Nice day? he asked her, burying his face in her sun-warmed hair because she smelled like summer, like cookies, like one-hundred-percent kid.
Nodding, she did her best to smear chocolate all over him. We made cookies, but we were real careful, Uncle Sean. No fire.
Sean glanced over her head and met Carlys eyes. She wasnt smiling, just watching him. He watched her back.
Nodding, she did her best to smear chocolate all over him. We made cookies, but we were real careful, Uncle Sean. No fire.
Sean glanced over her head and met Carlys eyes. She wasnt smiling, just watching him. He watched her back.
And then we walked around the block, Melissa continued happily. We laughed at Mrs. Trykowskis cat cuz she chased a squirrel up a tree and got scared. And stuck. Then I was hot. Really hot, Uncle Sean, so thats why I did it. Thats why I went swimming.
Seans heart stopped. Swimming?
Uh-huh. Waters warm.
Hard to talk when there sat a lump in his throat the size of a regulation football. You arent supposed to go in the pool without me, Melissa. Remember?
Melissa lifted her head, looking both contrite and thrilled at the same time. I remember. But I forgot. And I scared Carly and she jumped in.
Sean stared at Carly. But she doesnt know how to swim.
Oh, yes, she does, Melissa told him. She swam right to me, really fast. Then when I told her I could swim, she cried and laughed. Right, Carly?
Carly swallowed hard, her gaze never leaving Seans. Right, Melissa.
Slowly, because his heart was still thundering in his ears, Sean set Melissa down and continued to stare at Carly. You told me you couldnt swim.
I know.
She knew. Damn, but hed done it again, fallen sucker to another woman who lied. Melissa, why dont you go pick out some stories for me to read to you?
But you always say youre too busy to read to me.
He winced. What kind of an uncle was he that he hadnt made any time for his niece? Im sorry about that. I was wrong. Go pick a few out. Take your time.
Melissa clapped, then skipped to the house.
Carly rose, probably hoping to escape, as well.
Wait, he said.
She looked toward the house. I thought I should help her-
Shes fine.
Then I should-
Stay, he said, putting a hand on her arm. An electric current seemed to run through them, and annoyed that now, even now, she could still get to him, he dropped his hand.
She crossed her arms and stepped back.
A defensive pose. Seans heart twisted. Lets get this straight, okay?
Okay.
You cant cook, though you said you could. But you can swim, though you said you couldnt.
Yes. Her voice was a mere whisper, and she was studying the tops of her boots, apparently fascinated.
Carly He let out a disparaging sound, struggling with temper, wanting even now to give her a chance to explain herself.
She didnt take it.
Is there something wrong? he prompted, willing her to give him something, anything. Are you in some kind of trouble?
No!
Too fast, he thought with a surge of worry.
What, then? What do I need to know that you havent told me?
Nothing.
Frustrated, he turned away, staring blindly at the pool, thinking he should let it go. But he couldnt seem to do that. After Tina, hed started swimming laps to relieve stress.
Suddenly, he had a whole lot more stress to relieve. I cant do this again, he said grimly.
What?
Never mind. He wasnt about to admit hed been this stupid twice in his life. Look, you dont want to trust me, fine. But Im trusting you with Melissa, and Id like more references. Can you do that?
She swallowed hard, her only sign shed heard him. Yes.
Heart heavy, he headed inside.
Sean? she called, making him stop and look at her. Id never hurt Melissa.
I know.
Can I stay? For the few days there are left?
Her eyes were eager. Hopeful. And dammit, that made him ache. You can stay, he said quietly, wondering why her relieved smile reached him when he didnt want to be reached, not by her.
6
SHE WASNT a princess in disguise, she was a chicken.
Late last night, long after Melissa had fallen asleep and Seans light had finally gone off, long after Carlyne had snorted in disgust over the television news, which was still claiming she was either in a hospital suffering exhaustion or on an extravagant vacation in the Bahamas, shed slipped a sheet of paper beneath Seans bedroom door.
More references. That they were newly manufactured by Francesca didnt make Carlyne feel any better. Nor did the fact that she still hadnt told him the truth about herself.
She couldnt tell him, not yet.
Francesca was mad at her. Sean was mad at her.
And she was mad at herself.
Not to mention nervous. Sean had left her a message on the machine saying hed be home in time to take Melissa out for a burger, which the little girl had been asking him to do for several days.
Carlyne was sure she wasnt included in the invitation, so she sat on the porch watching Melissa play in the grass, waiting for Sean.
When she heard a rustle in the tree by the fence, she rose to her feet with a sense of resignation. Melissa was still happily playing on the far side of the yard, oblivious, so Carlyne didnt bother to lower her voice. Mrs. Trykowski?
