A Home for Haley (4 page)

“It’s nature, Haley. That’s one of
the reasons these little guys are good to have around. Would you rather the owl
ate that mouse, or that the mice start taking over around here?”

“When you put it that way . . .”
She backed away from the gruesome sight. “I’m not sure I’m cut out for this
country stuff.”

“All because of a little screech
owl? You haven’t even turned your pocket inside out, so he can’t be bothering
you too much.”

She glanced down at his pocket. “I
see yours is back in place.”

He grinned. “I didn’t say you had
to leave it out.” He walked to the opposite corner of the living room and
gathered up the fishing poles and tackle boxes, handing one of the tackle boxes
to her. “Unless you want our little screech owl’s leftovers, we’d better go
catch some dinner.”

Casting a quick look at the
half-eaten mouse, she shivered. “Fish is sounding better by the minute.” She
promptly marched out the front door, looking forward to this next adventure.

****

 “Grab on right here, little
buddy.” Keeping a grip of the fishing pole that he’d given Ryan, Ethan motioned
Haley over. “I don’t think he can hold this himself.” Ryan shot him a ferocious
scowl. “Fine,” Ethan said, letting go of the fishing rod. It dropped about six
inches and Ryan struggled to keep his grip on it.

Haley tried in vain to hide her
smile as she reached out to help him. Frowning at her, Ryan moved away and
grasped the rod so hard his arms shook. “You’re doing good, Ryan.” Haley bit
her cheeks to keep from laughing. “Let me know if you want me to help.”

Ethan grinned at the exchange.
Haley was a good mother, loving and caring but not overly-protective. He liked
that about her. Another reason to be glad he’d hired her.

Kayla handed him a hook, and he
expertly skewered a worm onto it. Haley made a sound of disgust and pressed a
hand against her stomach. He held in a chuckle.

“Need help casting?” Ethan asked
Kayla, dropping the baited hook.

She shook her head and cast out,
stumbling a little as she did. Ethan turned to Haley and rolled his eyes.
“Independent aren’t they?” She nodded. “Want to pick your worm?” He raised the
bucket up to her.

She wrinkled her nose. “Is one
tastier than the other?”

“Doubt it, but one might wiggle
more than the other.”

She wrapped her arms around her
waist. “If someone poked me about a million times I’d wiggle too.”

Their eyes locked and Haley looked
away, her face flushed.

Ethan couldn’t keep his gaze from
coasting quickly over her. Stifling a groan, he picked up a fat, wiggly worm
and handed it to her. The face she made had him grinning as he handed her the
fishing hook.

Still grimacing, she ran the hook
through the top part of the worm. Goose bumps cascaded over her arms and neck.

“Want me to do it?” he offered,
impressed she was going through with this.

“And be the only one here who needs
help? I don’t think so.”

The woman was a lot tougher than
she looked. “The kids are just proving their independence. You’re past that
stage, right?” he teased.

“Unfortunately, independence has
been my middle name these last few years.”

Admiration for her courage seeped
through him. “Here.” He reached over and expertly threaded the rest of the
worm.

She started to protest, then shut
her mouth. “Thanks. I appreciate it.”

“No problem. Ever cast a fishing
line before?” She shook her head. “I’ll teach you.” He handed her the fishing
rod and stood beside her, wrapping his hands around hers. Her skin was silky
smooth, and he could imagine only too vividly how soft and smooth she was in
other places. “Stay loose and let me move your arms,” he said, reining in his
vivid fantasy.

He pulled back, then arched their
arms forward. Haley stiffened and the line fell into the water only a few feet
out. “You have to stay loose. Here, let’s try it another way.” He stepped
behind her and wrapped his arms around her, taking hold of the rod again. “Stay
loose,” he instructed as he pulled their arms back and flicked the line forward.
This time the lure swung far out onto the water.

As he eased out the line, his body
pressed slightly against her backside. He responded instantly and jerked back
like he’d been jabbed with a hot poker. “If you get a tug, let me know,” he
muttered, stepping away and baiting his own hook with hands that weren’t quite
steady.

He tried to ignore Haley but he
could see her long, smooth legs out of the corner of his eye, and he couldn’t
seem to stop fantasizing about those legs. Damn. She was so off limits. She was
an employee, and she was married for God sakes. Probably to a dead man, but she
didn’t know that. He wondered how much digging it would take to uncover the
truth about Dale Donahue. He had a few friends in high places. Maybe he’d see
what he could find out. His mother had been right. If Dale were gone, Haley
needed to know so she could get on with her life, wherever that might take her.

