Darling obstacles (15 page)

"Do you know Dr. Wilder well?" Rich asked, then gave a nervous little laugh. "What a stupid question! Of course you do, your children wouldn't be here with him if you didn't."

Maggie made no reply. Her eyes were fixed on the kids, who were tearing open candy wrappers, whispering too loudly, and traipsing from one seat to another. Not one of them appeared to be listening to the clarinet duo on stage. The woman sitting behind them shushed them twice and Greg turned around to give her a dark glare. Then his gaze shifted and rested lingeringly on Maggie.

It was dark and they were six rows apart, but Maggie was completely aware of the message in his mocking eyes. "You'll be sorry ... I warned you ..." He'd kept his promise and carried out his threat. The beast!

Rich shifted in his seat and Maggie cast a covert

glance at him. He was watching Greg and the children too. When he caught her eye he leaned over and whispered, "I feel I should explain why I told Paula that she could no longer be in the band." He was folding and unfolding his program in nervous agitation. "You see, she missed thirteen band practices in a month without any excuse except that she had other things to do. She was quite good on the flute, but I couldn't let one student constantly flout the rules or— H

"You don't have to justify it to me, Rich," Maggie interjected quickly. The poor man was a nervous wreck! She was infuriated with Greg for putting them through this.

"It was an unpleasant incident," Rich mumbled. "Dr. Wilder was furious with me."

"Yes, I know how unpleasant Dr. Wilder can be," Maggie said. They sat glumly as the drums began to roll.

Ten minutes later Max appeared at their feet. "Hi, Maggie!" He grinned at her, his face smeared with chocolate. He had crawled under the rows of seats to reach her and his hands and corduroy pants were filthy from the floor. Max dug deep into his pocket and pulled out an unwrapped piece of candy with teethmarks in it. "Want a Starburst Fruit Chew, Maggie?"

"Oh, Max," she sighed.

"I have to go to the bathroom," he announced," climbing into her lap. "Will you take me, Maggie?"

What choice did she have? Maggie asked herself as she walked Max to the bathroom. At four, he still consented to go into the ladies' room with her. She was furious with Greg, but it wouldn't be fair to take out her anger on an innocent child.

Max insisted upon sitting on her lap for the remainder of the concert. It was late, the child was tired, and his blood was probably running pure sugar after all that junk he'd eaten, Maggie reasoned, allowing him to stay with her. The last thing she

wanted to risk was a volatile four-year-old's full-blown tantrum in the middle of the concert. Greg would undoubtedly remain in his seat and pretend he didn't know them, leaving her to cope alone. So Max sat in her lap in contented silence, popping candy into his mouth from the seemingly never-ending supply in his pockets.

Was it really only ten-thirty when the concert ended and the lights went on? Maggie felt as if she'd been sitting in the Civic Center for a full week with little Max in her lap and Rich Cassidy agitatedly twitching beside her. She'd spent the entire time watching and listening to the antics of the children five rows in front of her. She'd cringed every time someone in the audience hushed them with a disapproving glare. It didn't seem to bother Greg at all. He didn't even get upset when Kari stood on her seat and jumped off! Maggie's head was pounding as loudly as the drums by the time the audience rose and filed out.

"Mommy!" Kari called to her from the aisle. Maggie winced at the sight of her youngest child, who was a tangle-haired, grimy, candy-coated mess. "Mommy, Uncle Greg is taking us to the Ice Cream Emporium!"

Uncle Greg? Maggie was still reeling from that one when Max tore away from her to snake his way through the crowd. Maggie watched him land in the middle of the Wilder-May party. Greg caught her eye and gave her a brief mock salute. She didn't dare look at Rich Cassidy; she couldn't even begin to speculate on what he must be thinking.

Rich drove her straight home without saying a single word. Maggie tried to placate him with a heartfelt "I'm so sorry about this evening," but it didn't work. He merely grunted and did not walk her to her door.

Greg and the children didn't return for another hour. The irony of the situation was not lost on Maggie. She was home from her date and her children

were out on the town with Greg Wilder. She heard them arrive a few minutes after midnight. Probably all of Woodland Courts did too. The Wilder children called noisy good-byes from the car as Kevin raced to the front door whooping. Greg carried a singing Kari on his shoulder and Kristin cartwheeled up the front walk. Maggie grimaced. All that sugar! She flung open the door and watched them, her hands on her hips.