The rustling in the tree grew louder. There came a muffled curse.
I know youre up there. She had to face this. Shed hadnt slept a wink since shed gone for that inadvertent swim. If Mrs. Trykowski had recognized her, Carlyne needed to know. Youre going to hurt yourself.
Oh, no, dear. Im an expert tree climber.
The branches wriggled wildly as the old woman let herself be seen. Ive been climbing this tree for a long time now.
What? Why?
Though the tree was on Mrs. Trykowskis side of the fence, the woman swung down from a branch and dropped to the ground on Seans side. Why? the older woman asked incredibly. So I know whats going on, of course.
Dont you think if people wanted you to know, theyd tell you?
Well, youd think so, wouldnt you? Sniffing, she straightened her plaid cotton housedress. Her knee-high stockings had fallen to her ankles, and she had a twig in her hair. But not Sean. He keeps his emotions right next to his closed-off heart, where theyre safe.
Closed-off heart?
You know about his ex.
No. No, she didnt.
A horrible woman, Tina was. Well, actually, she was one of those incredibly beautiful women, a homecoming queen, if Im not mistaken. But she couldnt tell the truth to save her life. They were going to get married, but she lied about everything-her shopping bills, where shed been, what shed been doing, her hair
Her hair? Carly asked weakly, touching the ends of her wig.
She pretended to be a natural blonde. Mrs. Trykowskis eyes were sharp. No one is born that blond, honey. The point is, she broke his heart but good. I am very glad you plan on mending it.
Oh, but-
Just dont ever lie to him.
Carlyne looked into Mrs. Trykowskis sky-blue, guileless eyes and searched for answers. Did she know?
Impossible to tell.
The older woman tipped her head to the side, as if considering the matter, and Carlyne held her breath.
Please dont betray him. Id really hate to see that. He wouldnt like to think so, but he could still be easily hurt. Especially by a woman he cares about.
I-I dont intend to hurt him. Dont you? taunted a small voice.
Melissa is doing so well, Mrs. T said.
Carlyne turned her head and found Melissa walking toward them, a big, warm grin on her face. The grin was for Carly, and she found herself returning it. And just that simply, Carlynes heart tripped. Or maybe not just that simply, at all.
Truth was, she was completely, hopelessly in love with the little girl. She hadnt counted on that.
It was supposed to be temporary.
So what was this serious longing pulsing through her? A longing for a husband and a precious child of her own? And an even more secret longingthat her family could be as wonderful as Sean and Melissa.
When Seans car drove up, Carlyne fought the urge to run to him and tell him everything. But it was too late for that. Far too late.
Melissa went racing toward him, bounding into his arms, which hed opened for her. He settled her into her car seat, then turned and sought out Carlyne.
As Carly.
Carlyne suddenly couldnt tell the difference between the two personas. Which one was she?
Carlyne?
Carly?
Who did she want to be?
Across the yard, their gazes met. Hers was hesitant, but his wasnt. He looked sure and confident, and he was smiling.
Carly, she thought. Definitely, she wanted to be Carly.
See that? Mrs. Trykowski whispered in her ear. Hes thinking impure thoughts about you right this very second.
Mrs. Trykowski!
Well, he is. Dont waste them now, you hear?
If anyone was thinking impure thoughts, it was Carlyne as Sean came toward her. He was fully dressed, of course, but she could see him as he looked at night, getting out of his pool, wearing only wet trunks clinging to his hard, toned body.
Coming? he asked.
Well, I- She forced the image of his sleek, drenched body out of her head. I dont- You and Melissa- Sighing, she shut her mouth. Since when wasnt her delivery smooth and articulate? Shed spoken in front of hundreds of people at a time. Shed been keeping her cool since she could walk.
But somehow, Sean OMara threatened her entire facade with a look.
Arent you hungry? he asked.
The question seemed loaded, but his eyes were dark, unreadable. He wore his office attire. Khakis and a polo shirt. Simple clothes, but not a simple man. Intelligence blared from his eyes and expression. His body was tenser than hed let on, and beneath the smooth cotton of his shirt, every muscle was delineated and defined.
Trouble. He was trouble personified. At least in terms of her mental health.
I dont know, she said.
Get in the car, Carly.
Surprised at herself, she did. When hed driven away from the curb, she asked, Did you call my new references?
He looked at her, then turned his head and watched the road. His jaw was tight. Yes.
Did they check out?
Didnt you expect them to?
He met her gaze again briefly, but this time she looked away first. Yes. Sean She glanced at Melissa in the back seat. She was busy sucking on her fingers. Carlyne lowered her voice. Despite the kitchen fiasco and the fact I dont really cook-
He made a noise that sounded like a snort of agreement.