swing set while y’all play with Blondie?”
All three girls clapped their hands together.
Nick got started putting the swing set together, warning the girls to keep their distance because he didn’t want them to get hurt.
Steffi and Missy raced down the yard, Blondie keeping pace with them. Annie sat on the bottom step of the stairs to the deck, staring at Nick.
He had no idea why she wasn’t playing with the others. But he asked no questions. Instead, he got busy putting the swing set together. Compared to the one he’d put together for his sisters, this swing set was simple, but it was appropriate for the three little girls. It had two swings, a two-seated glider and on the end, a wavy slide.
Half an hour later, he heard the sound of footsteps coming down from the deck. He didn’t look around. It could only be Jennifer. If she told him to stop, that’s what he’d have to do, but he was so close to finishing it, he hoped she’d forgive him and let him finish.
W
ITH A MOTHER LIKE HERS
, Jennifer knew guilt. But none was as heartfelt as the guilt that she felt now. She’d treated Nick badly, had ignored him, been short-
tempered with him. Yet here he was, outside on a scorching day putting her children’s set together.
She owed him. Big time. A lot more than the glass of icy lemonade she was bringing him.
She should’ve brought one for herself. Hadn’t she heard somewhere that lemonade went well with crow?
Intending to give him the drink, say her piece and leave, she called his name. But when he turned around, the only sound she uttered was a gasp.
Nick had removed his shirt and for the first time she saw his muscles and broad chest. In the midday sun his pecs and six-pack glistened like Cortez’s gold. She stood there, her mouth agape, her mind blank. She’d wanted to tell him something, but she couldn’t think what. All she knew was that he hadn’t gotten those muscles from teaching school!
She closed her mouth and swallowed, snapping herself out of her trance. “Thank you for ignoring my rudeness and helping me out.” But her gaze kept drifting to his impressive chest.
He smiled slightly. “No problem.”
“Yes, it is a problem. You’ve been very generous with your time and your patience.” She looked at Missy and Steffi playing with the dog. It was a safer sight than his rippled abs.
“Look, Jen, it’s no big deal. I like putting things together.”
“I’m fixing steak for dinner and I’ll go pick up a movie. Do you have any requests?” Regardless of the
movie, she didn’t intend to watch. She’d find something else she needed to do.
“I wanted to see
The March of the Penguins
a couple of years ago, but somehow I missed it. Would the girls like that one?”
“They’d love it. Is there anything else you want for dinner?”
“Nope. Everything you cook is good, Jen. Whatever you make will be fine.”
She began backing away, trying to force her gaze to something, anything else, rather than Nick. “Th-then I’d better go work in the kitchen. Thank you again.”
She reached the stairs to go up to the deck and discovered Annie sitting on the bottom step. The child whispered something to Jennifer that had her reluctantly looking back at Nick. She returned to his side.
“I’m sorry to ask— I mean, it may slow down what you’re doing, but Annie— She’s interested in how things fit together. Would you mind showing her what you’re doing?”
“No, I’d be glad to. Annie? Could you come help me a little?”
Annie stared at him warmly, obviously weighing her decision. Then she jumped up and ran to him. For the first time that day, she spoke to him. “Yes?”
“I just need a little help. All these screws get mixed up, see?” He held up the instructions and pointed to a diagram. “I’m looking for this screw. Can you find two just like it?”
Her face lit up and she nodded vigorously.
“Great.” He stood there smiling at the little girl’s intent search.
Jennifer guessed Annie was like Nick. She enjoyed putting things together. If Nick could help the girl grow more confident, maybe it would be worth risking a little time with him.
But could she resist the temptation?
N
ICK WATCHED
A
NNIE’S CONCENTRATION
as she searched through the screws to find that one that was missing. One of the triplets was like that. She always wanted to help. Nick found teaching his sisters how to do things easier than he had found repairing broken hearts. With three sisters, he got better at that, but he never got comfortable with it.
Jennifer seemed to need some help, too, but he wasn’t sure what to do. He just felt she needed something. And he was a little distracted by the sundress she was wearing. Its color matched her blue eyes.
“I found them,” Annie whispered, holding the two screws out for him to see.
“Good job, Annie. Now, do you want to see what I’m going to do with those two screws?”
She nodded her head and squatted on the ground right next to him, her gaze fixed on his hands.
The rest of the afternoon, Nick and Annie worked together. He let her use the screwdriver and the wrench. He never had to repeat his instructions; she remembered everything.
About four o’clock, he declared that they were done. Annie stood beside him, staring at the swing set. Her two sisters ran up, the dog accompanying them.
“Is it ready?” Missy asked.
“Yes, but before you try it out, Annie gets to go first.”
Annie looked up at him in shock. Then with a smile, she stepped forward and reached for the first swing. Nick helped her into it.
“Are you ready, Annie?”
She nodded.
He gently pushed her and she closed her eyes, feeling the motion. “Do you like it, Annie?” he asked.
“Oh, yes. Push me higher.” Her voice was still low, almost a whisper, but he heard her. He pushed her a little harder.
“
We
get to play, too,” Missy demanded.
“Only when Annie says. She worked with me while you two played. That’s why she gets to go first.”
Annie opened her eyes and said clearly, “I think they should get to play, too.”
Missy and Steffi screamed and got on the two-seated glider.
Nick sat down on the steps so he could keep an eye on the girls and enjoy their enthusiasm.
After almost an hour, he heard footsteps above him. He leaned back and looked up the stairs. Jennifer had arrived.
“You finished! And it looks great,” she said.