"Hey, great concert, Maggie," Greg said as he set Kari on her feet with a flourish. "Loved those woodwinds and percussions."

"It isn't the least bit funny, Greg," she said icily.

Kari began to jump up and down. "We had so much fun, Mommy! We went to the Ice Cream Emporium and I had a banana split and an orange soda and—"

"Yes, I can see. You're wearing all of it," Maggie interrupted, glaring at Greg. "And it's a darn good thing I have a new bottle of Pepto-Bismol because all three of you are probably going to need it tonight."

"The kids are fine. Slap me five, Kevin." Greg held out his hand, palm up, and Kevin slapped it gleefully.

Maggie decided it was time to end the gaiety before she slapped Greg Wilder herself. And it wouldn't be on his palm. "Say good night to Dr. Wilder, kids," she said briskly. "Kristin, will you run bath water for Kari? Ill be up in a few minutes."

"Sure. 'Night, Uncle Greg," called Kristin. "And thanks!"

"Thank you, Uncle Greg," chorused Kevin and Kari.

"It was my pleasure," Greg replied cheerfully. "Good night, kids." The children went inside and Greg turned to Maggie with a cocky grin. "They're great kids, Maggie. Thanks for letting me borrow them tonight."

Maggie's temper, suppressed during the long evening, erupted with volcanic force. Her face turned

purple and her body trembled with fury. "Get out of here," she managed to say.

"It's too bad you didn't invite me inside," Greg said. "It would be so much more satisfying for you to throw me out of your house instead of merely off your doorstep."

"I don't want you in my house or on my doorstep," she said. "What you did tonight was unspeakable, Greg Wilder, and I—"

"Hi, Maggie!" Wendy, Josh, and Max called from the car. All three were hanging out the windows waving to her.

She felt compelled to respond with a wave and a cheery hello. She wasn't angry with the children; it wasn't their fault. But the brief interlude robbed her tirade of the necessary momentum. She tried to remember what she had been about to say.

"You were telling me how unspeakable I was tonight," Greg prompted. "And as much as I'd like to stay and listen, I'd better get the kids home to bed. It's getting late."

Maggie wasn't about to let him walk away without assuaging her rage. "Tonight was a complete fiasco," she hissed as he turned to walk to his car. "And it's—"

"So you didn't enjoy your first date as a single parent?"

"Enjoy it? It was a catastrophe! And—"

"A catastrophe?" he repeated. "That just about sums up most of my dates as well. We seem to have a lot in common, Mary Magdalene."

"Don't call me that! You deliberately set out to wreck my date tonight. I've never been so mortified in my entire life!"

"Are you sorry you went out with Cassidy tonight, Maggie?" he asked softly. "I told you that you would be. Maybe next time you'll listen to Uncle Greg."

"Ohh!" Maggie couldn't remember ever being so angry. The man had the power to infuriate her like no

one and nothing else. "Why were you free on a Saturday night anyway? Wasn't your friend Lynn available tonight? After the wonderful time you had with her this afternoon, I'd have thought— M She broke off, horrified by her revealing transparence. Her temper had given her tongue free rein and she'd blurted out her jealous insecurities.

"Lynn?" For a moment Greg looked puzzled. Then he laughed. "I think you're referring to Chien and Ching Lin. The kids and I spent the afternoon with them. He's a radiologist at Hopkins and he and his wife threw a big birthday party for their little daughter Shirley today. It's an annual event, with both parents and children invited."

Maggie closed her eyes, aware that her face was somewhere between the shades of scarlet and crimson.

"You thought I'd spent the day with a woman named Lynn," Greg said jovially. "So that's why you're in such a stew, Green Eyes. Your catastrophic date with Cassidy has nothing to do with it!"

She had two choices, Maggie thought as she stood seething on the doorstep. She could stand there sputtering with impotent fury or she could exit grandly, slamming the door behind her. She opted for the latter.

Maggie spent a good portion of the night thinking of what she should have said to Greg Wilder when he so arrogantly sauntered to her door. Her revealing remarks about the mythical Lynn were never a part of the scenario, of course.

She was physically present with the children in church the next morning, but mentally she was annihilating Greg with a scathingly clever diatribe. In her imagination he was suitably chastened and pleading for her forgiveness. And she was cool and controlled and did not blurt out accusations like a juvenile, jealous fool. When the services ended,

Maggie was uncomfortably aware that she hadn't heard one word of the sermon.

