The Manning Grooms (8 page)

Carrie answered the doorbell and smiled brightly when she saw him.

Charlotte looked pleased to see him, too, but she also looked like she’d rather not be. Jason was learning to read her quite well, and that skill was coming in handy.

“Hello, Jason,” she said softly.

“Hi. I stopped by to see how Higgins is doing.” A weak excuse, and one she was bound to see through in the next couple of minutes.

The black dog trotted toward him, his tail wagging slowly. Jason squatted beside him and affectionately rubbed his ears. “How do you like your new home, fellow?” he asked.

“Do you want a cup of coffee?” Carrie called out from the kitchen. Her voice was enthusiastic. The kid
wasn’t any better at disguising her emotions than her mother was.

“Please.” Jason glanced up at Charlotte. He didn’t know what was going on with her lately. She’d been avoiding him—that much he understood—but he was willing to give her the space she needed. For now. He was a patient man. She was attracted to him, fighting it as hard as she could, but her resistance wasn’t strong enough to defeat him.

For the first time in his life, Jason had met a woman who needed him. Unfortunately she was too self-sufficient and proud to admit it. Charlotte Weston brought out all his protective urges. And his intuition told him he’d begun to bring out qualities in her—a sensual confidence and an ability to laugh, have fun—that she’d been repressing for years.

The woman was a puzzle, but slowly, surely, he was putting together the various pieces she revealed. Once he had the whole picture, he’d be able to scale those defensive walls of hers.

He strongly suspected Charlotte’s problems revolved around her ex-husband and her marriage. She’d been badly hurt, and gaining her trust and her love would require time and patience. Where Charlotte was concerned, Jason had an abundant supply of both. Carrie brought him a cup of coffee, and Jason pulled out a kitchen chair, then nonchalantly sat down. Carrie did the same. Higgins ambled over and settled at his feet.

Charlotte glanced at the two of them and frowned. “Is something going on here that I should know about?”

The kid couldn’t have been more obvious, Jason mused again. “Carrie came to me earlier this afternoon,” he announced, deciding honesty was the best policy, after all. The way he figured, if they were forthright about
what
they’d discussed, then Charlotte might be willing to forgive them for discussing it behind her back.

“Jason,” Carrie muttered a warning under her breath.

“Carrie came to you?” Charlotte demanded. “About what?”

“The dance,” Carrie admitted sheepishly.

“You went to Jason about an issue that’s strictly between you and me?”

“I needed to talk to someone,” Carrie cried, pushing back the chair when she stood. She faced her mother, feet braced apart, hands on her hips. “You’re being completely unreasonable and Jason agrees with me. He came up with—”

“Carrie.” Jason could see he’d been wrong. In this case, honesty might not have been the best policy. “I didn’t ever say I thought your mother was unreasonable.”

His defense came too late. Charlotte whirled on him, her face red and growing redder. Her eyes, the eyes he’d always found so intriguing, were filled with disdain.

“Who gave you the right to intrude in my life?” she flared.

“Charlotte, it’s not what you think.” Jason could feel himself sinking waist-deep in the quicksand of regret.

“You’re undermining my authority.”

“Mom…please, hear me out.”

“Charlotte, give me a chance to explain.” Jason didn’t have much of an argument; he should’ve listened to his instincts and stayed out of this.

“You may think because…because I’ve let you get close to Carrie and me that you have the right to express your opinion on how she should be raised, but you’re wrong. What goes on between my daughter and me is none of your business. Do I make myself clear?”

Feeling all the more chagrined, Jason nodded. The best thing to do now was make a hasty retreat. “I can see I’ve—”

“Just go.” Charlotte’s voice trembled as she pointed to her door.

“Mom,” Carrie shouted. “The least you can do is listen to him.”

Charlotte ignored her daughter while Jason, calling himself every kind of fool, made his way out of the apartment. He paused long enough to cast an apologetic glance at Carrie, but he agreed with Charlotte. He’d butted in where he didn’t belong.

After Jason’s departure, Carrie went to her room, slamming her door with such force Higgins scrambled across the living room, frantically looking for a place to hide.

Charlotte was so angry, it was all she could do not to follow Jason and tell him she never wanted to see him again. She would have done it, too, if she didn’t know she’d regret it later. And if she didn’t need to coax Higgins out from behind the couch and comfort him.

The man had some nerve! If Carrie thought she was going to manipulate her into giving in by getting Jason to side with her, then her daughter was wrong.

“I hope you realize what you’ve just done!” Carrie shouted as she opened her door.

