Little White Lies (3 page)

“Never mind, honey, it’s not important. Why don’t you go wash your hands and help me get dinner? We won’t tell the boys I’m home yet,” she whispered, holding up a finger to her lips, “and we’ll have the kitchen all to ourselves.”

“Yes,” Caitlin whispered back in her best secret voice. Her blue eyes sparkled with happiness at the thought of tricking her brothers, and she scampered quietly into the bathroom.

Maggie pulled herself up and went into the kitchen, groaning at the dirty dishes in the sink. No one had gone hungry today, she consoled herself as she rolled up her sleeves.

After finishing up the dishes, Maggie threw together a meatloaf and scalloped potatoes, and slid them into the oven. Caitlin was left at the table tearing up a head of lettuce into itsy bitsy pieces, and Maggie left her to it with a firm order not to go near the stove.

Jumping into the downstairs shower, she let the hot water soothe her. It felt great to get the dust out of her hair, and she steeled herself not to think about today’s fiasco anymore. The memory of Nick’s powerful body pressed against hers caused her knees to shake, and she shut off the hot water for a few seconds in a useless attempt to cool her thoughts. Damn, that man got to her like nobody else ever had. If she’d put an ad in the paper, he couldn’t have been more perfect for her.

WANTED:
Strong, independent, heart-weary, exhausted SUPER MOM seeking Alpha male partner willing to sweep her off her feet and take her in hand. Applicant must be loving, firm, resourceful, and a problem solver. Must be willing to put up with tantrums (hers not kids) and willing to be a good father figure (kids not hers); high libido and hot body a plus. Wimps need not apply.

Good grief, what was happening to her? She could hardly admit these things to herself let alone act on them. Even as furious as she was today, her panties had been wet the entire time she argued with him. Was she so desperate for male attention that even the thought of a spanking turned her on? Cripes, there should be an antidote for that man.

By the time she was dressed in comfortable leggings and an oversized tee, Caitie had all the lettuce ready and Maggie sliced the tomatoes and cucumbers. Popping the salad into the fridge, she reached for Caitie's hand and together they went into the other room.

“Mommy’s home,” Caitie squealed, extremely impressed to be the bearer of such important news, “and I helped make dinner.”

Todd and Jason descended the stairs, looking like they’d lost their best friend.

“What’s wrong, guys?" Maggie asked, surprised by their lack of enthusiasm, “Bad day?”

“Mom, when is Nick coming over again?” Jason almost wailed. “I’m so bored I can’t stand it. He promised to take us to the arcade.”

The muscles in Maggie’s shoulders tightened painfully, and she rubbed the back of her neck in frustration.

“I don’t know, honey,” she answered, careful not to let her feelings show. “I’m sure he’s very busy, and he probably forgot all about it.”

“Naw, Nick wouldn’t forget a promise,” Todd added, flopping down on the couch and swinging one leg back and forth over the arm. His blonde hair and fair features were a complete contrast to his brother’s dark looks.

“He told me that no matter what, he would always keep a promise.”

Great, Maggie thought, Mr. Dependable himself.

“Well, I’m sure if he said he’d take you, he will. Why don’t you two get washed up for dinner?”

“Will you call him, Mom,” Jason asked, “after dinner I mean?”

Maggie’s hesitation was obvious, even to Caitlin.

“Maybe Mommy don’t wanna to talk to him. His bloods don’t get to the top of his head,” she informed her brother smugly.

“What dumb thing is she talking about now?” Todd demanded in typical brotherly fashion. “Where does she get this stuff?”

“Mommy said—”

“Hush, Caitie, never mind,” Maggie whispered as she guided her into the kitchen, hoping the subject would drop.

“Well, will you?” Jason repeated as three hopeful faces stared at her.

“Will I what?” Maggie asked as she moved around the kitchen, setting the table and trying to distract him.

“Call Nick,” they chimed together, their tone implying that she was unbelievably dense.

Maggie stood, holding a stack of plates in her hands, her mind seething. How had he managed to have such an influence on her kids in the short time he’d been dropping by?

“As a matter of fact, I think I will call the dependable, never-break-a-promise, Mr. Kord. It just so happens I have a few things to say to him.”

