He pulled up beside the Jetta and got out. The only concession to his being a cop was the flashlight he took from the glove compartment. Flicking the light switch on, he swung his arm around, illuminating areas around the school property. He stopped when he saw movement down the hill by the swings. Apparently there was still plenty of child in Hannah after all, and it was the needy child to whom Rick planned to appeal. He wanted her to give her big sister a chance.
As he walked down the grassy mound toward the swing set, he inhaled deeply. The smell of cut grass and dew surrounded him, bringing back memories of his time at this school and he grinned at the pleasant reminder before getting down to business.
“Hi, Hannah,” he called out, not wanting her to panic and think she was being approached by a stranger. Not that she’d consider Rick a best friend or confidant, but at least she was safe with him.
“What do you want?”
He shone the light between them. “I think that’d be obvious. I want to bring you home.”
“Why do you care?” She didn’t slow her swinging, her legs pumped back and forth like a young, carefree girl.
But Rick had a hunch it’d been ages since she felt either young or carefree. “Because I’m a friend of the family and your sister’s worried about you. So worried she called me.”
She snorted at him, kicking her feet into the dirt and halting her movement. “More like she’s worried I’ll crash her car.”
“She never mentioned the car, Hannah. She could have reported it stolen, then I’d be forced to take you in.” And considering she’d been driving without a license, driving underage and illegally, he ought to take her in anyway.
“But she did call the cops.”
He shook his head. “She called
me.
” He emphasized the distinction. “She trusts me and you should too.” He sat himself in the neighboring swing beside her.
Hannah turned to glance at him, narrowing her gaze. “I’m only fourteen. Aren’t you going to arrest me for driving without a license?” she asked, obviously testing him.
Despite the defiance in her young voice, Rick caught the hint of fear there too. It was the fear he could relate to, the fear that made him want to hug and reassure her, but he couldn’t. Only her sister could do that.
Instead he opted to build trust. “I could arrest you but I won’t.”
“Why not? ’Cause you’re doing it with my sister?” Her nose wrinkled in disgust and he stifled a laugh. “No, because I think Kendall deserves the chance to deal with you first.”
“So you two aren’t . . .”
“Doing it?” he asked. “I think that your sister and I deserve some privacy as to whatever we are or aren’t doing.”
“I’ll take that as a yes.” She sniffed and wiped at her eyes. “Whatever, I don’t care. You said you think Kendall deserves to deal with me? What about what I deserve? She’ll ship me off to another boarding school first chance she gets.”
His heart squeezed at Hannah’s statement, not just because he suspected she was right, that was what Kendall planned, but also because the kid was obviously starved for attention. She needed so much more than either he, a trip through jail, or even another boarding school of strangers could provide.
The irony was, Kendall needed the same thing, and as the oldest sibling she had the ability to fix things for them both. If only she’d realize and change her perspective on her transient life. For both Kendall’s and Hannah’s sakes, Rick hoped Kendall would come around. His needs went without saying.
Kendall, it seemed, was in control of all three of their destinies. “Did she say she was sending you back to boarding school?” he asked.
Hannah shook her head. “She just said she wouldn’t send me back to Vermont. Other than that she didn’t say squat.”
“Because she can’t talk to you through a locked door?” he asked, wryly.
“I guess.” Despite herself, Hannah smiled for the first time.
And when she did, Rick caught a glimpse of the beauty she’d one day become, just like her sister.
“But she doesn’t want me,” Hannah said.
“What makes you say that?”
Hannah clamped her mouth shut tight, all traces of that smile gone.
“Well?”
She glanced up through damp lashes and her heavy bangs. “I just know and so do you.”
“I know no such thing.” That much he could say with complete certainty. Kendall’s worry for her sister, her love and concern, were obvious. Just because she’d never thought to bring Hannah to live with her permanently didn’t mean she wouldn’t want to.
Kendall had planned to stay a short time and leave. With Hannah around, she’d probably have no choice but to stay through the summer. If so, Rick had another two months with Kendall. Two months for these two to deal with their own pasts and with each other. Kendall, especially, would have to deal with each, if Rick had any hope of her deciding to stay on permanently.
