I still dont, Brenna said quickly.
But I hope you know I love you like my own daughter.
Even though Brenna had been quietly prickly in the beginning about accepting that love. Oh, shed never been as outwardly bratty as Eliza-she hadnt been that brave-but scared and scarred, she couldnt have made it easier for the older woman, either.
Josh mentioned the Varner family? Brenna began. She enthusiastically scrubbed dishes, glad to have something physical to do-and an excuse not to meet Maggies eye. A divorced man and his three kids. I think watching him interact with them is part of what made me realize how much I appreciate you. Hes worried hes not doing a good-enough job-
All parents feel that way, Maggie empathized.
-but hes so patient with them, trying so hard to reach out to them. He may not see it as objectively as I do, but hes a great kisser.
It wasnt until Maggies jaw dropped that Brenna realized what shed said.
F-father. I meant hes a great father.
Maggie raised her eyebrows expectantly.
He really is great. With them. A very committed dad.
Still silent, Maggie shifted her weight.
Brenna tossed her hands up in defeat. Oh, all right, and hes a great kisser. Judging from the single, solitary peck I have to go by.
Maggie beamed at her. And will you be kissing him again?
No! Maybe. I sure hope so.
Chapter Nine
Adam was so out of practice with women that for one insane instant he actually considered seeking the advice of his fifteen-year-old son. So, Geoff, tell me about the first time you kissed your girlfriend. Was it awkward the next time you saw her? Did you mention it or just play it cool?
Resisting the urge to bang his head on the steering wheel, Adam cranked up the music in the SUV to drown out his own asinine thoughts. All too soon, theyd reached the shopping center where Dr. Higgs practiced. It was very early in the day-technically the office didnt even open for another half hour, but Dr. Higgs had explained that when the visit was surgical, he preferred to get an animal checked in before the lobby got hectic. It reminded Adam of the times hed told a patient they needed to report to the hospital by 6 a.m. for pre-op. Most people agreed that was preferable to waiting half a day when they werent allowed to put anything in their stomachs after midnight.
Brenna could have gone in the clinic, but as she had last time, she was waiting out at her car. With the two of them meeting here in a deserted lot, this felt almost like a clandestine encounter. Until he parked and his kids all began chattering at once, unbuckling their seat belts and practically tripping over themselves in their haste to see Ellie and Brenna.
Adam lagged behind, studying her. She wore a black leather headband today, securing her coppery hair out of her face. She had on black-and-red athletic shorts and a white T-shirt emblazoned with her company logo. There was nothing sexy or glamorous about her appearance, but damn, he wanted to kiss her again.
She shaded her eyes against the sun. Morning.
Hi. Thanks for meeting us here. Are you sure you want to pick Ellie up this afternoon? If youre busy with other animals, I can come get her. We could meet back at your place, he suggested impulsively. The kids and I could bring dinner. We owe you.
He was almost certain she would say no-after all, shed made it clear how crowded her work schedule was. And he still wasnt one hundred percent sure how shed felt about his kissing her.
She nibbled indecisively at her lower lip, and it took real effort for him to tear his gaze away from her mouth. Why not? she finally said. It might take some minor rearranging, butI guess I have to eat sometime, right?
The words might not have been the most enthusiastic encouragement a man ever received, but her casual statement was belied by the smile she gave him. Bright, appreciative and a touch mischievous. A smile like that could make a man weak in the knees.
Brenna! Morgan tugged at the hem of the womans shorts. I made a card for Ellie. Wanna see?
Of course. Holding Adams gaze for just a moment longer, the pet-sitter knelt and turned to give his daughter her undivided attention. They talked for a few seconds about how Ellie would be a bit groggy afterward, but wouldnt feel any pain during the procedure.
You guys can come visit her tonight, Brenna said, brushing Morgans hair away from her face. But she probably wont feel like playing. Zoe, on the other hand, will be thrilled to see you. Think you could do me a favor and play some more Frisbee with her?
Morgan brightened. That would be so fun!
Great. Then Ill see you later. Having delivered the cat and agreeing that Adam would be the one picking her up, Brenna turned to go. She looked astonished when Morgan threw her arms around her legs in an impromptu hug.
Adam was surprised, too. Morgan was sweet-natured, but hed never seen her warm up to someone this quickly. Heck, even with him shed been timid on occasion, shy to tell him about her day. Hed picked her up at preschool once and when another child asked who he was, Morgan had said, Thats Dr. Daddy. Yet there was no sense of that formality or hesitation with Brenna.