Three pairs of eyes met and three chins dropped. They’d heard that tone of voice before. Poor Nick.

It was ten o’clock by the time the kids were in bed and even later when all the housework was done, but Maggie couldn’t complain. She hated to leave Mrs. Jamison with much work to do and tried to lighten her load if possible. Mrs. Jamison wasn’t getting any younger. She’d been babysitting ever since Jason was born and hadn’t been a young woman then. Even though she was only there from noon, when Caitie got home from pre-school until three-thirty when Jason got home to take over, it was getting to be too much for her. And now that her husband was ill, she was burning the candle at both ends.

Maggie had put off calling Nick all evening. Just the thought of talking to him had her feeling anxious, and it angered her.

She really couldn’t blame Nick for wanting to be part of Jason’s life. He was a great kid, they all were, but the fact of the matter was Maggie had experienced enough heartbreak, and Nick had already proven he was an expert at that.

Maggie switched off the lights as she went upstairs, and after checking on the kids, she went into her room. For the first time that day she began to relax. This was by far her favorite room in the house. Totally feminine, it was furnished in white and rose, and Maggie always felt as though she had entered a childhood dream when she walked into it.

She’d never had a room of her own before, having to share with her sisters at home and then with Jim. When they’d bought this house, Maggie had been too shy to voice her opinions, going along with whatever Jim wanted, but after the accident she indulged herself as never before. Up came the dark carpeting and down went the hardwood floors. She’d stripped the walls herself and now delicate flowered wallpaper covered three of them. The king-sized bed had been replaced with a double brass one, and an antique mahogany rocker now sat next to the window. The only things she’d left unchanged were the fireplace made of gray stone and the dark beams that ran the length of the ceiling. The antique bureau and the night stand had been her Grandmother’s. Digging them out of the attic and refinishing them had helped her through many sleepless nights in the last year. Now the room was perfect. From the lace curtains to the white scatter rugs, it was a woman’s room.

At first she’d felt guilty, making the changes so soon after Jim’s death, but eventually she began to see it as therapy. Her life had taken turns she had never expected and she’d been forced to adjust. She was a single mother, working in a typically male profession. Struggling to make ends meet, sometimes by the skin of her teeth, she never regretted what she had spent on this room. It was her haven.

Slipping into her nightgown, Maggie snuggled down into the rocking chair. She reached for the phone three times before she forced herself to dial Nick’s number. If he hadn’t been staying in Mason’s apartment, she actually might have lied to the kids and told them she didn’t know how to reach him. Soft light from the lamp on the side table glowed around her as she waited for him to answer.

“Hello.”

Maggie was instantly sorry she hadn’t called from downstairs. Even over the phone, he intruded into the room.

“Hello,” he tried again, the tone of his voice rough.

Maggie cleared her throat. This is ridiculous she thought, as the receiver threatened to slip from her sweating hand.

“Nick, it’s Maggie. We need to talk.”

“Well, it’s about time,” he said, torn between relief and suspicion. “Do you want me to come over?”

“No,” she gasped, a hand going to her throat. For a moment she pictured Nick in this room and began to tremble. He was too big, too masculine, and too powerful. It was even difficult to sit on the couch in the evening without remembering how he’d looked in the soft glow of the fireplace. The way the flames danced across his glistening muscles—if he ever came into this room, it would never truly be hers again.

Nick sighed.

“Obviously, this isn’t the call I’ve been hoping for, so why don’t you just say what’s on your mind. It’s late.”

Maggie took a deep breath. Nick’s voice irritated her to no end. It was a command and she almost complied. She’d been taking orders from men all her life—her father, her brothers, her boss, and she’d be damned if Nick was going to join the parade.

“If this is a bad time for you, Nick, we can put it off,” she finally responded, the chill in her voice freezing him.

“There is no good time, Maggie, unless you’re going to tell me you’ve reconsidered.”

“We’ve been over this before, and I think I’ve made my feelings perfectly clear,” she answered, trying to sound stronger than she felt.

“Then why the call, Maggie? I meant everything I said today, and I mean
everything
,” he continued. She could almost hear the smile in his voice. “Unless you’re willing to let me into Jason’s life, I guess I’ll see you in court.”