Still stroking Higgins, Charlotte ignored her.

“You’ve insulted Jason.”

“He deserved it.”

“Like hell.”

“Watch your language, young lady.”

Thirty silent minutes passed while Charlotte cooled her temper. Carrie was apparently doing the same thing. A short while later, her bedroom door opened again and she walked out. She was pale and her eyes showed evidence of crying, but she appeared to have composed herself.

The same didn’t hold true for Charlotte. She was still furious. How dare Jason involve himself in her affairs!

“I’ve called Brad,” Carrie announced, opening the refrigerator. She stared at the contents, took out a cold pop and pulled back the tab. After taking one long drink, she turned to face Charlotte. “Brad said he’d tell his dad you’d be driving us to and from the dance.”

Of all the things Charlotte might have expected, this wasn’t one. “Good,” she said, feeling only a little better.

“I…was hoping you’d be willing to split the duties. Let Brad’s father drive us there and you pick us up.”

Charlotte mulled it over. That didn’t sound so unreasonable. She’d have a chance to meet the boy’s father
when he came to get Carrie, and it wasn’t as if the two kids would be alone in the car—or at the dance.

“I…I’d be willing to agree to that.”

Charlotte thought Carrie would be grateful or relieved; instead she broke into giant hiccuping sobs. Her daughter slumped in a kitchen chair and buried her face in her arms and wept as if she’d lost her best friend.

“Carrie.” Charlotte placed her hand on Carrie’s shoulder. “What’s wrong?”

She raised her head and brushed the tears from her face, her shoulders heaving with the effort to stop crying. “You should never have said those things to Jason.”

“Carrie, he intruded in my affairs.”

“But I was the one who asked him to talk to you. If you’re going to be angry with anyone, it should be me, not him.”

Charlotte realized Carrie didn’t understand the nuances of a male-female relationship. Frankly, she wasn’t that well acquainted with them herself. She’d admit that she’d reacted in anger, but it was justified. Jason had simply assumed too much.

“But Jason didn’t want to interfere,” Carrie sobbed. “It took me forever to get him to agree and…and he only did it because I was desperate.”

“He overstepped the bounds.” Charlotte tried to remain adamant.

“You made him leave without even bothering to listen.”

Charlotte said nothing.

“I like Jason—and you do, too,” Carrie added unnecessarily. “He’s the best thing that’s ever happened to us. Higgins is alive because of him and…and he took us to meet his family. Saturday was the most fun day I’ve ever had. It…it was like we belonged with Jason and his brothers.”

Charlotte had felt the same way.

“Jason wasn’t minding your business, Mom, at least not the way you think. He…he was helping a friend. Me. And you hated him for that.”

“I don’t hate Jason.” Far from it. She was falling in love with him.

“He’s the one who came up with the idea of Brad’s father driving one way and you driving the other. He…he suggested you chaperone the dance just so you’d feel comfortable about everything.” She drew in a shaky breath. “When I told him you’d need a date for the dance if you were going to be a chaperone, he said
he’d
take you. I mean, Jason isn’t the kind of man who dances…but he’d be willing to do it, for me, because he’s my friend. And for you, too, so you’d be comfortable at the dance. And what did he get for being so nice?”

“My anger,” Charlotte whispered, feeling wretched.

“You kicked him out of the house, and I don’t think he’ll ever want to come back. I know I wouldn’t.”

Charlotte sat down next to her daughter, feeling strangely like weeping herself.

“I wanted to go to the dance with Brad more than anything,” Carrie admitted, “but now I don’t care if I do or not.”

“Carrie, this isn’t the end of the world.”

“I
really
like Jason,” she said emphatically. “When I asked him if he’d ask you out, I did it for selfish reasons, and I apologize for that…but I’m glad I did it. You’re happier when you’re with him, Mom. You don’t think I notice, but I do. Jason makes you smile and laugh and forget how much you don’t like your job.”

Charlotte folded her arms around her middle. What Carrie said was true. It was as if her life had started all over again when Jason first kissed her.

“I don’t care about the dance anymore,” Carrie murmured. “But I care what happens with you and Jason. Go to him, Mom. Tell him you’re sorry. Please.”

Her daughter’s entreaty affected Charlotte more than any regrets she might feel about what she’d said and done. For one thing, she hadn’t realized how fond Carrie was of Jason.

“Will you do it, Mom?”

It didn’t take Charlotte long to decide. “Yes,” she said. She would apologize, for not giving him the benefit of the doubt, for not being willing to listen to him and Carrie, but mostly for the rude way in which she’d told him to leave her apartment.

