Wanted: One Mommy (12 page)

“So much for not being together again until after the wedding,” Caroline murmured in drowsy defeat.

Jack frowned.

Back to reality once again.

And like it or not, that included the difficulties still facing them.

“If there is a wedding,” Jack replied, determined not to let his growing feelings for Caroline and increasingly romantic view of the world make him think that everyone could be trusted the way he needed and wanted to trust them. Because it just wasn’t so.

Caroline shot upright, clutching the sheet against her breasts. “Don’t say that!”

Jack wasn’t about to sugarcoat the situation, even to keep Caroline in that postlovemaking glow and ensure another chance to bring her to completion. “If the worst turns out to be true and Dutch does have an ulterior motive for marrying my mother—” he reminded gently.

“It won’t.” Temper gleamed in Caroline’s blue eyes.

Jack wished he had Caroline’s confidence. But the experience of being misled himself, even inadvertently, left him wary and on edge.

“But if it does—” Jack looked Caroline in the eye “—I will intervene.”

Still holding his gaze, she dipped her head slightly in acknowledgment. Then said respectfully, “I know Dutch trying to raise a lot of money quickly looks bad, but there could be a very good reason he’s so intent on liquefying all his assets.”

“And if there is,” Jack promised, “I’ll find that, too.”

“I’m still rooting for happily ever after,” Caroline warned as they exchanged tentative smiles.

“Believe it or not,” Jack said, kissing her gently and moving to make love to her again, “so am I.” For his mother and Dutch.
And most especially, for the two of us
….

“Please go with us, Caroline!” Maddie begged late Monday afternoon, just minutes after getting home from school. She jerked the pastel cotton bucket hat off her head and waved it around like a coastguard signalman hoisting a flag. “I can’t go on a walk with Bounder without a grown-up with us, and Daddy won’t be home for a very long time!”

“Translated, that is thirty minutes,” Patrice put in.

“See?” Maddie threw up her hands in dismay. “That’s
forever!
And Bounder hasn’t had a walk in the longest time ever. And now the vet says she’s all healed and she can go, only Daddy’s not here!”

“I need more time to study the portfolios of the photographers before I make a decision,” Patrice said.

And they really needed her to make a decision. Caroline patted Maddie on the shoulder. “Then I’ll go with you. But I have to warn you, I don’t know much about walking a dog.” Thus far, her interactions with pets had involved petting and cuddling them.

“Not to worry,” Patrice interjected with an encouraging smile. “Bounder’s well trained. She practically walks herself.”

Exactly the kind of dog Caroline needed. “Well, then, we’re off,” she announced.

Maddie snapped on Bounder’s leash and grabbed hold
of the long leather lead. For safety’s sake, she handed the loop handle at the end to Caroline. Together, the two of them were out the door, dog in tow. The fact they were both holding on to the leash had them walking very close together. Looking down at Maddie, Caroline thought, this was what it would be like to have a daughter. To come home and spend time together at the end of every school day….

“Are you excited about the wedding?” Maddie asked as Bounder picked up the pace and pranced energetically down the walk, her fluffy golden tail wagging. “’Cause I am!”

Caroline struggled to keep pace. The strappy spring sandals she was wearing today were not meant for athletic activity. “Actually, I am really looking forward to it, too.” This wedding was shaping up to be the most talked about ceremony in May. The thought made her smile.

Maddie skipped down the sidewalk. Her faster, energetic pace encouraged her dog to move more quickly, too. She pushed the brim of her hat out of her eyes. “Were you ever a flower girl?”

Briefly, Caroline lost her hold on the leash, then caught it again, and held tight. Thinking how cute Maddie looked in her denim shorts and Girls Rock! T-shirt, Caroline said, “No. I wasn’t, sad to say.”

Maddie came to a dead stop at the corner, clearly wondering which way. She rubbed the toe of her sneaker across the sidewalk curb. “That is sad!”

Caroline touched the little girl’s shoulder and wordlessly pointed in the direction that would keep them from having to cross the street. “But I did a lot of other fun things when I was a kid.”

Without warning, Bounder ground to a halt, causing the
two of them to nearly stumble over seventy-five pounds of dog.

Puzzled, Caroline looked down.

Bounder stood stock-still, ears back, head up, her whole body on alert. The golden retriever looked left, then front and center, then right.

Caroline’s gaze focused on the quarry.

And suddenly, Caroline knew what the hubbub was all about. What was it that Jack had said about Bounder and trouble…?

“Maddie! Let go of the leash!” Caroline shouted implacably, still hanging on tight.

Fortunately, the startled Maddie did as Caroline commanded.

And it was a good thing, because Bounder took off like a shot after the offending bunny rabbit, who’d been hiding in the neighbor’s flower bed. The bunny, no fool, took off, too, hopping like mad out of the blossoms, across the yard, past the sidewalk and into the street.

