Arlene James - Single with Children

“Ryan?”

Ryan crossed his eyes and waggled his tongue. “Yes, pwease!”

Laura smiled ever so slightly at his antics and spooned creamy potatoes onto his plate. She then turned to Robbie.

“Robbie, would you care for potatoes?”

Robbie nodded and bowed his head, frowning. Adam hid a grin, knowing that his scapegrace son was wondering how such a brilliant prank had turned into a embarrassment. Laura doled out the serving and set down the bowl. Utter silence followed, and then Adam heard the sound of sniffles. He looked at Robbie, whose head was practically in his plate now, then at Laura. Her expression of compassion for Robbie put a sudden lump in his throat. He had to look away.

“Adam,” Laura said quietly, “would you clean Robbie’s hand for him so he can eat?”

Brilliant. She was brilliant. Adam slipped out of his chair and knelt at Robbie’s side, using his napkin to clean Robbie’s little fist. “You know, Rob,” he said gently, “there are reasons for rules. Dining wouldn’t be a very pleasant exercise if everyone helped themselves with their hands, would it?”

Robbie shook his head. Adam followed instinct and patted the boy’s shoulder before moving back to his chair. Laura beamed as she reached for the dish of baked pork chops.

“Robbie, would you care for a pork chop, dear?”

Robbie wiped his nose on his wrist and nodded. Tacitly agreeing to overlook that little faux pas, Laura shared a tiny smile with Adam as she forked a chop onto Robbie’s plate.

Before long, the table was alive with the muted sounds of a pleasant family dinner, the most pleasant in memory, in fact. The giggles that erupted on occasion were not of the mischievous sort, but rather a happy sound. Adam marveled. It was only with effort that he remembered he had reason to question Laura, and only with effort that he found the means to do it.

“So tell me, Laura,” he began with costly aloofness, “what were you studying?”

“Studying?” she echoed blankly, and Adam thought, A-ha. His thoughts must have shown in his face, for she blanched, then recovered swiftly. “Oh, you mean what was I studying in college.”

“Yes. In college.”

She smiled grimly, concentrating her attention on what remained of her food. “Early childhood development.”

“Ah.” Perfect answer, but he’d already determined that she was brilliant.

“Although,” she went on hesitantly, “I hadn’t declared a major yet.”

“Um. When do you expect to return to school?”

She shrugged uncomfortably.

“In the fall?”

“Maybe,” she said. “Then again, I might want to start with summer school, sort of ease back into it, you know.”

Summer. He worked his frown into a smile. “Where were you thinking of going?”

She gulped. “I—I haven’t decided yet.”

He made an understanding sound, utterly convinced that she was lying to him. “Well, no rush,” he said.

She smiled. “Right. No rush.”

He steeled himself for the killing thrust. “Where did you go before?” She yanked her gaze up to meet his, and in the instant before she covered it, he saw what she hadn’t wanted him to see: fear.

“No place you’ve ever heard of,” she murmured.

“Out of state?” he asked pointedly.

She folded her napkin and laid it beside her plate. The gaze she leveled at him was implacable, unapologetic. “Yes,” she said flatly, pushing back her chair to stand. She swept the table with a look. “Excuse me.” Then she turned and left the room without another word.

Adam took a deep breath. She had lied to him, and she was afraid that he knew it, which he did. The question now was why, and what he was going to do about it.

“Bedtime, my lovelies.”

Adam looked at the crew on the couch and chuckled to himself. Bedtime, indeed. Not one of them could keep his or her eyes open. Laura’s change in the evening schedule had been a wise one. Instead of putting off baths until right before bedtime, she had played with the kids for a while after dinner, then bathed them early and cuddled them on the couch, reading. They had slipped, one by one, into a relaxed stupor. Bed undoubtedly seemed delicious right about now. Laura was urging first one and then another twin to his feet when the doorbell rang. Adam got up immediately to answer it, suspecting who would be stubborn enough to call at this time on a cold February night.

Sure enough, he opened the door to find his father flapping his arms on the stoop.

“Adam.”

“Father.”

It was the standard greeting.

Jake moved inside without waiting for an invitation and closed the door behind. “Frigid out there.”

“Some might even be inclined to stay inside,” Adam commented lightly.

“All right, all right, don’t give me any of your attitude. I have a couple of important reasons to be here.”

Adam knew very well what at least one of those reasons would be. He put his hands in the pockets of his pants. “What’s up?”

Jake grimaced. “It’s your sister.”

“Caroline?”

“No. Caroline’s fine.”

Adam was glad to hear it. “Married life seems to agree with her.”

Jake nodded and suddenly grinned. “Who’d have thought it? The career woman has definitely softened. I’ve never seen her so happy.”

At least you’ve finally noticed, Adam thought uncharitably. He said, “Well, that leaves three. Natalie’s the levelheaded one, so it must be one of the twins.”

Jake’s grin abruptly turned to a grimace. “Can we sit down?”

Adam could tell that Jake was genuinely concerned about something, so he led him across the hall to the living room. Laura was herding the kids down the hall toward them, and they brightened predictably at the sight of their grandfather. Instantly they were pelting after them and swarming over Jake the moment he dropped onto the sofa.

Adam squelched a flash of irritation as Jake patted and hugged his children. He was actually relieved when Laura appeared.

“Sorry,” she said.

“No, that’s all right. Laura, I’d like you to meet my father, Jacob Fortune.” Again Adam noted that the Fortune name meant nothing to Laura. Ever the gentleman, Jake stood. She stuck her hand out.

“Hello.”

“Dad, this is Laura Beaumont, our new nanny.”

Jake’s eyebrows went up at that, but he smiled almost flirtatiously at Laura as his big hand swallowed her delicate one.

“My pleasure.”

She smiled apologetically at Jake. “We were on our way to bed.”

“Oh, well…” Jake kissed each child in turn and sent them back to Laura.

“Thank you.”

She smiled at Adam as they exited the room. Jake watched with undisguised curiosity.

“She’s worlds more attractive than that Godiva creature,” he said, reclaiming his seat.

Adam had to laugh. “Yes, well, she’s that much and more a better nanny, too.”

“Truly?”

Adam nodded and wandered over and dropped onto a stiff chair. “She’s accomplished more with those kids in one day than Godiva and all the rest of them put together.”

Jake frowned. “You’ve never understood children.”

Adam gaped. “I’ve never understood—? You’re one to talk!”

“That isn’t fair, Adam. At least I tried—”

“I believe,” Adam said, interrupting firmly, “that you were going to tell me which of my sisters has done the unforgivable.”

Jake’s face turned red, but, to his credit, he gritted his teeth until his anger abated. “Rachel,” he said flatly.

Adam rolled his eyes. He should have known. “Look, Rocky has a right to live her life her own way. I knew you might not approve of Luke Greywolf, but he seems like a decent fellow to me. He’s a doctor, for pity’s sake!”