It was the second time she’d had to apologize to this man.

“When?” Carrie asked.

“Soon,” Charlotte promised.

The opportunity came the following morning. After walking Higgins, Charlotte was on her way to the
office, crossing the parking lot. She’d spent a sleepless night composing what she intended to say to Jason. She’d wait until that evening, go to his apartment and say what needed to be said.

She was halfway to her car when she heard her name. Her heart filled with dread when she saw Jason jogging toward her.

“Hello,” she said, feeling wretched.

“I won’t keep you.” His eyes bore into hers. “I want you to know I’m sorry for what happened yesterday. I should never have gotten involved. This is between you and Carrie, and I was out of line.”

“I should never have spoken to you the way I did.”

“You were angry and you had every right to be.”

“But you…Oh, Jason, I feel terrible.”

He frowned. “Why should you?”

“Carrie told me how you were willing to help chaperone the dance and…and I didn’t have the common decency to hear you out.”

“It’s probably for the best. I’m not much of a dancer.”

Charlotte smiled up at him, knowing her heart shone in her eyes, and not caring. “Why don’t you let me find that out for myself Friday night?”

“Y
ou need to borrow a suit?” Rich asked, looking smugly amused as he led Jason to the walk-in closet in the huge master bedroom. The home had been built several years earlier, when Jamie was pregnant with Bethany. Rich himself had designed the sprawling L-shaped rambler that overlooked Puget Sound, and he was justifiably proud.

“Yes, I need to borrow a suit,” Jason muttered, not giving his brother the satisfaction of explaining. Already he regretted having volunteered to be a chaperone for this dance. No matter how hard he tried, he wasn’t going to be whirling around a dance floor as if he knew what he was doing. He’d probably make a fool of himself in front of Charlotte and a bunch of smart-aleck ninth-graders.

As an engineer, Rich was required to dress more formally on the job than Jason was. Jason owned a suit, but it was outdated. Maybe if he waited a few more years it would become fashionable again.

If the truth be known, he wasn’t even sure when he’d last worn it. Sometime in college, he guessed. He’d buy another one if he thought he’d get any use out of it, but that didn’t seem likely.

“What do you need a suit for?” Rich asked outright.

“I wouldn’t be borrowing one if I’d known I was going to face an inquisition.”

Rich chuckled, clearly enjoying Jason’s discomfort. “I just want to be sure you aren’t going to run off and marry Charlotte. Mom would kill you if you pulled a stunt like that.”

Jason snickered, hoping to give the impression that marriage was the farthest thing from his mind, which it was. Wasn’t it?

“Hey, don’t act like it couldn’t happen,” Rich said, pushing hangers aside as he sorted through several tailored jackets. “With our family’s history, it wouldn’t be unheard-of for you to elope.”

Jason couldn’t argue with that. It had all started with Taylor. A few years back, his sister had moved to Montana and within three months had married Russ Palmer. The decision to marry had apparently been impulsive—and it happened while they were chaperoning the high-school drill team in Reno. The deed was done by the time they bothered to contact any family.

Jason frowned. Taylor had been a chaperone, too, and look where it had led. This high-school dance was beginning to sound more and more dangerous.

Christy had married on the sly, too, again without
telling anyone in the family. There were extenuating circumstances in her case, however. Well, sort of. His youngest sister had actually been engaged—to a lawyer, James Wilkens—when she’d gone to Idaho with Cody Franklin and married him. Their marriage had caused quite a ruckus in the family, but eventually everything had been smoothed over. Anyway, Christy was much better suited to Cody than to James, although the attorney had remained a good family friend.

Rich had followed suit, marrying Jamie with some idiotic idea of being a sperm donor for her baby. Jason had stood up for his brother, but he’d known from the beginning that the two of them were in love. He’d predicted that this sperm donor business wouldn’t pan out, and he’d been right. Jamie had gotten pregnant, sooner than either of them had expected, and the process hadn’t involved any artificial insemination, either.

Paul had been next. Diane, Paul’s first wife, had died tragically, shortly after giving birth to Kelsey. Her loss had sent the family reeling. For six months, Paul had shunned his family’s offers of help, attempting to balance his duties at home with his job and at the same time comfort his grieving children, all preschoolers. He’d been proud and angry. Leah, Diane’s sister, had convinced him he couldn’t continue alone. She’d given up her teaching position at the college and moved in with Paul and the children. Shortly afterward, they were married. But once again, no one in the family was informed of the ceremony.