“Why are you being so nice to me?” Hannah’s voice interrupted his thoughts. “I mean I have to be cramping your style.”
“Excuse me?” He raised an eyebrow.
“You know. You can’t . . .” She kicked at the dirt with her black-laced boot. “You can’t do it while I’m around.”
“No one said we were
doing
anything.” He grinned. “And I’m being nice because I think despite this little incident, you’re a good kid.”
He caught his mistake at the same time Hannah spat, “I’m not a kid.”
“Right. You’re not. So let’s go home and face the consequences like the adult you are.”
She scowled at him.
“Besides, your teeth are chattering.” And Kendall was worried sick. “And I happen to know your sister bought some hot chocolate she might be convinced to give you. If you apologize.”
“I’ll think about it,” she muttered. But she stood and began walking toward the parking lot.
“Hannah?”
She turned.
“Keys?” He held out his hand.
With an exaggerated sigh, she slapped them into his palm. “Kendall can get the car tomorrow. In the meantime, mind if I give you some advice?”
“Could I stop you?”
He shook his head and laughed. “Kendall loves you. And I think you should give your sister a chance before pulling another stunt like this or hurling accusations.”
“Are you always so full of advice?” she asked. “Usually. And here’s another thought for you. I’m off work tomorrow. Make sure you tell Kendall I’ll pick both of you up at nine. The DARE program from the high school is hosting a summer car wash here. I’ll bring you over to meet some of the kids.”
“Oh, joy.” She glared at him.
But through the facade, Rick caught a glimpse of a grateful smile and a flash of gratitude in her eyes. He only hoped she saved some of that goodwill for her older sister. Because Kendall had her work cut out for her when dealing with Hannah.
Selfishly, and just for a second, Rick wondered how that would leave any time for him in Kendall’s life now. “Remember, we have a date tomorrow,” he reminded Hannah.
“Yeah right.”
By the time he drove up to Kendall’s house, Rick knew she must be frantic. His hunch proved right when Hannah stomped up the driveway and Kendall flung open the door and pulled her sister into a huge hug of obvious relief.
To Rick’s frustration and dismay, Hannah didn’t return the gesture. Her arms remained stiff at her sides.
“I was worried sick,” Kendall said, stepping back. “You could have gotten yourself killed or killed someone else.” Her voice shook as she spoke.
“Well I didn’t.”
Rick stood behind Hannah, folded his arms over his chest, and waited. When the young girl remained stubbornly silent, he decided to step in. “Anything else?” he asked Hannah.
“I’m sorry,” she said begrudgingly.
Kendall sighed. “I want to believe you. And we’re going to have to set some ground rules, but if you promise not to do anything like this again, talking can wait and you can get some sleep.”
“I’m not grounded?” Hannah asked warily.
“Not this time.”
In Kendall’s eyes, he saw her struggle to remain stern yet somehow let her sister know she cared.
“You’re not going to send me away?” Hannah bit down on her lip, looking more like that lost child than the defiant kid.
Once again Rick had a hunch they’d just been given access to the place where Hannah’s deepest fears resided, and Kendall must have sensed that too. Her eyebrows knit tightly and tension pulled at her jaw. “I’m here for the summer and so are you,” Kendall said.
Rick cringed. Kendall’s words might be the best she could come up with at the moment, but no way would they satisfy Hannah any more than they satisfied him.
Sure enough, the young girl turned and ran for her room. The sound of the door slamming followed soon after. Kendall flinched at the noise before she turned to Rick. “Thank you.”
To hell with distance. He held out his arms and she willingly went into them.
“I’m no good as a parent,” she said, shoulders shaking.
And she shouldn’t have to be. That job rightly belonged to Kendall’s mother and father. But then life rarely doled out what was fair. “Don’t sell yourself short. I think she just doesn’t trust anyone right now.”
“Especially me. She’s angry and I feel so bad that I let her down.”
He smoothed his hand over the back of her hair. “You’ll just have to earn her trust.”
“How?”
By taking her in and giving her a home, Rick thought. By staying in one place and providing the stability neither of them ever had. But it wasn’t his place to tell Kendall what he thought she ought to do. What he wanted her to do. Those were conclusions she’d have to come to on her own.
“Just be there for her.” He offered the best advice he could.