“Daddy!”

Ethan turned to Kayla who was
struggling to reel in a fish. He stepped over to her, glad for the distraction.
“Reel it in a little bit at a time. Like this.” He helped her turn the rod’s
handle then tugged on the pole. “Here comes dinner,” he said, helping her pull
the fish onto the bank.

Kayla squealed, and Ryan dropped
his rod and scrambled over to them, stooping over the fish and pointing. “Fish,
fish.”

“Little fish,” Kayla said,
frowning.

“About the right size to feed
Ryan.” Ethan picked up the flopping fish and took out the hook. “What do you
think of this fish, Ryan?”

He clapped his hands and turned to
his mom, who was watching with a smile. Kayla ran a finger over the fish.
“Maybe we should put him back.”

“Your choice.” Ethan waited for her
answer.

“Okay, unless Ryan cries about it.”

Ethan picked Ryan up. “This fish is
too little to keep. He needs to go back home with his mom. Say bye-bye to the
fish.”

Ryan’s mouth turned into a pout. “Bye-bye,
fishy.”

Ethan ruffled his hair. “You do the
honors, Kayla.”

She picked up the fish with both
hands and slipped it back into the pond. Ryan clapped when the fish swam away. Wiping
her hands on her shorts, Kayla turned to her father. “Guess I need another
worm.”

Ethan baited her hook and then
stood back to watch her cast. She threw her fishing line out as hard as she
could, but it didn’t go far. “You’re forgetting your wrist action,” Ethan
explained. Kayla made a face and tried again. This time the line went farther.
“Much better. Try one more time, but be careful not to hook one of us.” Ethan
grinned at Haley and hoisted Ryan onto his shoulders. He giggled and grabbed Ethan’s
hair with a death grip.

Haley smiled at her son then
shifted her gaze to Ethan. “He loves every minute of this. Having a man around
is good for him.”

“He’s a great kid.”

A warm smile lit Haley’s face.
“You’re caring and gentle with him. Kayla is definitely a lucky little girl.”

Ethan couldn’t remember when a
compliment had made him feel so good. “Thank you, Haley. That means a lot to
me.”

Kayla reeled her line back in and
stretched her arms way behind her. Casting out with a grunt, she stumbled and
fell into the pond. Ethan hurried to her and hauled her up. “You’re supposed to
use your wrist, Kayley Girl, not your entire body.”

She slapped his hand, tears in her
eyes. Ryan hung onto Ethan’s hair so tight Ethan thought he might lose a handful
of it. Squealing, Ryan kicked his legs and hit Kayla in the temple.

“Ouch,” she yelled as she fell back
into the water, immersing even her head.

Ethan reached for her and Ryan slid
sideways. Haley grabbed him and pulled him off of Ethan’s shoulders, just as he
hauled Kayla out of the water and set her upright. Crying, Kayla glared at
Ryan.

“He didn’t kick you on purpose,
honey.” Ethan ran his fingers over the area Ryan had kicked.

“Ouch.” Kayla’s crying intensified.

Ryan pointed at Kayla and tears
pooled in his eyes. “KayKay hurt?”

“My name’s not KayKay and I’m
okay.” Kayla sniffed. “I’m all wet and yucky, though.” She gingerly touched the
spot Ryan had kicked. He ran over and hugged her around the waist. Kayla gave a
watery smile and hugged him back. “Now you’re all wet and yucky, too,” she
said, patting his head.

Ethan began gathering the fishing
equipment. “Guess we should have kept that fish you caught, Kayla.”

“I’d rather have pizza anyway. You
like pizza, Ryan?” His blue eyes widened and he raced around them as fast as
his short legs would go.

“Looks like a pizza night to me,”
Ethan said with a chuckle.

“Yippee!” Kayla grabbed Ryan’s
hands and ran in a circle with him. “I’m starved. Let’s order now.”

“I’ll call as soon as we get back
to the house. By the time you guys are cleaned up, the pizza should be here.”
Ethan glanced at Haley. “You a pizza girl?”

“I’m a hungry girl so I’m for
anything.”