Maggie trembled with fury. He really meant to take this all the way.

“Not only have I not changed my mind about Jason, but I want you to stop trying to infiltrate this family.”

“What?” he demanded incredulously.

“You heard me. Caitlin can’t talk about anything but ‘Nicky’. The boys are waiting for you to take them to the arcade, which by the way you never bothered to ask me about. I’m damn sick of hearing Nick this and Nick that,” she gasped out, revealing far too much.

“I’m sorry, Maggie. Sorry you can’t handle the fact that I like your kids and they like me. I can’t help it if they feel the need for a little male attention, and I won’t build a relationship with Jason and ignore Todd and Caitie, nor would I want to. They’re great kids, and if you would stop whining and carrying on for five minutes, you would see—”

“I do not whine,” she informed him, insulted. “And another thing, how dare you tell Caitlin that I have too much sass!”

“Because it’s the truth. You’ve never known when to shut up. As a matter of fact, your best arguments are usually when you’re in the wrong and you know it, as you are in this case. I’m picking the kids up Saturday to take them to the arcade,” he informed her sharply. “I promised. Christ, Mason has more freedom with Jason than I do. I can’t see why you—”

Emotion raced through her. It took her a moment to identify it, but when she did, she cut him off immediately.

“You don’t see anything. I’ve had a man telling me what I could and could not do for most of my life, and I refuse to let that happen again. I’m independent Nick; do you even comprehend what that means to someone like me? I make my own money, raise my kids, run my life, and the last thing I need or want is some man telling me—”

“I’m not trying to run your life; I just want to be part of it.”

“The hell you’re not. You, Nicholas Kord, are probably the most domineering, arrogant man I’ve ever met. Just look what you did to me today, coming to my workplace, making me look like a woman—”

“Maggie, you are a woman. Have you been working so long in your steel-toed boots, that you’ve forgotten that? And I’ll tell you one more thing, you can wear your jeans, stuff your hair under a hard hat, and boss that crew like MacArthur, but every man there is more than aware that you’re a woman.”

“There’s nothing wrong with a woman doing my job. I happen to be very good at it.”

“I’m not saying that,” Nick argued, trying to keep his cool in the face of her tirade. “You should be able to do any type of work you want regardless of your sex, but Maggie you’re running.”

“And here I thought you were a lawyer. You didn’t tell me you were also a psychiatrist,” she shot back sarcastically.

“It doesn’t take a genius to figure it out, honey. You’ve been running scared ever since New Year’s, avoiding me like the plague, or I wouldn’t have had to track you down at work. What are you afraid of Maggie? Why can’t you admit that it’s tough going it alone? You have needs just like—”

“I do not need anything. For your information I’m doing just fine, or I was until you started—”

“Started what, Maggie? Started making you remember there are other things in life besides work and kids? Started making you feel again?”

“You make me feel all right, make me feel like wringing your neck.”

Nick laughed. “Well, I guess that’s a start. You won’t do it, Maggie,” he whispered softly, “and do you want to know why?”

“No, but I’m sure you’re dying to tell me.”

“Because you’re afraid to touch me,” he told her, his voice deep and heavy.

Maggie’s stomach muscles contracted. Her throat closed as she tried to draw breath.

“Afraid if you do, I’ll put my arms around you and—”

“Nick,” she choked out, her heart beating rapidly against her ribs. “I’ve got to go. I hear Caitie crying, she must be having a nightmare.” There, she’d lied three times in one day. What was happening to her?

“All right, Maggie. I get the message. Go take care of the munchkin. I’ll see you Saturday.”

“I have plans for Saturday.”

“Change them.”

“I can’t. Saturday is the only day I have to get things done around here.”

“Fine, have it your way, but I’m picking up the kids like I promised. I want time with Jason, and I wouldn’t hurt Todd and Caitie by leaving them out. Have them ready.”

“Nick, I don’t think this is a good idea.”

“I don’t either, but it’s the best option I have right now. Don’t push me,” he sighed. “You’re treading on very thin ice.”

“All right, they can go, but you better enjoy it because Monday morning I’m calling my own lawyer,” she informed him, trying to keep her voice steady. “This has to be blackmail or something.”