Looking for Love (Boxed set) (39 page)

Read Looking for Love (Boxed set) Online

Authors: Rita Herron

Kimberly swiped at her tears, mortified Austin had embarrassed her in front of the contractor. They'd been close to negotiating a reasonable price when he'd embarrassed her by kissing her like that. Why had he done it?

She'd considered calling him a dozen times in the last two weeks, but every time she'd reached for the phone, she'd seen the look of disgust on his face when he'd handed her that check. Even if she apologized, he'd probably always feel he couldn't trust her, because she'd lied.

She traced her finger around her wedding band, telling herself she wasn't entitled to wear it. But she couldn't bear to remove it, she realized. Because then it would mean her marriage to Austin was really over.

It was never real
.

Except in her heart.

Holding on to her last shreds of hope, she reached for the phone to call Marci to see if she'd been able to fix things with Tate. If her relationship with Austin wasn't salvageable, at least she could put her efforts into saving the center for the kids. She glanced through the glass window of her office and saw one of the teachers leading an afternoon session with parents and toddlers. No, she couldn't let these people down.

Some things were more important than her love life and her broken heart.

Thomas, a little boy who'd recently joined the center, poked his head in, his big dark eyes brimming with tears. "Ms. Kimmie?"

"Yes, pumpkin?"

"I don't feel like pwayin'."

Kimberly held out her arms and the toddler trotted over and climbed in her lap. She cuddled him close and began singing his favorite lullaby as she combed his dark hair away from his face. And as he snuggled contentedly in her arms, she let herself imagine she was holding her own little boy.

A son with dark hair and dark eyes just like his father—Austin.

* * *

Austin pulled his car in front of the KidsCare center, checking the address Marci had given him. This old house was the place where Kimberly had established her center? So this was the reason she'd gone along with her sister's scheme and switched places with her.

He raked his hand through his hair, knowing in his gut he'd misjudged Kimberly drastically. And he must have hurt her terribly when he'd tossed the money in her face and dismissed her without allowing her to explain. A woman who loved people enough to help them like this had not enjoyed deceiving him or his family. And she hadn't given herself to him without feeling something either.

A surge of determination filled him. His architect's eye quickly evaluated the house, noting where repairs might be needed, where additions could be made. He'd scared off the contractor, but Kimberly didn't need him. Austin would draw up plans for a new building and build it at cost.

He would help her the way she helped others.

It seemed he and Kimberly had more in common than he'd ever imagined.

Hope budding in his heart, he hopped out of his car and strode up the walkway, his gaze drawn to the decrepit playground and cluster of small children playing in the tire swings and on the monkey bars. A middle-aged woman and a young teen supervised the group, and he waved when they looked his way. Then he opened the paint-chipped wooden door and walked inside to search for his wife.

A small foyer housed wooden chairs, and bright children's paintings decorated the walls. Through the glass window, he immediately spotted Kimberly sitting at a large wooden desk, a small dark-haired little boy snuggled in her lap. She was singing softly to the child.

Austin's chest tightened, and shame for acting out of anger filled him. He'd been so caught up in his own hurt feelings to listen to Kimberly, he'd almost lost her.

It would never happen again. Obviously she always took care of everyone else, including her dizzy sister, but he'd change that.

From now on, he'd take care of her. If she'd let him.

Unsure how to approach her, he suddenly wished he had a white flag of surrender to wave. Then he spied a piece of paper and a box of broken crayons on the table by the door and quickly picked up a purple crayon and began to write.

* * *

A tapping sound jolted Kimberly from her singing, and she glanced up to see Austin rapping at her window. Disappointment washed over her when she noticed he was waving some kind of paper in his hand.

The divorce papers.

A slow ache throbbed in her chest. She might as well accept it. If he wanted the divorce, she’d give it to him.

Then he threw up a white handkerchief and waved it. Blinking back tears, she motioned tor him to come in, then took Thomas to the other room, lay him on a cot and covered him with a blanket.

As soon as she reentered her office, she fought the urge to throw herself at Austin and beg his forgiveness. Then she saw him waving the paper again and her heart sank. He handed it to her, and she gritted her teeth, trying to decipher the words.

Suddenly her eyes widened in shock.
I love you, Kimberly
.

"I love you, darlin'," he whispered out loud.

Kimberly lost her breath. Her gaze met his, and her heart did a crazy dance at the tenderness in his eyes. The anger she'd seen earlier had dissipated, and hunger darkened his expression.

"I love you, too," she whispered fiercely.

He rushed toward her, his intense look sending a tingle through her. "You mean that?"

"With all my heart," Kimberly whispered. She framed his face with her hands. "Austin, I'm so sorry, I promise I'll never lie—"

He pressed his finger to her lips. "I love you, Kimberly. Nothing else matters."

She kissed his chin. "But I want you to know why I didn't tell you the truth."

"I'm listening," he said, pulling her closer.

She stroked the hair at the base of his neck. "At first I wanted to, but then I thought you wanted Marci, that you were attracted to her."

His jaw went slack.

"Then when I started falling for you, I was afraid you wouldn't want me, not the real Kimberly. Marci's so flashy and sexy—"

"You are twice as sexy as your sister," he said, wondering where Kimberly had ever gotten the idea otherwise. "And I was never really attracted to Marci, not until I spent time with
you."
He threw his head back and laughed. "You nearly drove me crazy. I kept wondering how you could be so different from the waitress I'd seen at the restaurant."

"We're mirror images—I'm the exact opposite of Marci in every other way," Kimberly said.

"I know and that's why I love you," he nearly shouted.

Kimberly’s heart raced.

"I'm sorry about messing things up with that contractor," he said in a rough voice. "I thought he was hitting on you."

"It's all right," Kimberly said with a shrug. "I'll work out something."

He tipped her chin up and forced her to look into his eyes. "
We'll
work something out, darlin'. You know you happen to be married to an architect."

A smile curved her rosy lips. "Is that right?"

He kissed her soundly on the mouth. "That's right. I have a valid license to prove it."

Kimberly blinked back tears.

"Only promise me one thing," Austin said in a husky voice. "No more twin switches."

"I promise." Kimberly giggled mischievously. "Only if we have children—"

"If? You mean
when."

"When we have children," she amended with a devilish smile, "we might have twins."

Austin rolled his eyes. "Double trouble forever. Heaven help me."

Kimberly laughed. "So you don't want that divorce after all?"

Austin shook his head, his dark gaze sweeping over her as he removed the plane tickets from his pocket. "Absolutely not. And I think we should take that honeymoon right away—seven days and seven nights of wonderful loving."

Kimberly curled into his arms and kissed him tenderly. "What do you mean, seven days and nights, sweetheart? We have the rest of our lives."

The End