Bonnie Winn - Substitute Father

He shrugged. “I think you have some preconceived notions about me. And I’m not sure whether they’re specific to me, or just to men in general. Either way, I don’t want them to get in the way when dealing with the kids.”

Something flashed in her eyes, something reminiscent of hurt, but surely he was mistaken.

“I don’t allow my personal feelings to sway my judgment in regard to the children,” she told him quietly.

He leaned forward, seeming to unsettle her with his proximity. “They’re great kids, Kealey. Scared, orphaned and uncertain, for sure. But I’d like to do something about that—I mean until some family member is found.”

She met his gaze, searching. After several seconds had passed, she picked up her napkin, dabbing at the frosting on her lips. “Then I suppose you’d better buy those backpacks.”

For a moment Luke simply stared, wondering if he’d heard correctly. “Does this mean I have temporary custody?”

She sighed. “For a smart man, you’re being a little thick today.”

He felt the grin that split his face. Leaning even closer, he reached forward, grasping her shoulders. “I could kiss you!”

Startled, her eyes widened.

Releasing his grasp, he leaned back. “Sorry. Guess my enthusiasm got the best of me.”

Kealey nodded, but her formal, professional demeanor was firmly back in place. “That’s all right. But you need to understand that this situation is strictly temporary. Either the children’s relatives will be located within a short time or they will be placed in a two-parent home. And that’s something I won’t budge on.”

Meeting her gaze, he realized just how set she was on those conditions. Which meant he had two options. Resign himself to the inevitable, or win Kealey over. He picked up his coffee mug, meeting her gaze with a noncommittal one of his own. Resignation wasn’t part of his makeup. Now, he just had to learn what made Kealey tick. And that talent was one he possessed.

KEALEY WASN’T CERTAIN how Luke had talked her into going shopping with him. Yet they were standing in front of the display of backpacks, discussing their merits.

“This looks like a good standard style,” Luke mused, pointing to one. “And it’s roomy enough for Brian who’ll probably have more to carry.”

He picked up a navy-colored one. “This comes in both large and small versions. That way no one can disagree over the style. I could get them in different colors so they won’t get mixed up.”

“Hmm,” she responded, her eyes on a girlish, pink model.

“Don’t you agree?”

Kealey held up the one she’d been eyeing. “Well, actually, I think Hannah might prefer something like this. It’s probably closer to the kind the girls carry.”

He studied it. “Do you think she’ll really care?”

Kealey’s throat tightened, remembering how desperately she had wanted to fit in with the other girls when she’d been growing up, how impossible that had been. Her clothes and accessories had screamed outsider as clearly as a label would have.

Luke reached for the pink backpack, then met her gaze. “If you think she’d like this one, we’ll get it. Now, what about Troy?”

Amazed that he’d so willingly accepted her advice, she felt an unexpected warming, a rush of appreciation for a man so tuned in to children.

Together they located a backpack emblazoned with a cartoon-character for the youngest child.

Luke held up the two smaller backpacks. “I have to admit you’re right. The kids will like these much better than the plain variety.” Then he glanced at the sturdy, but unimaginative one he’d selected for the oldest child. “Now, we have to find another for Brian as well.”

She smiled. “Since you were able to deal with the pink, girly model, I don’t think you’ll have too much trouble with one for Brian.”

He winced. “I guess I thought that since I have such a big family this stuff would come naturally. But I see the benefits of the female influence.”

She kept her smile benign. “Luckily, you have lots of sisters.”

He rolled his eyes. “With too many instructions.”

“Even Rachel?”

“She’s not so bad,” he admitted. “Since we’re younger, we both got the brunt of our older sisters’ bossiness so we kind of stuck together.”

Kealey managed a smile, envying his easy sense of family, the solid reassurance that never failed. A few bossy siblings sounded like a blessing. But Luke wouldn’t understand that. “So you and Rachel are allies?”

Smiling, he nodded. “Absolutely. How about you? Do you have a special brother or sister?”

Kealey shook her head at the question, having learned long ago how to reply to such questions without revealing her feelings. At the same time, she knew the conversation was becoming too personal and she needed to put immediate distance between them. And she was fairly certain Luke would be difficult to dissuade. “That’s my pager.”

Distracted, he glanced at her purse. “I didn’t hear anything.”

“It vibrates,” she fibbed. “Looks like you’re finished here and I’ve got to get back to work.”

“But—”

“You’ve made some great choices. I’ll be in touch within a short time.”

“Kealey, you don’t have to—”

“Bye,” she called back, escaping. Glancing back briefly, she saw him standing there staring, his arms filled with backpacks.

It was her own fault, she realized. She shouldn’t have gotten into such a revealing conversation with him. Of course it would lead to questions. And he wouldn’t understand the answers. Worse, despite years of counseling that had supposedly taught her how to deal with her past, she couldn’t bear to share it.

THE FIRE ROARED, not a timid pile of skinny sticks, but huge, dry logs that crackled and warmed. It was one of the advantages of Luke’s old Victorian house. The fireplaces were enormous—immense grand spaces intended to heat the home. Not that it got terribly cold in their part of Texas, but the Victorians hadn’t done anything by halves.

“We built a good fire, huh, Luke?” Brian asked.

“Yep.” He grinned, thinking he would be up late making sure it was out. But the kids had loved building the fire and he hated to spoil their fun.

“We never had a fireplace,” Troy told him.

“Lots of people don’t,” Luke replied. “This house is so old, it was built before central heating.”

“I like your house,” Hannah said softly. “It’s like dress up and make-believe.”

Oh, this child was a charmer, Luke realized. They all were.

The doorbell rang, breaking their quiet circle.

Opening the door, he was surprised to find Kealey. It was the first time he’d seen her since she had vanished so abruptly in the store. “Hello.”

“Luke,” she replied, gripping her purse tightly.

He opened the door wider. “Come on in.”

Leading the way into the living room, he glanced back, noting the apprehension on her face. Grimly he wondered if she had bad news.

But when she entered the room, her face softened. “What a magnificent fire.”

“One of the advantages of an old, drafty house.”

Luke’s dogs greeted her with wet noses and wagging tails. Some of her stiffness evaporated as she petted them, returning their affectionate greetings.

The children spotted Kealey just then, however. While Troy and Hannah remained relaxed, Brian’s smile fled, replaced by wariness.

She glanced at Luke, then back at the children. “Hi! I’m here to see how you’re getting along at the new school.”

“It’s okay,” Brian replied, not surrendering any of his trepidation.

“I like it,” Hannah announced. “I got new crayons to put in my backpack.”