"There's Uncle Greg's station wagon!" Kevin exclaimed as they rounded the bend into Woodland Courts. "Right in front of our house."

Maggie's stomach lurched. Kevin was right; the Wilders' long tan station wagon was parked directly in front of the duplex. Greg and his four children climbed out of the car as Maggie pulled her old Chevy into the driveway. Kevin, Kristin, and Kari bounced out of the car to greet them. Maggie stayed behind the steering wheel, trying to remember the brilliant rebuke she'd spent hours conceiving. Her mind seemed to have blanked at the sight of Greg walking toward her.

He opened the door of her car and extended a hand to her. Maggie ignored it and got out of the car by herself.

"I'm taking the kids boating today," Greg said, ignoring, in turn, her deliberate snub. "It'll probably be the last time we'll be taking the boat out this season. I'm on call next weekend and it will be too cold after that. We'd like you and the kids to join us, Maggie."

"No," she said automatically.

He frowned slightly. "I had a feeling you were going to say that, so I took out a little insurance."

"Mommy, Uncle Greg is going to take us on his boat!" cried Kari, rushing up to them. Maggie glared at Greg. His insurance was having his kids tell hers about the proposed outing. He didn't think she'd be able to say no to them.

"It's a big speedboat, Mom," Kevin said, joining them, his eyes alight with excitement. "Josh showed me pictures of it lots of times. I've always wanted to go on it."

Maggie felt trapped. "I really don't think—" she began, and all three of her children interrupted her with a desperate "Please, Mom!"

"Please, Maggie," Wendy said. Her beautiful

aquamarine eyes, so like Greg's, issued a plea of their own.

Max grabbed her around the knees and held on. "Please, Maggie!"

Greg was smiling smugly, quite pleased with his strategy. If she refused, she would be cast into the role of unreasonable spoilsport and he obviously didn't think she would accept that role.

Maggie had a surprise for him. "All right, you kids can go with Uncle Greg.'' She pronounced the name with delicate sarcasm. "But I have things to do today, so I'll stay home."

That was fine with the kids. They gave a cheer and ran into the duplex to change clothes. "Touche," Greg said softly, folding his arms across his chest. The action pulled the slick material of his navy wind-breaker across his shoulders, emphasizing the hard muscles. He took a step toward her. He was wearing a pair of faded, well-worn blue jeans that seemed to be molded to the muscled columns of his thighs. He exuded a vital and forceful masculinity that both appealed and threatened.

Maggie swallowed and took a small step backward. Greg laughed softly. "Scared?" His gaze swept her body deliberately lingering on certain portions of her anatomy.

Sharp needles of sexual excitement pierced the pit of her abdomen. "Of you?" she said scornfully. "Why should I be? I beat you at your own game, Greg. Have a good time boating with the children today. It was most kind of you to invite them."

"Oh, you're coming with us, Maggie. Go inside and change into jeans and a sweatshirt or sweater. You have ten minutes."

"Do I?" She laughed at his arrogance. "Sorry, Greg. You lose this round."

"Unless you want to experience a little more of my caveman machismo, I suggest you go in and change, honey," he said silkily. "But then, maybe you do. You rather enjoyed that approach the last time, didn't

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you? I was so worried that Td frightened shy little Maggie, but you loved it."

White-hot anger fueled by the sexual tension straining between them flared within her. She raised her hand, seeking a primitively feminine retribution. And caught herself in horror before she actually slapped his face.

"Go ahead, hit me," Greg taunted. "Then 111 have an excuse to retaliate. Ill kiss you senseless and then carry you straight to bed. Hell, that's what we both want anyway. H

"No," she whispered. She was deeply shaken by the intensity of her emotions, and further unnerved by the realization that Greg was right. She was aching for a physical confrontation with him which would end . . . quite physically. It was more than a little frightening to have this volatile, passionate side of her nature revealed after years of seeing herself as calm, sensible, totally maternal. What had Greg Wilder unleashed in her? She stared at him, her green eyes reflecting her turmoil.

Paula Wilder chose that moment to make her acquaintance. "Hi, Mrs. May, I'm Paula." She approached Maggie with a friendly, curious smile. "I'm glad to meet you at last. WeVe talked on the phone so many times, I feel as if I know you already."