The only single Manning left was Jason, and he
didn’t plan to get married. He’d decided that years before. It was unfortunate that his parents had been cheated out of putting on a large wedding, but those were the breaks. He wasn’t marching down any aisle just to satisfy his mother’s need to work with caterers and some florist friend she’d known for years.

“So, Jase,” Rich said casually, breaking into his thoughts. “How are things with you and Charlotte?”

“Fine.”

“Fine?” Rich repeated, with that smug look Jason found so irritating.

“You don’t need to concern yourself with my affairs,” Jason said, resenting the way Rich and Paul made his love life their business.

“Are you going to ask her to marry you?” Almost in afterthought, Rich held up a well-cut gray suit coat. The tailoring was excellent and the material was top of the line.

Jason ignored the question and reached for the jacket, trying it on over his black T-shirt with
Seattle at Night
silk-screened across the front.

“What are your intentions toward Charlotte?” Rich asked with a pensive frown. He sounded oddly formal—and unusually serious.

“My intentions are my own, but since you asked,” Jason said, turning around to admire his profile in the full-length mirror, “I’ll tell you…. They’re dishonorable, as always.” He tried to make a joke of it, laugh off the attraction he’d been battling from the moment he’d met Charlotte Weston over a leaky faucet.

His joke, however, fell decidedly flat.

“Not this time, big brother.”

“What do you mean by that?” Jason demanded. He didn’t like his brother sticking his nose where it didn’t belong, but he couldn’t help being curious about Rich’s remark.

“You’re in love with her.”

“Is that right?” Jason returned flippantly.

“It’s the first time you’ve ever invited a woman to watch you play softball.”

Rich made it sound as if that alone was enough to force him into a shotgun wedding. Jason refused to get into an argument with his younger brother. It wouldn’t do him any good. Just because Rich and Jamie were so happy together, his brother seemed to think he was an expert on the subject of love and marriage. Jason didn’t want to be the one to disillusion him.

Perhaps he did have some deep affection for Charlotte, Jason told himself. He’d be the first to admit he was strongly attracted to her, but marriage? Out of the question.

This was a familiar argument, one he’d worked through early in their relationship. It had worried him then, but he’d been so fascinated with her that he’d pushed his apprehensions to the back of his mind, deciding to take one day at a time.

He’d face one hurdle, he decided, before he confronted another. For now, the obstacle was their physical relationship. When she trusted him enough to put aside her fears and allow him to make love to her,
it would be time to reevaluate what was happening between them. But not yet.

“Are you going to let me borrow the suit or not?” Jason asked stiffly. “If I have to stand here and listen to a lecture, too, I’d rather go to the rental shop.”

He half expected Rich to jerk the coat off his shoulders and send him on his way. Instead, his youngest brother grinned, as if he knew something Jason didn’t. It was another irritating habit of his.

“You’re welcome to keep the suit as long as you like,” Rich assured him. “You never know when you’re suddenly going to need one.”

Friday evening came, and it took Jason a full half hour to knot his tie correctly. He was out of practice, and getting it just right frustrated him. He should’ve borrowed the clip-on variety, but he hadn’t thought of asking for one. No doubt Rich had plenty of each type.

Surveying his reflection in the mirror, he barely recognized himself. He was tall, besting his brothers by an inch or more, his shoulders were wide and, if he had anything to be proud of physically, it was that his stomach had remained flat. Haphazard meals and baseball did that for a man.

Charlotte probably wouldn’t recognize him, either. If memory served, it was the first time she’d gone anywhere with him when he wasn’t wearing a baseball cap. He brushed his hand along the side of his head, making sure his hair stayed flat. He carefully examined himself to see if he could find any gray hairs for a more
distinguished look. When he didn’t, he was actually disappointed.

He checked his watch. If everything had gone according to schedule, Carrie would have been picked up fifteen minutes ago for a pre-dance buffet. Since the dance didn’t start for another two hours, Jason had suggested taking Charlotte out to dinner.

He didn’t know what had gotten into him lately. He’d made reservations at an expensive restaurant, and ordered a fancy corsage to give her when they arrived.

Normally, his idea of a night on the town included pizza, beer and a Mariners’ game. Drag an irresistible woman into his life, and before he knew it, he was forking out major bucks for dinner and flowers. The thing was, he’d come up with the idea on his own and was even excited about it, knowing how pleased Charlotte would be.

He’d seen this happen with his friends—his brothers, too—but he would never have believed
he’d
fall such willing prey to a woman’s charms. It wouldn’t have happened with anyone but Charlotte. Of that, he was certain.

