Kate Little - Dad In Disguise

Knowing Lucy, it was more a question of when, rather than if.

“She actually is dating someone now. His name is Lester and of course, she claims it’s true love. Again.” Julia sighed and shook her head. “She did promise me they were going to take it very slowly though. I think she learned a lesson with Number Three.”

“Number three?” Rachel had trouble keep Lucy’s marriages straight.

“Roscoe Whiteburn, the guy she married in Vegas?”

“Oh…right. I remember now.” Rachel nodded and grinned.

“Too bad for my Mom that husbands you marry in Vegas don’t stay in Vegas,” Julia said.

“If you ever get tired of real estate, your mother’s romances would make a great TV movie.”

“Don’t think it didn’t cross my mind. I’m waiting for a few more husbands. Did Henry the Eighth have seven wives or eight?”

“Six, actually,” Rachel replied.

“Wow, she’s really getting close now.” Julia took a bite of her cookie, chewing with a thoughtful expression.

Rachel smiled and gathered up the trash from their lunches, then dumped it in the garbage. Julia whisked the crumbs off the counter top with her hand, then put on some fresh lipstick. Rachel could tell she was getting ready to return to her office.

Charlie had eaten earlier and was in the midst of his post-lunch snooze. She glanced at her watch and saw it was nearly one. Time to get him up soon.

“Well, back to work. I have to show the Wilcox’s place at one-thirty. Joe Wilcox is so stubborn though, I’ll never sell it. The place is a wreck and he won’t budge a nickel on his price.”

Rachel didn’t envy Julia her work, dealing with difficult buyers and sellers all day and competing for sales with other brokers. Her friend made it look easy, though.

“I’m sure you’ll work it out with him, Julia. We all know you could talk a dog off a meat wagon.”

Julia grinned and picked up her bag. She knew it was true, but didn’t like to flaunt her special talent. “Sincerity, kid. Once you can fake that, you’ve got it made.”

Rachel was laughing when the bell on the shop door rang and Jack Sawyer walked in.

His gaze swept across the room and met her own. She struggled to mask her pleasure at seeing him. He smiled back in a way that seemed to say her struggle was in vain.

He walked towards her, wearing the same jeans and gray sweatshirt as yesterday, but with a white T-shirt underneath. Looking even better than yesterday, too. If possible.

She was surprised to see him. His cover note had said he’d call later, to see if she had any questions.

“I was in the area, so I thought I’d just drop by,” he explained. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything?”

“No problem. We were just finishing lunch.” Julia kicked her under the table. Rachel blinked, but showed no other reaction. “Jack, this is Julia Martinelli, a good friend of mine. She runs the real estate office down the street.”

“Nice to meet you, Julia.” Jack nodded at Julia and smiled politely.

“Hello, Jack. I hear you have big plans for the cottage.”

His smile widened, attractive little lines fanning out at the corners of his dark eyes. “I’m not sure what you call big plans. I can put a new roof on and paint a few rooms.”

“Which is just about all I can afford,” Rachel added.

“Did you have a chance to look over the paperwork I left this morning?”

“Yes, I did. I called the references, too. Everything seems fine.” Rachel picked up the folder with the signed contract and handed it to him.

“Great. The final cost might even be a little lower than the estimate.” Jack shrugged. “I’ll do my best to save you a few dollars if I can.”

“I’m sure you will,” Rachel glanced at Julia.

Was this guy too good to be true…or what?

Julia’s answering look said, What are you complaining about?

“Well, I’ve got to run,” Julia said, slipping on her sunglasses. “I’ll call you later, okay?”

Rachel nodded, “Sure. Thanks for lunch.”

“Anytime.” Julia smiled at Jack as she walked past him on her way out. “Goodbye, Jack… See you.”

He smiled back at her. “Nice to meet you.”

When Julia reached the door, she slowly turned and caught Rachel’s eye. She pressed her hand to her cheek, soundlessly mouthing the words, “He is so hot! ”

Luckily, Jack stood with his back turned to the door, looking through the contents of the folder. Rachel blinked, forcing a blank expression when all she wanted to do was break out laughing.

He was hot.

Totally.

It wasn’t just the subjective opinion of a woman who hadn’t dated in nearly two years.

Once the shop door closed and Julia disappeared, Rachel felt suddenly and utterly alone with him. She thought he’d have a few more words about the job and leave quickly, too. But he didn’t seem in any hurry.

“Where’s the little guy today?”

“Charlie? Oh, he’s still having his afternoon siesta.”

Jack nodded and smiled, a look of genuine tenderness in his eyes. “Tell him I said hello.”

“I will,” Rachel smiled back, thinking the remark had been sweet.

“How’s business today?”

Rachel shrugged. “A little slow,” she admitted. A look of concern flashed across his handsome face. Was he worried she wouldn’t be able to pay him?

“But it’s always slow on Wednesdays. I’m not sure why. It should pick up towards the weekend. People come to town for day trips—hiking, antique shopping, that sort of thing.”

“And what do you do on the weekend, Rachel? Besides work, I mean?”

Rachel felt flustered. It wasn’t so much the question as the way he was looking at her. Was he trying to find out if she had a boyfriend?

“Oh…nothing special. Spend time with Charlie, take him out to get fresh air, things like that.”

He smiled, seeming quietly satisfied with her answer. “I guess it’s not easy, running this business on your own and taking care of a little boy, too.”

Rachel smiled and sighed. She didn’t open up to strangers easily. Certainly not men. But there was something different about Jack. Something in his voice and the way he looked at her that broke through her natural reserve. He just seemed so…caring and sincere.

“It can feel overwhelming at times.” She met his warm dark glance a moment, then looked away. “But I love my freedom. And I love Charlie even more. It’s just the two of us, but that’s fine with me. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“You sound very sure of that,” he said quietly.

His reply made her realize just how she had sounded—as if she was warning him off. Warning him there wasn’t any place in her life for anyone else. Like a man.

Well, there wasn’t. So maybe that was a good thing. She smiled at him, noticing he didn’t smile back.

“I am sure,” she said evenly.

He gazed at her, his head tilted to one side.

“You know, Rachel, the one thing I’ve learned about life is…you can never be totally sure. Of anything. It pays to expect the unexpected. Know what I mean?”

Rachel didn’t answer right away. Was he trying to tell her something? It seemed like he might be.

Then Rachel decided she was reading too much into the conversation. Perhaps he was just talking about his own life in a vague, general way.

Perhaps some surprising twist of fate had colored his philosophy. Maybe someday she’d find out what that was, but for now she was content to let it go.

Their friendly chat seemed suddenly too deep and serious.

“I’ll remember that, Jack. But you do sound a little like a fortune cookie,” she teased him.

“I had Chinese food for lunch.” He slowly smiled and she realized he was teasing her back. “I’ll be back to start the job on Friday. I need a day to square away some other business.”