“Anything?” He bent down and
rummaged through his tackle box. “Then let’s see if we can nab a few bullfrogs
for dinner.”

She grimaced. “Let me re-phrase
that. I’m for anything that we don’t have to catch and clean. Or kill.”

He shook his head. “I’m gonna have
to take the city slicker out of you.” He closed the tackle box, gathered up the
fishing poles and straightened. “Seriously, you’re a real trooper, Haley.”

She reached for the fishing poles
and smiled at him. His gaze locked on her blue eyes—eyes full of compassion as
well as a touch of sadness. He had to force himself to look away.

“Guess I’d better watch myself or
before I know it, I’ll be wearing boots and a cowgirl hat,” she said. “Not to
mention turning my pocket inside out if I hear a screech owl.”

“That’s probably why we had such
bad luck fishing. I was the only one who turned his pocket inside out. Next
time that dang owl screeches, your pocket is turning out if I have to do it
myself.”

He shot her a teasing grin and laughed
at the face she gave him.

“I might as well just turn my
pocket out now because that owl screeches all the time,” she said. They started
up the path in companionable silence, the kids in front of them. “I can’t
remember the last time I had such a terrific day. You’re great with the kids,
Ethan.”

“I’ve always liked kids.” He sliced
her a sideways look. “Speaking of being good with children, don’t underestimate
yourself. You’ve done a great job with Ryan.”

“Thanks. He seems to be at his best
around you. I think it’s that male bonding thing. Ryan’s not had any men in his
life, so he’s really soaking up your attention.” She let out a long sigh, and
he wondered if she was thinking about her husband. Of course she was. He should
be thinking about him, too.

“What about your dad?” Ethan asked.
“Is Ryan close to him?”

“Ryan only sees him once or twice a
year, and dad’s gruffness scares my son like it did me.”

“That’s too bad.”

She shrugged. “I learned to steer
clear of him when he was in a bad mood, which was most of the time.”

“That’s a bummer.” Ethan wanted to
pull her close and comfort her. She’d had one helluva lot to cope with in her
life. “No kid should have to deal with being afraid of a parent.”

She pretended it was no big deal,
but her eyes moistened. He reached out and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
“Your mother must be a super mom because you turned out terrific,” he said
softly, squeezing her and then promptly dropping his arm.

“She’s okay. I always felt like my
dad didn’t want me.”

“Ouch. Has he been there for you at
least some?”

“I’d be lying if I said yes.” She
frowned. “Mom says he was never the same after Vietnam.”

“I imagine lots of men weren’t.”

“Was your father in Nam?”

At the mention of his father, Ethan
grew somber. “I barely remember my dad, but what I do remember is all good.
And, yeah, he was in ‘Nam. He and my uncle went over there together. Dad was
the only one who came home.”

Haley shuddered. “I can’t imagine
what they went through. I guess none of us will ever know how bad it really
was. My dad never talked about it. Did yours?”

“He died when I was seven, so I
wouldn’t know.”

“Oh Ethan. I’m so sorry. Children
shouldn’t lose their father.”

Ethan knew she was thinking about
her own son and the possibility of her boy never knowing his dad. “Or their mother,”
he added. “But big bro stepped in and bossed us kids. Hell, he still tries to
boss us sometimes.”

“I wish I had a big brother,” she
said with a faraway look in her eyes.

“Yeah, Matt’s a pretty good guy.
Big brothers can come in real handy sometimes.” It sounded like Haley had been
dealt a crummy hand all the way around. He shoved that depressing thought out
of his mind “So what kind of pizza do you like?”

She brightened. “Pepperoni’s always
good.”

The kids clamored up onto the
porch. Ethan and Haley followed. Ethan set the fishing equipment in a far
corner. Even though they hadn’t caught any fish and he hadn’t had time to even
bait a hook for himself, the outing had been fun, which surprised him. He liked
Haley and her son, but he’d had mixed feelings about inviting everyone to come
with him this weekend. He’d wanted time for himself, yet now he was glad they
were here. The companionship was nice. Peace and quiet later tonight would be
good, too, but right now he was surprisingly content.

If he could keep himself from
staring at Haley’s never-ending legs, he’d be even more content. The only
problem was, the more he was around her, the more difficult it became to tamp
down his raging hormones. No doubt about it, the nanny was one sexy lady. All
he had to do was catch a whiff of her flowery perfume and he was like a bird
dog on point.