She tilted her head back. “And you’ll be there for me?” She shook her head. “Forget it. I had no right to ask that.”
He tipped her chin upward with his hand. “No can do. You’re admitting you need me.” And he had a weakness for females in need. Rick knew enough to learn from past mistakes but obviously not enough because he wasn’t backing off now. Kendall might leave in the end but he cared for her too much to let her down. “What kind of guy would I be if I turned down your request?”
“A smart one?” She grinned.
“What a way to stroke my ego, sweetheart.” He laughed and so did she, melting the ice he wanted to keep around his heart. A little self-protection was in order. “Actually I have a suggestion. A way of keeping our deal intact and giving Hannah some stability at the same time.” Once more he fell back on their arrangement. A black and white, unemotional bargain though at the moment he felt anything but detached.
Her brows knitted as she met his gaze. “What did you have in mind?”
“That we keep up the act in front of the town. Play the part of one big happy family, you, me, and Hannah. It’ll definitely cement the impression that I’m spoken for.” Which he wanted to be, Rick thought. By Kendall only. “And at the same time we’ll give Hannah what she needs, a family and two people who care. I’m sure it’ll help you reach out to her.”
Kendall nodded, eyes wide and hopeful. “That sounds amazing.”
“I agree.” He stroked her cheek with one fingertip. How could she not realize this deal was merely a means to an end? With everything in him Rick hoped that by acting the part of a family, Kendall would come to see that the reality wasn’t something to fear, rather something to cherish. That together they could create something strong and lasting.
“Thank you for doing this for me,” she whispered. “Don’t thank me,” he said in a voice too gruff for his liking. He’d do anything for her but she wasn’t ready to hear it. Besides, by agreeing to his suggestion, she’d given him something too. He now had the rest of the summer with both Kendall and her sister.
But he was taking a risk. If he’d overestimated Kendall and her ability to give her heart, he was setting himself up for heartache. And this pain, he sensed, would be far worse than any Jillian had inflicted. A smart man would back off as she’d suggested. A risk-taker would stay the course.
Rick Chandler had never run from a challenge, but this time he’d damn well make sure he looked out not just for the woman in his life, but for himself too.
After a restless, sleepless night, Kendall awoke and headed for the kitchen where she found her sister, wide awake, showered and dressed. That is, if anyone could call Hannah’s short shorts and midriff-baring top dressed. Kendall was about to ask who’d wear such an outfit when she recalled her own choice of clothing the first day she’d hit town, after she’d changed out of her wedding dress.
It seems Rick had pegged Hannah well. Her sister was more like Kendall than even she’d realized, from the outrageous hair coloring and clothes to the more serious, internal emotional needs. Hannah’s outrageous dress and acting out was a means of self-protection. She was running from her feelings, not facing herself. And Kendall knew why. After all, she understood all too well what it felt like to be an unwanted child, and despite her parents’ attempts to provide more stability, Hannah was obviously suffering the same anxieties.
Kendall sighed. Understanding Hannah would go a long way toward allowing Kendall to get closer to her baby sister. Reaching out would do more. “Morning, Hannah.”
Her sister spun around, carton of orange juice in hand and telltale mustache on her face.
“The glasses are in this cupboard.” Kendall opened one of the tall cabinets she’d cleaned the other day. “They aren’t a matched set, but they’ll do. I cleaned them myself so you don’t have to worry about catching anything.” She laughed.
Hannah merely shrugged, then accepted the glass. “You’re up early. I figured you’d sleep in after last night.”
“Do we have to talk about that now?” Hannah asked. “I thought I was talking about being up early, not last night. Although we are going to have to lay down some ground rules about living together.”
A car horn honked loudly. “That’s my ride.” Hannah set down the glass she hadn’t yet used.
Kendall blinked. “Your ride? You don’t know anyone in this town yet.”
Hannah met her gaze, staring at her through heavily made-up eyes. Kendall narrowed her stare. Was that liner black or dark lavender? Hard to tell, it was caked on so thick. So was her foundation. Thanks to her modeling days, Kendall knew a thing or two about makeup and maybe after she broke through Hannah’s emotional walls, she could chisel through some of that face makeup too.