Caroline was dimly aware of an SUV coming toward them. “Stay where you are, Maddie!” she yelled, pushing the little girl back, far out of harm’s way, at the same time she fought to gain control of the dog on the leash. A feat which proved impossible as the dog continued to give chase and sprinted out into the street. Caroline yelled, “Stop, Bounder!” To no avail. She was tugged along with the pet. As soon as Caroline cleared the curb, she yanked hard, bringing Bounder to a halt while the sound of squealing brakes rang in her ears.

They missed colliding with the vehicle, but there was nothing Caroline could do about the force of the backward motion. She lost her balance, so did Bounder. Both of them went down in a heap. It took only seconds to see that the
dog’s once injured paw was okay. Caroline’s palms and both of her knees were bleeding.

Hands and legs stinging, Caroline stood on shaky legs, being careful to keep a tight hold on the leash.

Bounder stood, tail wagging, looking none the worse for wear, and still looking in the direction of the long-gone rabbit.

“Are you okay?” Maddie asked from the curb.

“That,” a familiar voice said, as Jack stepped out from behind the wheel of the SUV, “is what I’d like to know.”

“G
RAM
! C
AROLINE’S A HERO
!” Maddie shouted as the four of them came in the front door.

Patrice looked up from the sample wedding album photos.

Caroline knew she was a mess. She held up a gritty, still-burning palm. “I’m fine. Really.” Although she felt like she was going to burst into tears at any moment, she wouldn’t actually do it.

“What happened?” Patrice asked, horrified.

“Bounder saw a rabbit,” Maddie supplied.

Patrice cringed, able to envision the ensuing commotion and fall to the ground. “I’ll get the Band-Aids and disinfectant. Jack, show Caroline to the master bath to get washed up. She can sit on the edge of the tub while she cleans off those knees.”

Caroline would have liked to protest. But since the scrapes had road dirt in them, she knew she’d better do as advised to prevent infection.

“Can I go?” Maddie asked.

“No, dear. Caroline needs her privacy. But you can help me in the kitchen….” Patrice laced her arm around her granddaughter’s shoulders and guided her toward the rear of the house.

Caroline slipped off her sandals and followed Jack up the stairs. “I don’t know what it is about you,” she muttered as they passed through his ultramasculine bedroom and the bed where they had recklessly first made love, and walked into the adjacent bath, complete with glass-walled shower and garden-style soaking tub.

“I’m usually so well put together. But look at me.” She gestured at her smudged black-and-white skirt and white sleeveless blouse that had been perfect for the warm spring day. “Once again, I’m a disheveled mess.”

The corner of Jack’s mouth crooked up. The heat in his gaze said he was recalling two other times when she’d been in a state of dishabille—for a completely different reason.

Eyes smoldering with sensual heat, he came nearer and wreathed a protective arm about her shoulders. “At least there’s no blood on your clothes this time.” Now that they were alone, he pressed a kiss on the top of her head, further marking her as his. “Just your knees.” He kissed her again. Quickly, but more sensually this time.

Caroline drew back, aware her pulse had quickened as much as the rest of her. Aware the distraction had worked to dull the pain, she let herself relax. And looked deep into his eyes. “True,” she murmured, glad she’d been there to take care of Maddie and Bounder, and glad Jack had been there to take care of her. “And I can also feel good about the fact that Bounder didn’t reinjure her foot.”

“That dog needs a refresher course for walking on a leash. I’m calling the trainer tonight.” Jack gripped Caroline’s hand. Gallantly, he helped her step over into the tub. Exuding tenderness, he provided extra support while she sat down. Then reached over and handed her the hand-spray nozzle, next to the tub spigot, and a bottle of liquid disinfectant hand soap. “I’ll be glad to do that for you,”
he said, reaching over to first turn on and then adjust the temperature of the water coming out of the spout.

She looked at him wryly. He was taking chivalry to new heights. The only problem was, were Dutch, Maddie or Patrice to walk in and see, they’d know immediately that she and Jack were more than wedding planner and billable client.

That wouldn’t look good to the adults.

And it wasn’t something she wanted to be explaining, at this early date, to his daughter. Better to wait on that until they knew for sure that their relationship would continue.

“Thanks—” Caroline held up a staying hand “—but I think I can manage.”

Jack got the message and, every bit the Texas gentleman, immediately backed off.

They hadn’t seen each other since they had made love Saturday night. And since she still felt they really needed to hold off making their relationship a regular fling until after the wedding, no additional plans to get together intimately had been made.

That didn’t mean she hadn’t been thinking about him constantly. Wondering—or was it just plain hoping?—if this fling would turn into a whole heck of a lot more.

The look in his eyes said he had been thinking about her, too.

Caroline hitched up her skirt slightly, to make sure it didn’t get wet, and then leaned over and lathered up her scraped hands.

