Beth Andrews - A Not-So-Perfect Past

He scowled at her. Not that it would deter Emma any. She was high-strung, affectionate and could talk you into a coma.

She also scared the hell out of him.

“I’m not your uncle,” he pointed out gruffly.

“You will be,” she said, “once Kelsey marries my daddy and becomes my mom.”

The kid was a little young to be getting so technical about things, wasn’t she?

“Where’s your dad?” he asked, surprised to find the room empty except for him and Emma.

“Working.” She wiped her hands on her legs leaving a trail of cookie crumbs across the light blue pants. Before he knew what she was doing, she nudged her way under his elbow and climbed onto his lap. “Me and Kelsey are picking out wedding cakes.”

Dillon shifted his leg but she didn’t budge. Over Emma’s head he saw his sister’s bright red hair through the small window into the kitchen. He opened his mouth but the mini-queen of gab kept right on talking.

“Kelsey said they couldn’t have a Princess Barbie cake for the wedding but that I could get one for my very own when they got back from their honin’ moon.”

He glared at the top of Kelsey’s head. Felt a trickle of sweat form between his shoulder blades. Come on. He didn’t doubt Kelsey knew he was staring at her.

“I want to go on the honin’ moon, too, but Daddy says I have to stay at Grandma Helen’s, even though I promised to be real good and not bother them when they lock the bedroom door so they can make my baby brother.”

His mouth dropped open. “What?” he croaked.

“I asked Daddy if they could make me a baby brother on their honin’ moon,” she told him patiently. “Daddy laughed and said it would take lots and lots of practice to make me a brother.”

“I don’t need to know any more,” he said with a quick shake of his head.

“Kelsey just sort of made this weird sound, like she was choking.” Emma widened her eyes and made gagging sounds. “Like she’d just tasted something really yucky like olives, but then Daddy whispered a secret to her and they kissed, so I guess she was okay.”

Dillon sat frozen for a moment, wondering what the kid might tell him next. Abruptly he jumped to his feet, tucked Emma under his arm like a very large, very talkative football and stalked toward the kitchen.

“ARE YOU SURE she’s okay out there?” Nina asked as she boxed up cake samples for Kelsey Reagan. Nina wished she could see how Dillon was handling his alone time with Emma but she didn’t have a clear view of his table, only the front door.

“Emma’s fine,” the redhead assured her. “Besides, Dillon has to get used to having his new niece around.”

Nina placed a square of German chocolate cake with coconut/pecan frosting into the box. “It’s just that your brother doesn’t seem like the type to be…comfortable around children.”

Actually, the coolly enigmatic Dillon Ward didn’t seem as if he’d be comfortable around anyone. From what she could tell, he seemed more likely to make people uncomfortable. And enjoy doing it.

Kelsey leaned back against the counter and waved Nina’s concern away, the stunning diamond on her left hand catching the light. “Dillon’s got tons of experience with little girls. He raised me, remember?”

Nina tucked in the flaps of the bakery box and taped it shut.

She didn’t know all that much about her tenant—the tenant she’d acquired with her purchase of Sweet Suggestions six months ago from her grandparents when they’d retired and moved south. She knew Dillon lived alone. Paid his rent on time. Took care of any problems in the apartment. And except for the time he spent with Allie Martin, a local bar owner, he kept to himself.

Oh, yeah. She also knew Dillon had served prison time for killing his stepfather.

A fact which Nina became aware of before most people in town—including her family and ex-husband—when Police Chief Jack Martin informed Nina and her grandparents of Dillon’s past shortly after he moved in above the bakery. Her grandparents opted to let him rent from them anyway.

After all, her devoutly Christian grandparents had told her, to forgive is divine.

A sentiment that sounded good but was hard to pull off.

But, despite Nina’s misgivings, Dillon hadn’t caused any problems and had never been anything other than polite to her or her grandparents.

The kitchen door swung open and Dillon—a giggling Emma in tow—headed straight for his sister. “This yours?”

Kelsey tilted her head. “Hmm…might be. What are you willing to give me to take her off your hands?”

Nina couldn’t believe Kelsey was teasing Dillon. He was so…hard. His work boots added two inches to his already impressive height, and the sleeves of his dark green chambray shirt were rolled up to his elbows revealing muscular forearms. His brown eyes, as usual, were guarded. And watchful. His mouth set.

She wondered if he even knew how to smile.

Of course Kelsey—with her confidence and bad-girl attitude—didn’t seem the least bit fazed. Her multiple ear piercings and short, spiky hair proclaimed her a rebel. Really, she was everything Nina “the good girl” wasn’t. And had long ago given up ever becoming.

Dillon attempted to set Emma down, but she giggled even louder and lifted her feet to keep them from touching the floor. “If you don’t want her,” he said, “maybe I’ll just take her out back. Toss her in the Dumpster.”

Kelsey shrugged and studied her cuticles. “Seems like a waste of a perfectly good kid, but if that’s what you want to do…”

Nina started to laugh, but Dillon shot her a look so she cleared her throat and struggled to keep a straight face.

After another long, intense look at his sister, Dillon turned on his heel and crossed the kitchen, Emma shrieking in delight. He stopped at the back door without opening it—thank God. Not that she believed he’d toss Emma out into a snowbank or anything, but it was brutally cold out and Emma didn’t even have her coat on.

Emma didn’t waste the opportunity, squirming around and climbing up Dillon’s back where she clung to him like a monkey. Uh-oh. This was getting out of hand. Why wasn’t Kelsey stepping in?

“Kelsey,” he said, a threat and—if Nina wasn’t mistaken—panic clear in his low voice.

Which she didn’t understand. If someone had messed with her ex-husband, Trey, this way, he would’ve lost his patience—and his temper.

“You know,” Kelsey said, tapping a finger to her chin, “my wedding’s in less than two weeks and I don’t recall receiving your RSVP. You are coming, aren’t you?”

While Nina couldn’t understand how Kelsey stood her ground, she did admire the other woman for it.

“The kid,” he muttered. Nina noticed he had one arm bent at an awkward angle behind him so Emma wouldn’t fall.

“Yeah, Emma’s a great kid.” Kelsey clapped her hands. “Oh, I know. Emma, how would you like to hang out with Uncle Dillon for a while? We’re not quite done here, are we, Nina?”

Brother and sister both stared at her. She was trapped, solidly stuck to the spot by Kelsey’s shrewd green eyes and Dillon’s hooded, flat gaze.

She hated being put in the middle almost as much as she hated confrontations. Whichever side she took would probably be the wrong side. Besides, she’d end up disappointing someone.

“Uh…no? I mean…we still have a few things to go over.”

Kelsey’s face lit up. “See? Much to do. Many, many cakes to sample and decisions to make. It could take as long as a few hours—”

“Okay,” he said. “I’ll be there.”

But Kelsey didn’t budge. Just raised an eyebrow. “Promise?”

Dillon pressed his lips together. “Promise.”