A fact that did not escape his other childrens notice. Eliza and Geoff exchanged meaningful glances, then turned to him as if to ask half-a-dozen simultaneous, silent questions. He sighed. For an extremely educated man with fifteen years of parenting experience, Dr. Daddy had surprisingly few answers.
MORE THAN PUPPY Love, this is Brenna.
Hey. Its Adam.
Inexplicably, Brenna was reminded of a day shed gone with Fred and Josh to Kerrigan Farms and theyd helped make real old-fashioned ice cream-the kind you had to hand-crank. She recalled drizzling rich, golden caramel-her favorite topping-over a bowl of vanilla. Adams voice sounded the way that sweet liquid caramel had looked. Warm, addictive, delicious. If she hadnt been driving her car, she would have closed her eyes to better savor listening to him.
Brenna? You going through an area with bad cell reception?
N-no, I can hear you perfectly. Im apparently suffering delayed heatstroke because my brain has turned to mush, but nothing wrong with my hearing. Are you calling with a status report on Ellie?
Dr. Higgs said shes doing great, and we can pick her up in about an hour. He even spoke to Morgan when he called.
Brenna smiled at that. Sounds like Kevin. So where are you now?
Weve been lazing by the pool. Adam lowered his voice. Which was incredibly peaceful until about ten minutes ago.
Why? What happened then?
Changing of the guards, he snarled. So much for the smooth, dreamy caramel voice.
She laughed. Have you guys jetted off to Buckingham Palace without letting me know?
Lifeguards, he said succinctly. Beneath his breath, he added, Punk.
Problem?
Yes. Boys are my problem. Theyre inconsiderate, inconsistent and only out for One Thing, he complained in a bitter undertone. The other day, one of these horrid creatures caught my daughters eye.
I see. Brenna tried not to laugh at his expense. So is she over there flirting with him?
She recalled that, in her teens, Fred had been so mortified at the thought of her dating, shed more or less avoided the situation until college. And now hes practically going through the phone book trying to find me a guy. She didnt have the heart to tell Adam that parenting a daughter would probably never get any easier.
The other day, he was flirting with Eliza. Who is way too young for him, I might add. But now he has the colossal nerve to stand there in plain sight flirting with some fourteen-or fifteen-year-old girl whose parents obviously lack the funds to buy her the whole bathing suit.
Youre cute when you rant.
That stopped him cold. Cute? Im not sure how I feel about that.
If it helps, I meant it in a good way.
Yeah? He sounded positively cheerful now, the evil lifeguard forgotten. Well, I think youre cute, too. And by cute, I mean incredibly sexy.
Sexy? Her mouth fell open. She couldnt recall the last time a man had called her that. Thank you.
The way hed looked at her the other night, the way hed confidently kissed her with no warning-that had all been sexy. At the time she just hadnt been sure she wanted to act on the latent desires he provoked. Now that shed had a couple of days to think about it
Adam?
Im listening, he said.
About that k-
Oh, hell, he interrupted. I gotta go. My little girls crying.
She knew he meant Eliza and not Morgan. Go. Ill see you tonight.
Though she applauded his efforts to comfort his daughter, the aborted conversation was a reminder that an uncomplicated summer fling with a single dad was probably an oxymoron. How could anything remain uncomplicated when kids were involved? Common sense settled over her like an itchy wool blanket. She didnt want to interfere in the Varners family time, and she didnt want to set a controversial example for those kids. It was better that she and Adam remain platonic and that she didnt think of him as anything more than a customer she liked and respected. In fact, it would probably be for the best that she stopped thinking about him entirely.
Yes, that was definitely what she would do. Put him out of her mind.
How hard could that be?
IT WAS WEIRD to come home to someone besides a dog and cat who wanted to be fed.
When Brenna pulled into her driveway, the Varners had already parked under the carport and gone inside. Adam had called her back earlier to find out if she had any food allergies or vehement preferences on what she wanted to eat. It had occurred to her that since her schedule was made up more of rough estimates than exact times, she should tell him where the spare key was hidden in the backyard. She warned him that Zoe would definitely come through the doggie door to investigate his presence. Since the border collie had already given the Varners her canine stamp of approval, however, the worst threat she posed was trying to lick one of them in the face.
Brenna had hesitated over telling him how to get into the house-it felt bizarrely personal to think of Adam and his three kids under her roof, amid her stuff, when she wasnt there-but then shed realized what a hypocrite she was being. After all, people let her into the privacy of their homes every day!