The soap and water stung as it hit the open cuts. “It would have made more sense to clean my hands in the sink,” she said. And still more sense just to go ahead and admit she was falling hard for Jack Gaines. That these emotions she was feeling weren’t ever going to go away.
Instead of pretending they could stop what increasingly felt like a runaway train, anytime they wanted, and walk away unscathed.

“Hindsight,” Jack teased, leaning one shoulder against the shower wall, “is always better.” He widened his eyes with masculine appreciation as he facetiously took in the view.

Caroline’s insides tingled. They were closer to making love again than she knew.

In fact, had they been anywhere else…

“Here you go!” Patrice said, bopping in with a box of Miss Kitty Band-Aids and painkilling antiseptic cream.

That quickly, Caroline was brought back to the present, and its restrictions on her behavior.

Caroline turned to Jack’s mom. “Thank you.”

Patrice caught Jack’s happy aura. She beamed at the two of them, easily picking up on all that was left unspoken, then finally said to Jack, “I told you Caroline was someone special.”

“A heroine indeed,” Jack agreed. “Which brings us to the next topic of discussion,” he said reluctantly. “After what happened just now…given that the wedding is outdoors, with all manner of wildlife possibly in the area…are we really sure we want Bounder to be part of the ceremony?”

Caroline knew what she thought.

“Bounder absolutely must take part,” Patrice said.

“Mom,” Jack chided.

“Maddie has spent so much time practicing her flower girl routine with Bounder already,” Patrice pointed out. “You know she thinks of that dog as the sibling she lacks. She would be heartbroken if Bounder couldn’t be there.”

Jack looked to Caroline for support. “I have to agree with your mom,” Caroline said. “It’s Maddie’s dream that
she and her pet both be in the ceremony. I don’t want to rob her of that.”

“I don’t, either,” Jack said with a frown. “But given what happened just now…is a disruption to the wedding really a risk we want to take?”

“Yes,” Caroline and Patrice said in unison.

“If it makes Maddie happy,” Patrice said.

“And it will!” Caroline agreed.

“Now that we’ve got that settled…” Patrice swept back out, calling over her shoulder. “You-all take your time! Dutch is back. And he and I are starting dinner!”

As his mother retreated, silence returned. “I hope you and Mom are right about including Bounder in the wedding,” Jack said.

“It’ll be fine,” Caroline reassured. “I’ve done half a dozen weddings on ranches in the last two years, and we’ve never had any unwelcome visitors yet. Probably because all the noise and confusion scares the critters away.”

Jack relaxed. “I hadn’t thought of it that way.” He smiled. “In any case…” He stood, his tall body blocking the door to the master bath. Let his eyes track lazily over her, then drawled, “There is never a dull moment around here.”

There was nothing dull about the way he was looking at her, or the wanted way it made her feel, Caroline thought.

Forcing herself to return to her task of cleaning up her wounds, Caroline winced as she washed the grit from her knees. “I remember now what I hated worst about being a kid,” she moaned, wishing she could bypass this part of the process and go straight to the application of pain-numbing antiseptic cream. Catching Jack’s tender expression, she joked, “Scraped elbows and hands and knees.”

“Fall down a lot, did you?” Their brief disagreement over, Jack closed the distance between them and sat on the
tub beside her. He took the sprayer and gently washed off one knee, and then the other. The sensation was exquisitely tender. She hadn’t felt so cared for, or loved, since she could not remember when.

Caroline’s breath caught. “All the time, when I was learning to ride my bike, and again when I learned to roller-skate.” She paused and shook her head ruefully. “A lot of tumbles there. Also, when I was playing chase at recess and fell on the playground. What about you?” She turned toward him slightly, wondering, as she searched his face, if there was anything they could do together that wouldn’t end up feeling intimate. “What kind of injuries did you incur?” she asked, curious about what he’d been like as a kid, before his dad got sick and he forgot how to dream.

Jack got a clean towel down from the shelf and blotted her knees and palms dry. “All of the above, plus bloody noses, a chipped tooth.”

“No way!”

“Yep.” He paused to point out the offending incisor.

Caroline studied his gleaming white teeth, noting nothing amiss. “It looks fine now.”

Jack flashed a lopsided smile. “I had a dentist who could work wonders.”

Caroline watched as Jack painstakingly applied antiseptic cream and two Band-Aids to each knee. “I wish I could have known you then.”

“I wish I could have known you, too.”

Their eyes locked. Jack leaned over, bracing a hand on the opposite side of her. Caroline saw the kiss coming. She welcomed it. The next thing she knew he had lifted her over onto his lap. Her arms were wreathed around his neck, and they were kissing like there was no tomorrow. Sweetly, deeply, tenderly. And that was when the bathroom
door banged against the wall and an exuberant seven-year-old shouted at the top of her lungs, “Gram! Daddy and Caroline are
kissing!
” She danced in excitement and raced back out. “I think they’re going to get married!”