At exactly seven, he walked over to Charlotte’s apartment and rang the bell. She kept him waiting for several minutes before she opened the door—not a promising sign.

When she finally did come, Jason was about to complain. He was going to a lot of trouble for this blasted dance; the least she could do was be ready on time.

Whatever he’d intended to say, however, flew out of
his mind when he saw Charlotte. For the longest moment of his life, he stood there immobile.

This was Charlotte! She was…stunning.

“I’m…sorry,” she said, sounding flustered. “I didn’t mean to keep you standing out here, but I’m having a problem with this dress.”

She was beautiful.

The word didn’t begin to describe how breathtaking she looked. Her hair was done in a way he’d never seen before, swirled to one side, exposing the smooth skin of her cheek and her long, slender neck. Dangling gold earrings swung from her ears. Her eyes were a brighter blue than ever before, the color of the sky washed clean by a summer squall. Her dress was a paler shade of blue…Her dress…Jason’s gaze slid over the sleeveless dress with its tight bodice and flared skirt, and an invisible hand seemed to appear out of thin air and knock him senseless.

“Jason.” Her eyes implored him as she held one hand behind her back. “Is something wrong? I look terrible, don’t I? Don’t worry about hurting my feelings…This dress is too fancy, isn’t it?”

It was all he could do to close his mouth. “You look…fabulous.” Which was the understatement of the century. Jason felt sorry that he wasn’t more sophisticated and urbane.

If he had been, he might have told her how exquisite she was. He might have found the words to say he’d gladly rework the knot in his tie for another hour if it meant he could spend the evening with her. For the first
time since he’d donned the suit jacket, he felt no remorse for volunteering to escort Charlotte to her daughter’s dance.

“I can’t get the zipper all the way up,” Charlotte explained. “I was so busy helping Carrie get ready before Brad and his father arrived that I…I didn’t get dressed myself, and now I can’t reach the zipper. Would you mind?”

She presented him with her back and it was all Jason could do to pull the tab up instead of down. If he went on instinct he’d have had her out of that dress, in his arms and on the way to the bedroom. He couldn’t recall a time he’d wanted a woman more than he did Charlotte Weston right then and there.

“Jason?” She glanced over her shoulder when he delayed.

His hand felt clammy, and at first his fingers refused to cooperate, but with some effort he managed to do as she asked, sliding the zipper up her back.

“Thank you,” she said. “You can’t imagine what a madhouse it’s been around here,” she went on. “Carrie was so nervous. She looked so grown-up. I can’t believe my baby isn’t a baby anymore.”

Jason returned her smile. “My mother felt the same way when Christy—my sister—attended her first big dance.”

Even now, Jason was having trouble forming coherent sentences.

“The dress isn’t mine,” she told him as she searched for her evening bag, wandering from one room to the
next until she located it. “I borrowed it from one of my friends at the office…It’s too close to the end of the month to go out and buy one.” She sighed, sounding breathless. “Even if I’d had the extra money, I doubt I would’ve been able to find one at the last minute. I’d feel dreadful if something happened to Cheryl’s dress.”

“I borrowed the suit from my brother.” Maintaining an intelligible conversation, he discovered, wasn’t as much of a problem as keeping his eyes off her.

Charlotte drew in a deep, steadying breath. “I know it’s silly, but I’m as nervous as Carrie.”

He smiled, trying to reassure her.

“The last dance I attended was in college,” she said. “I…I don’t know if I can dance anymore.”

“I’m not exactly light on my feet, Charlotte,” Jason felt obliged to remind her. He’d warned her earlier, but he doubted she’d taken him seriously.

“Do you think we should practice?” she asked.

She was gazing up at him with wide eyes. Jason would’ve given everything he owned to find out if she was feeling anything close to the emotional havoc he was.

“Practice?” he echoed. “That’s an idea.” He swallowed, wondering exactly what he was inviting. Trouble with a capital
T,
considering the way his body was reacting.

Charlotte set aside her evening bag and walked into his embrace. “I’m afraid I’m not going to be very good at this,” she murmured.

“Don’t worry. Hey, as far as I’m concerned, those
ninth-graders are going to dance circles around us anyway.”

Charlotte’s laugh sounded sweet and soft, and Jason’s heart constricted. Could this be love? This pleasure he felt in doing small things for her—like the dinner and flowers? This need to hold her in his arms? This desire to be with her and her alone?

The feel of Charlotte’s body against his was the purest form of torture he’d ever experienced. She fit in his arms as though she belonged there. Had always belonged there. He tried to ignore how right it felt.